Shadow Play

Does anyone still wear Sambas other than when playing 5 a side football? ETA - just seen the pair a Sunak was wearing. Apologies to any Samba wearers out there. I was thinking of Samba Super.

Given your obsession with all matters Dundee FC I would have thought you’d realise that there has been amended plans for the stadium submitted since this image was created. Is it possible that the Riverside pitches, being nearest the river, have a more sandy based composition (and thereby drain easier) than a pitch on a hill 2-3 miles away? I’m no expert on the matter, hence the reason I am asking yourself.

I don’t think so. The away support is at the shallow end of Dens…..

Just read their statement. I think Rangers missed an opportunity to update us all on how many of their fans they have identified and banned as a result of the pyros last time they were at Dens. After all, professionalism appears to important to Rangers.

That’s no way to speak about your future landlord.

Outrage incoming no matter if the game is cancelled now, later or the match proceeds without any further issue.

If it makes you feel better just pretend an 11am pitch inspection wasn’t carried out but I take your point it doesn’t add a great deal of certainty to the game proceeding today. Personally, I think a 11am inspection was a worthwhile effort given that if the pitch failed the 11am pitch inspection the referee may well have formed the opinion that with the anticipated rain the pitch would not improve or likely get worse. That way an informed opinion could be made if it would be simply better to call off the game for today. I don’t think the club could have announced earlier that there definitely would be a 3pm pitch inspection. What if the 11am inspection had revealed a pitch that appeared ready to handle the anticipated level of precipitation. Again personally, I had already anticipated a further pitch inspection, not least due to how events unfolded on Saturday. This may not be a universally popular opinion but for it’s worth I genuinely do feel sympathy for the away fans this evening, or indeed any away fans in such circumstances. ETA Just seen your later post about announcing a possible 3pm inspection. You make a fair point raising the possibility of one. Perhaps the club, wrongly, assumed everyone would take it for granted.

The bad news it the other section is the area of the pitch between the two penalty spots.

I agree they can be useful but my main issue with certain conservation / similar type groups is with regards to the modernisation of older buildings. I’m thinking specifically when they complain about exterior cladding to increase the energy efficiency of of old tenements. Their primary concern appears to be the effect such cladding has on the aesthetics. Never mind the residents who are struggling to heat their homes. As long as the character of the area many simply drive through to get to their expensive homes doesn’t lose its history and character. The same with listed buildings. The repairs are prohibitively expensive so they are destined to simply fall into a state of disrepair. I’m thinking of the house at the top of Roseangle.

Your source is wrong. As an aside, how many of your 4,400 posts were in a thread involving Dundee? I’ve got to say it feels like 4,300 of them.

Must admit I never noticed that. I’m certainly not aware of any other instances of the pitch holding up the ball etc but I sit a fair bit away from the Shankly.

I will let you answer your own question. Perhaps I have misinterpreted what you said. If so I apologise but I can only go by what you type. Here is a cut and paste (which I have underlined and highlighted where appropriate). “We have the benefit of not being forced to say it’s playable by our employers. Anyone with a brain can see that massive sandpit is a massive hazard to the players who are absolutely going over ankles on that part of the pitch” and “it's genuinely a disgrace that it's been allowed. That's a major hazard for players” Finally, the ball ran true, there appeared to be no player complaining during the game of any unnatural bounce and no player got injured in a very competitive match. Other than the visual aspect of the pitch why do you still appear to be insisting the pitch wasn’t playable? Is it not more the case that in the modern game fans, perhaps quite rightly at this level of football, expect the pitch to look near perfect all year round and they are no longer used to seeing large patches of mud and sand on a pitch that is still playable?

Always found it was the tight folk that wanted to run the kitty. If there’s 6 people in a kitty they could easily end up with £10-£20 left over at the end of the night. Not like anyone asks for their change out a kitty.

Ah ok. It think I’m beginning to see your line of reasoning. It appears you are saying uncertainty for everyone as to whether a match is taking place isn’t any good if your pitch “is a disgrace” and therefore a decision should be made to move the match days prior to any match day pitch inspection. Regardless of weather the pitch passed an inspection two days prior to the day of the game. However, if your pitch is not a disgrace but it is anticipated it will require a match day pitch inspection that’s OK and we can just ignore any uncertainty that causes. Does that just about cover your position on this?

Sorry but why is it debatable? The pitch was declared playable. Are you suggesting the pitch was not playable? Better still, are you wanting to go on record to say the match official was “under pressure from his employer”, ignored a “massive hazard” and placed the players in danger? A certain other poster claimed this at one point but appeared to back away from that when challenged about it.

Why would you move the game on Saturday when a playable pitch was already available?

The article read, to me at least, that the council would give City the £1.9m. I was a little surprised given the significant ongoing financial difficulties facing the council. I suppose in the context of the creation of 3,000 jobs £1.9m may seem reasonable particularly if the new facilities will have community access. I wonder if there is anyone on here with more experience of similar projects could chip in?

Just reading that Birmingham city intend to build a new stadium. They have secured a government grant of about £17m to help clean up the site through the levelling-up fund. The city council will inject a further £1.9m as a condition of receiving the money. I assume the condition of the site and the number of new jobs that will be created has had a significant bearing on such funding being granted. I’m not suggesting Dundee will receive any similar financial assistance. Just thought it was worthy of mention for anyone not aware / interested.

I’d add in Fin Robertson as well as I think that would be a decent defensively minded midfield. I wouldn’t try to get the full 90 minutes out of him though like Doc appeared to want to do at Parkhead. Also, I’ve loved watching Dundee playing some very good and entertaining football this season but I don’t think we should even try to do that tomorrow night. Better to try and just frustrate Rangers at every opportunity and see how that works out.

I think if we have the same line up as today for the Rangers game we will get a hiding. Not enough strength in that line up for games against Rangers and the like. I think we will then get a draw at Aberdeen which will not be enough as I think Hibs will beat Motherwell.

Onto the game. Full credit to Motherwell they could have folded after the 2nd as I didn’t think they played that great up to that point. They didn’t fold, they kept at it and got their reward. I thought Bair in particular was excellent today. A player like that really does make a difference to just about any team in this league. You will be doing well to keep him for next season. As for Dundee, I thought we played some good football in tight positions but we are definitely lacking a cutting edge. Another worrying collapse but I’m confident Doc can sort that out with some decent recruitment in the summer. Mad mad scenes for Motherwell’s third goal and I hope the lad that jumped from the top of the vomitory didn’t “go over his ankles.” I know some poster on here was worried about that sort of thing happening today…..

I’m sorry but that is subtly different to what you initially said. You said “we have the benefit of not being forced to say it’s playable by our employers.” You also said “Anyone with a brain can see that massive sandpit is a massive hazard to the players” and in a separate post you stated ”it’s genuinely a disgrace that it’s been allowed. That’s a major hazard for players who are absolutely (not maybe, not possibly but absolutely) going over ankles (plural) on that part of the pitch. All this was said by yourself after seeing a short clip and / or photos on social media. As opposed to the referee that was on the pitch and carrying out a thorough inspection. I was at the game and the ball appeared to run true and not one player appeared to indicate anything untoward with any section of the pitch. Do you still stand by what you said pre match or do you think you went a fair bit over the top with your assessment?

Outstanding work by Costelloe in the lead up to the goal. @RandomGuy. I thought I’d tag you in seeing as you are apparently so interested in what is taking place at Dens today.

Just to place you on record are you saying that the referee is being forced by his employer to declare a pitch that is not playable (and therefore not safe) playable? Other than observing the pitch on X I don’t suppose you have some firm evidence to back your conspiracy theory? Will definitely be interesting if there are any insurance claims should a player become injured.

It’s now half an hour after 1pm and you appear to have evaporated from this thread like, well, water from a waterlogged pitch.