Lee Wilkie, Dave Mackay, Lee Mair, Jamie Langfield, Steven Milne all became first-team fixtures at Dens Park after coming through the youth setup.
After emerging into the Dundee first team at the start of the 21st century they clocked up 530 appearances between them.
Mackay and Mair would start the 2003 Scottish Cup Final with Langfield on the bench and Wilkie missing out due to suspension.
Coming off the bench that day, though, was Milne as the Dark Blues chased an equaliser against Rangers.
Over two spells, the striker scored 44 times over 172 appearances for Dundee.
Milne’s club debut came in 1997 under John McCormack but it wasn’t until Ivano Bonetti arrived that he got a regular look-in.
And he says the simple act of giving young players a chance to prove themselves is what moulded him into a first-team player alongside his other youth team pals.
‘Give young players a chance’
That’s why he’s pleased to see the current Dundee boss James McPake giving the club’s current young talent opportunities.
Since taking over as manager two years ago, McPake has given nine academy players debuts in the first team.
And that policy won’t change in the top flight with the Dens boss saying in June: “We’ll never be afraid of using young players, even in the Premiership.”
True to that, academy graduates Fin Robertson (18) and Max Anderson (20) started in the club’s return to the top flight against St Mirren at the weekend.
“One of the biggest things you can do for young players is give them a chance,” Milne told the Courier.
“I had great memories of our youth team.
“Playing with guys like Lee Wilkie, Jamie Langfield, Lee Mair and Dave Mackay who went on to have really good careers.
“With myself and these other lads you didn’t really know if we’d make it. Not until we were out on that pitch anyway.
“It’s massive for clubs, particularly one Dundee’s size, to produce their own players. They can’t go spending loads of money so you have to produce your own.
“It only adds to it that a lot of them are Dundee fans, too.”
Cammy Kerr
One of the biggest Dundee fans around, Cammy Kerr, was just emerging into first-team contention when Milne’s time at Dens was ending in 2013.
The young full-back – who has since gone on to play 183 times and captain the club on occasion – wouldn’t make his debut until the following season.
But Milne insists that connection with the club is vital.
“When I was just finishing my second spell at Dens, Cammy Kerr was just a young lad coming through,” he added.
“He was a great lad to have around and you see just how much it meant to him to be playing for Dundee.
“In my first spell we had about 70% foreign players. Now these were really good players but there was never that affinity with the club itself.”
‘Sticking with McPake has paid off’
Though they face a daunting task this Sunday as they head to Celtic for their first away trip of the season, Milne fancies his old team to do well this term.
Still friendly with assistant manager Mackay, Milne is pleased the Dark Blues hierarchy stuck by manager McPake when results were slow in coming early on last season.
“They have a squad that’s been together for a while now and it looks like the players enjoy playing together,” Milne added.
“They also have quality. You watch Charlie Adam and he must be a dream to play with for the strikers, the amount of chances he will create.
“I’m confident Dundee will do well this season. I’m not saying they’ll be in the top six but I think they’ll surprise a few teams.
“I think James McPake deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done. At the start of last season there were a lot of doubters and fans weren’t happy.
“But you could see him learning on the job and sticking with their young manager has paid off.
“I’m good friends with Dave Mackay as well and it’s good to see him having success, too.”