Dundee legend Bobby Geddes has ended his association with the club he has served with distinction on and off since 1979.
After 11 years with the Dark Blues at the beginning of his career, Geddes returned to his first senior club as goalkeeper coach in 2006.
And he has been a fixture at Dens Park ever since, coaching the likes of Rab Douglas, Kyle Letheren and Scott Bain.
This week, though, he surprised everyone at the club by bringing an end to his 26-year association with Dundee when his contract expired on June 30.
We can confirm that Bobby Geddes has left the club following the expiry of his contract #thedee https://t.co/t74J0pgRAi
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) July 1, 2021
Also a winner of the Scottish Junior Cup as manager, Geddes had a coaching spell with Dundee United and played five times for Scotland at U/21 level.
In addition, he boasts the distinction of being the Scotland’s oldest player, having come off the bench for Dundee against Raith Rovers at the age of 49 in 2010.
Dundee debut to testimonial
Born in Inverness, Geddes began his career with Ross County’s youth set-up before moving south to Dundee in the late 70s.
He made his debut under Tommy Gemmell in 1979 as a 19-year-old, replacing veteran goalie Ally Donaldson for a single game that season.
The date was September 11 and the competition was the Anglo-Scottish Cup with 6,866 fans at Dens Park watching the Dark Blues lose 1-0 to Sheffield United.
Dundee were relegated that season before Geddes took the No 1 jersey for the following campaign in the First Division.
By this time Donald Mackay was in charge and Geddes played 49 times across all competitions.
That included a good performance, despite the result, in the 1980 League Cup Final defeat to Dundee United.
The Dark Blues would win promotion by finishing second that season and remained a top-flight club throughout the 1980s.
In 1989, he was awarded a testimonial with English champions Liverpool the opponents as Kenny Dalglish helped the Reds to a 3-1 win at Dens Park.
Geddes racked up 312 appearances for the club before leaving for Kilmarnock in 1990.
He would, though, add one more two decades later.
Cup-winning manager
After six years at Rugby Park and spells with Raith Rovers, Linfield and Brechin City, Geddes’ senior career came to an end in 2000.
A player/manager role would come next at junior side Carnoustie Panmure and brought great success.
The Gowfers had lost out in the final in 2001 but three years later Geddes led them to the Scottish Cup for the only time in their history, seeing off local rivals Tayport at Firhill.
A return to senior football beckoned with Dundee’s rivals United as their goalkeeper coach under Gordon Chisholm in 2005.
In 2006, the call from Dens Park came once more, however, where Geddes remained until this week.
A surprise final appearance
In 2010, he added to those 312 appearances with an unexpected substitute appearance in the First Division.
At the age of 49, Geddes became Dundee’s oldest player as he replaced the injured Tony Bullock.
After the match, he told the BBC: “It was a surprise. I was sitting on the bench, hoping to have a quiet night.
“It was relatively quiet, just maybe not as quiet as it should’ve been!
“Looking back on the game it was okay, but a bit nerve-wracking at the time.
“It was disappointing to lose the game because it confirmed we’re in the First Division for another year.”
He added: “Individuals know when their cut-off point is and I thought mine was 10 years ago.
“Being a goalkeeper, the players can defend you a bit better – especially for someone at my age.
“They would have to defend a bit better than what they would do for a normal goalkeeper.
“The players protected me pretty well last night and I’m glad of that, that’s for sure.”
As a player, Geddes is 15th in Dundee’s all-time appearance list and kept 91 clean sheets for the club.
He was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2016, winning the special recognition award.
However, it is his contribution as a coach over the past 13 years that will be missed by all at Dens Park as he moves on this week.