Dundee boss Neil McCann admits tomorrow’s crunch game with Hamilton at Dens is the biggest of the season for his side as they look to take another step towards Premiership safety.
Accies are currently sitting in ninth spot in the table on 33 points, just ahead of the Dark Blues on goal difference.
McCann’s men, who lost 2-1 against Motherwell last week, are still four points ahead of Partick and six clear of rock bottom Ross County.
That will change with the bottom two meeting at Firhill tonight with the Dundee manager set to be an interested spectator in the stands.
He will then turn his full focus to the game with Hamilton and he echoed the sentiments of opposite number Martin Canning who said earlier this week that the fixture was the most important of the campaign.
McCann said: “I would go along with that, absolutely.
“I read his comments where he said that would be three teams below them if they beat us.
“It is the same for us and it is a huge game.
“There is also a big game happening on Friday night. Sometimes you don’t get the chance to have a look at what is going on elsewhere as you are playing at the same time.
“So we will go to that game and see the outcome.
“Clearly, the position we are in, it is absolutely in our own hands which is where you want to be. I am pleased to say we are still in a position where our destiny is in our own hands.”
The last time Dundee played Hamilton in January, they fought back from being a goal down to equalise and then clinch the winner through A-Jay Leitch-Smith in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
That never-say-die attitude was in evidence again two weeks ago when they scored another late winner against St Johnstone and the manager admitted he wants more of the same tomorrow.
He said: “That (fighting spirit) is something that has pleased me.
“We did it at Hamilton and it was the exact same thing against St Johnstone when we went right to the end.
“Against Motherwell on Saturday although we didn’t get the result we wanted, we absolutely pummelled it to the end.
“We are going to need that again against Hamilton this time because they are not an easy side to beat.
“But we showed wonderful qualities that day (the game in January) to be relentless to try to get that winner and we did.
“So it is going to need more of the same.”
The Dundee fans have been snapping up season ticket books for the next campaign in big numbers and McCann is determined to repay them by securing a vital victory over Hamilton.
He said: “A bigger and noisier support is always going to make a difference to how you feel in a game.
“Against St Johnstone, it would have been easy for the fans to maybe get a wee bit restless and even turn on the boys for conceding.
“But they didn’t and roared us on. That definitely had an impact and you could even hear them going away from Dens singing, going home on the back of us taking three points.
“The return from the season book sales has been magnificent. The commitment to the club for next season has been really fantastic.
“We want to repay that faith – a win will go a long way to doing that.”
Defender Genseric Kusunga and striker Sofien Moussa had to come off injured against Motherwell last week with McCann admitting both were doubtful tomorrow although there was better news on Josh Meekings and Roarie Deacon.
McCann said: “Gensy has been doing some work today but he hasn’t joined in full training yet.
“But he has been feeling good and hopefully he will be back tomorrow.
“Josh and Roarie both trained today. Last week, Roarie had a wee bit of a reaction which is why we didn’t use him although he travelled with us.
“But they both took a full part today and touch wood they will have come through it OK.
“Moussa hasn’t trained so we are unsure if he will be fit for Saturday.
“So Gensy and Moussa are doubts for us but they will be given every opportunity to make it.”
