When Rangers’ Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, you might remember the groans of John Nelms.
The American Dens Park managing director was outspoken about the SPFL’s decision to call-off the game, questioning why the match couldn’t have been moved forward three hours.
This is with the ball not even bouncing on parts of the pitch and the game being deemed a genuine hazard to the health of professional football players.
Imagine our surprise then that almost three weeks on, Dundee’s embarrassment of a pitch could force the club to play their last two post-split fixtures away from Dens Park.
Dundee pitch once again in the spotlight
At least, that’s what the word on the Scottish footballing grapevine appears to suggest.
The Scottish Sun ran an exclusive claiming that Dundee’s Dens Park, which is named the Scott Foam Stadium for sponsorship reasons, might be deemed unplayable for the weekend’s match with Motherwell.
That would, by proxy, put the Dee’s Wednesday night clash with Rangers under threat. We’re sure that won’t go down well at Ibrox.
Rangers were left furious with Dundee’s initial handling of the situation, with the Ibrox side not even informed the game was under threat until the club’s kit man arrived at the stadium.
The report claims that due to the proximity of the Scottish Premiership’s split, Dundee have been forced into preparing alternatives, just in case the pitch is deemed unplayable.
This comes after days of torrential rain in Dundee, with more expected in the coming days.
Tannadice (Dundee United), McDiarmid Park (St Johnstone), and Garfield Park (Arbroath) are apparently all up for consideration, as well as Hampden.
Rangers’ rivals bite back with statement
Interestingly, Dundee have refuted these suggestions but not outright ruled them out.
In a statement to supporters which seeks to “clarify” the situation without actually doing so, Dundee claim their pitch is expected to be playable by Saturday.
The Dens Park club have also claimed that they’ve drafted in expert groundsmen and machinery to try and salvage the surface, which has seen four call offs this season.
A statement reads:
“Dundee Football Club want to respond to media speculation regarding the club being forced to move Saturday’s match against Motherwell away from the Scot Foam Stadium. The club want to clarify the situation regarding this.
“As we all know there has been heavy rainfall in the Dundee area since the start of the week.
“The club have had a full grounds team along with consultants working on the pitch since the postponement of the Rangers match along with all the associated machinery and this will continue right up until Saturday. Rain covers will then be put down covering the whole pitch.
“The club are doing absolutely everything in its power to get Saturday’s match on and is expecting Saturday’s match to go ahead as planned.
“The club are in regular discussions with the league but no decision to move the match away from the Scot Foam Stadium has been made.
“The stories circulating in the media are very much media speculation. The club will provide another update to supporters later on today.”
Rangers are set to play Dundee at Dens Park on Wednesday 10th April at 8pm, with the Ibrox side hoping to go five points clear should they overcome Old Firm rivals Celtic this week.
The situation with the pitch has ensured Celtic go into this weekend’s vital Ibrox clash top of the table, with the Gers having a game in hand.
