Dundee are gearing up for a dramatic final day in their chase for Championship glory.
Friday night will see a straight shootout between the Dark Blues and Queen’s Park for the league title and promotion to the Premiership.
Dundee’s history is littered with ‘all or nothing’ high stakes contests to finish a season, some bringing success, others the Dark Blues would prefer to forget.
Can Gary Bowyer join the likes of Paul Hartley, Tommy Gemmell and Bob Shankly in leading their side to silverware?
We’ll have to wait to find out on Friday.
In the meantime, Courier Sport has a look back at Dundee’s final day dramas over the years.
Kilmarnock 1-2 Dundee – 2021
You don’t have to go too far back for the most recent last-day drama – and it doesn’t get much more last-day than a play-off final.
Charlie Adam had led James McPake’s side to a 2-1 first-leg victory over Kilmarnock at Dens Park in front of just 500 fans as football fans returned to stadiums following the pandemic.
They had one game to achieve promotion and the Dark Blues did just that with Danny Mullen opening the scoring before Lee Ashcroft made it 2-0 after just 12 minutes.
A second-half penalty made it a nervy finish but promotion was never in doubt.
Dundee 2-1 Dumbarton – 2014
This one shouldn’t have been in doubt, particularly when Peter MacDonald made it 2-0 after just 36 minutes.
But a Scott Agnew penalty combined with rivals Hamilton racking up a cricket score against Greenock Morton meant a late equaliser would see Accies take the title on goals scored.
And when a Bryan Prunty header flew goalwards hearts were in mouths around a packed Dens Park. Goalkeeper Kyle Letheren, though, pulled off a famous save to earn Hartley’s men the Championship title on the last day.
Livingston 1-1 Dundee – 2005
On a nervy final day at Almondvale, the Dark Blues needed a win to stay in the top-flight.
Crucially Calum MacDonald put them in front after just 18 minutes only for Craig Easton to head in for 1-1.
Dundee, though, couldn’t force a vital winner with Tam McManus cruelly hitting the post in stoppage-time.
Dundee 2-2 Ayr United – 1979
Dundee’s 1992 vintage won the First Division, as it was then, on the final day but not quite in as dramatic fashion as Tommy Gemmell’s 1979 side.
A draw was needed to secure promotion and things looked good after Ian Redford made it 1-0 after 40 minutes.
But fourth-placed Ayr United hadn’t read the script and came from behind to lead 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to go.
That would give Kilmarnock the chance to take top spot only for Redford to rise again to head home with seven minutes to go.
That was enough to see the Dark Blues back in the big time.
St Johnstone 0-3 Dundee – 1962
None compare to the biggest day in Dundee’s history – Muirton Park, April 28, 1962.
The Sporting Post that day called it a “death-or-glory finale” with the Dark Blues needing a point to become Scotland’s champions and Saints needing one to stay up.
An attendance of 26,500 packed into the stadium to see Alan Gilzean notch twice before Andy Penman sealed the deal on a sunny afternoon in Perth.
St Johnstone, with a certain Alex Ferguson playing as No 10, were down but Dundee were on a high like no other.
A glorious day in glorious sunshine.
Falkirk 4-1 Dundee – 1949
George Anderson’s post-war side would become one of the greatest in the club’s history but they missed the chance to win Dundee’s first top league title.
A win at Brockville was needed to deny Rangers but the team containing the likes of Doug Cowie, Tommy Gallacher and Alfie Boyd fell at the final hurdle.
They fell hard with players admitting they’d succumbed to nerves after ebullient boss Anderson locked them in the changing-room for an hour before kick off.
Those nerves may well have been eased had top scorer Alex Stott put away a first-half penalty at 0-0. However, it was saved and the Bairns ran into a second-half lead to break dark blue hearts.
Despite 39 goals that season, Stott’s Dens Park career never recovered and he left for Partick Thistle that summer.
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