Dundee prevail where Scotland giants Rangers failed

That Scottish football desperately needs to get its house in order could not be better illustrated by Dundee's unlikely promotion to the Scottish Premier League.

The Dark Blues, who have been in administration twice in the last nine years, are replacing a once-mighty giant that could not survive the same process.

With Rangers destined for liquidation, a new company formed with the old club's assets saw its application to join the top flight rejected, so Dundee have been invited to fill the void.

And, after a summer of procrastination from the game's under-fire governors, Barry Smith's team are left with less than three weeks before they kick off against Kilmarnock.

Dundee were champions of Scotland in 1962 and can boast a fine pedigree, including three League Cup triumphs and one success in the Scottish Cup.

Dundee played near neighbours Dundee United on Saturday and attracted 10,121 fans

And there have been semi-final defeats in two of Europe's major tournaments.

But they have yo-yo'd between the top division and the second tier since they were among the founder members of the Scottish Premier Division in 1975.

However, after finishing 24 points behind First Division champions Ross County last season, some will question their chances of SPL survival, with manager Smith admitting he needs to sign at least six players before the start of the new season.

Players such as former St Johnstone striker Steven Milne and ex-St Mirren midfielder Stephen O'Donnell will be tasked with living up to a lofty tradition.

Their promotion to the SPL means the return of the Dundee derby against old rivals and near neighbours Dundee United. However, they lost 3-0 to the Terrors in a friendly at Dens Park last weekend.

Dundee's History

• 1893 - Dundee FC founded after a merger between local teams Our Boys and East End.

• 1899 - The club move to Dens Park from their original Carolina Port ground.

• 1910 - Win first competition after beating Clyde in a twice-replayed Scottish Cup final.

• 1952 - Dundee's next trophy does not come until they lift the Scottish League Cup following a 3-2 win over Rangers.

• 1953 - The Dark Blues become the first team to retain the League Cup, this time beating Kilmarnock 2-0.

• 1962 - Bob Shankly, brother of Liverpool's legendary boss Bill Shankly, guides Dundee to their first league title - winning the First Division on the final day of the season.

• 1963 - In their first ever European competition, Dundee reach the semi-finals of the European Cup before losing 5-2 on aggregate to eventual winners AC Milan.

Argentina World Cup star Claudio Caniggia joined the Dark Blues in 2000

• 1964 - Lose Scottish Cup Final after going down 3-1 against Rangers.

• 1968 - Dundee again lose at the semi-final stage of a European competition - beaten 2-1 by Leeds in the Inter Cities Fairs Cup.

• 1973 - Silverware returns to Dens Park with a 1-0 victory over Celtic in the Scottish League Cup.

• 1975 - Dundee are among the founder members of the Scottish Premier Division but are relegated at the end of the first season.

• 1980 - After returning to the top flight Dundee only survive for a single season.

• 1998 - Promotion from the First Division means Dundee take part in the inaugural Scottish Premier League season and finish an unexpected fifth.

• 2003 - After spiralling costs incurred by manager Ivano Bonetti's recruitment of foreign stars, such as Claudio Caniggia, Temuri Ketsbaia, Zurab Khizanishvili, Fan Zhiyi, Juan Sara and Fabian Caballero, the club enter administration with debts close to £20m.

• 2005 - Relegated back to Division One, where they achieve three runners-up spots over the next seven years.

• 2010 - The club enter administration for the second time, receiving a 25-point deduction but still manage to survive in the First Division following a 23-match unbeaten run.

• 2012 - Despite finishing 24 points behind First Division champions Ross County, Dundee's runners-up placing sees them promoted back to the top flight due to newco Rangers' application to join the SPL being rejected.