Dundee: What now for Gary Bowyer's side after Scottish Premiership promotion?
- Published
Watch Dundee win eight-goal thriller against Queen's Park to win title
Dundee finally lived up to their favourites tag by clinching promotion back to the Scottish Premiership at the first time of asking - but only just.
Manager Gary Bowyer revealed himself a fan of the "Succession" television series in the days prior to Friday's astonishing finale against title rivals Queen's Park.
It is fair to say that Dundee will not be looking to find a replacement team manager for the second summer in a row after Mark McGhee's exit last May.
The 51-year-old Englishman will, though, realise that much work will need to be done during the close season to prevent the Dark Blues enhancing their reputation as the yo-yo side of the top flight.
Before Friday's incredible climax, Bowyer pointed out much has been made about the fact that the title winners would have the lowest points total for a completed season since the Championship dropped from 12 teams to 10 in 1994-95.
Dundee's 63 points are two fewer than the previous lowest achieved by St Johnstone in 2008-09.
Bowyer suggested that part of the reason for that was because "it's been such a tight league", revealing it had been "a real eye-opener" in his first season exposed to Scotland's 10-team divisions.
Dundee fans will take heart from the fact that no second-tier champions have gone straight back down since Dunfermline Athletic in 2010-11.
However, Bowyer will realise that Queen's Park - a club who not long ago were amateurs and who were going for an unprecedented third promotion in a row - as much threw away the title as his side won it.
A closing run of five wins and five draws was enough to overturn the Glasgow side's lead, which at one stage stood at seven points, partly because Owen Coyle's team could only win one of seven as the title chase reached the final straight.
Happy ending to time of transition
Dundee fans will just be happy to see their team back in the top flight given the upheaval and relegation at the tail end of last season.
James McPake, who had led the side to promotion, was sacked in February 2022 despite winning two consecutive games and with a Scottish Cup quarter-final to come.
However, the gamble of replacing their former defender with veteran McGhee failed to prevent a two-point lead over St Johnstone turn into a six-point deficit as they only won once more in their 14 remaining fixtures.
It was little surprise when, despite the presence of friend and former team-mate Gordon Strachan as technical director, McGhee's pleas to remain in charge fell on deaf ears.
Dundee instead announced structural changes, with the former Scotland head coach, who had worked mostly with the youth academy, given a more active role with the first team.
The moment Dundee lifted the Scottish Championship trophy
Former Blackburn Rovers manager Bowyer, who had just been sacked by Salford City after missing out on promotion, was seen as a left-field choice, but the Dundee board were apparently impressed with his work with Blackpool.
Whatever he was doing in his first weeks with Dundee seemed to be working as his side won all four League Cup group games.
An opening defeat by Partick Thistle suggested Championship success would not come so easily but seven consecutive wins in all competitions brought a Christmas present in the shape of a spot at the top of the table.
That was short-lived, though, as Queen's Park emerged as serious contenders for a second successive promotion and Dundee lost 4-2 at home to relegation threatened Arbroath.
Bowyers' side eased Queen's Park aside 3-0 at Dens Park at the end of January but still found themselves seven points adrift in mid-March.
However, they were back on top by early April and, as their rivals from Glasgow stumbled, Dundee just managed to do enough to stagger over the line.
"Brilliant, magnificent effort from the players the whole season," Bowyer told BBC Scotland after the 5-3 win over Queen's Park.
"Everybody said Dundee are favourites and Dundee should do this and that, but you've got to go out and do it, and they went out and did it."
Recruitment key to top-flight chances
Dundee have been relegated twice in the last five years and dropped straight back down after being promoted via the play-offs when they finished runners-up to Hearts in 2020-21.
Bowyer will know he will have to delve into the transfer market to avoid a repeat, but this week he revealed his frustration at only being able to bring in one of his own targets on a permanent contract this season.
The manager suggested Dundee's location had made it more difficult to persuade players to move as he used his contacts in England to bring in a clutch of loan players from the likes of Sutton United, Colchester United and AFC Wimbledon.
Apart from goalkeeper Adam Legzdins and striker Cillian Sheridan, none of his squad are over 30, so Bowyer expects a natural improvement from those he retains.
"I've seen something like eight or nine relegations and promotions so Gary Bowyer is right that does have to stop," Dundee fan Stuart Murphy told BBC Radio Scotland.
"I think they need to stabilise that squad. Most of the lads are out of contract, so it'll be interesting to see what happens over the next few days, how many are retained, but I think there will be a massive rebuild for next season.
"But for the moment it's about celebrating and acknowledging the efforts the guys have made to get over the line."