Dundee

From the outside looking in, Dundee have already vastly overachieved this season - which is huge testament to manager Tony Docherty and the squad he has assembled.

From the start of the campaign they have maintained the mantra that their prime objective was Premiership survival.

To say they have exceeded expectations is an almighty understatement.

A goalless draw at Pittodrie at the weekend secure Dundee's place in the top six, a wonderful achievement for a club that was plying its trade in the second tier last term.

Is the pressure now off? Perhaps, but there is no danger anyone in that dressing room will be taking it easy.

This is a determined group who are evidently hungry for success, and they will keep their foot firmly on the gas over the next six games as they now eye getting in to the top five, something that could well yield European football - and that would be the cherry on top of the Dark Blues cake.

Tonight they play Rangers, a team that are travelling to Dens Park with no margin for error in the title race. Dundee will be in high spirits and confident they can do what Ross County did at the weekend - upset the Ibrox side.

It is getting to the time year where the prizes and accolades start getting handed out.

Docherty must surely be in the running for manager of the year. For him to even be mentioned is not bad for a man who has been a revelation in his first season as a manager.

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Dundee’s Diego Pineda returns from a thigh injury, meaning Owen Beck (groin) is the only absentee.

Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande will again miss out after having an operation on his thumb and Ridvan Yilmaz remains sidelined along with Ryan Jack (calf).

Danilo (knee) and Oscar Cortes, who had surgery on a muscle injury, are likely to miss the rest of the season.

Sky Sports are ready to hit the SPFL with a bill of up to £100,000 for the Dundee pitch saga - and the governing body will look to recoup some of that from the Dark Blues as part of Thursday's disciplinary hearing. (Scottish Sun)

Dundee boss Tony Docherty has hit back at critics who have accused the club of splashing the cash on players instead of their pitch. (Daily Record)

Curtis Main says the pressure is off Dundee going into the final six matches of the season - but they will push hard to try to secure a European place. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

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Tony Docherty says he has achieved in his mission to foster "synergy" between the Dundee faithful and the playing squad this season.

Joyous scenes of celebration followed the Dens Park side securing top-six football at Pittodrie on Saturday, which the manager believes is testament to the bond formed between everyone at the club.

"If I know that group of boys like I do, there's no way they're going to rest on their laurels," Docherty said.

"Football is all about those moments [celebrating top six], and it's really important that you share those moments.

"When I came into the job, I said that I really wanted to create that real synergy with the players and the fans, and I think we've done that.

"We've put the team on the pitch that we said we were going to, it's an attractive style and it's really entertaining. I think that appeals to the Dundee fans.

"There's a real symbiotic relationship between us, we're feeding off each other. That's why I love that the game is going ahead [on Wednesday] at Dens.

"The players love playing in front of the home fans. Under the lights at Dens, it's one to savour".

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media ahead of Rangers' visit on Wednesday evening.

Here are the key points:

• He takes real "satisfaction" and "pride" in taking Dundee to top six in their first season back in the top flight, but says the players deserve all the credit for "executing the plan".

• The target now "has to be" getting into the top five, which would yield European football providing Aberdeen don't win the Scottish Cup.

• The players are "buzzing" that Dens Park passed a pitch inspection on Tuesday morning, with Docherty talking up the connection between the squad and the home support this term.

• He would "like to think" they have seen the end of pitch controversies this season. Adds "we've all become weather forecasters" in recent weeks and more focus has come from the media.

• Diego Pineda has returned to training, meaning Liverpool loanee Owen Beck is the only absentee for Wednesday's game.

Dundee will begin their post-split fixtures with the visit of champions Celtic to Dens Park on Sunday, 28 April.

Having secured a top-six finish for the first time since 2015, the Dark Blues have two away games - at Hearts and Rangers - in their remaining five outings.

Dundee's post-split fixtures (All times BST):

• Celtic (H) - Sunday, 28 April 15:00

• St Mirren (H) - Saturday, 4 May 15:00

• Hearts (A) - Saturday, 11 May 15:00

• Rangers (A) - Tuesday, 14 May 19:30

• Kilmarnock (H) - Saturday, 18 May 12:30

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Rangers manager Phillipe Clement says Dundee can play with no pressure against his side in Wednesday night's rearranged game at Dens Park after securing a top-six finish at the weekend.

After last week's article stating that making the top six would be a hard task for Dundee, the mighty Dark Blues did indeed claim our rightful place in the top half of the table - though not without a few nervy moments.

A trip up to Pittodire is always a daunting task for us, no matter how badly the Dandy Dons seem to be doing but on this occasion.

With our last win in the granite city occurring in May 2004, collecting three points was well overdue.

For a wee while though, it would look like we were going to be up against it and needing victory over Rangers in our last match before the split. Thankfully for us, the Steelmen snatched a 94th-minute equaliser.

Attention now turns to the fixture with Rangers...

Don't get me wrong, but our pitch is gubbed. We have to splash the cash on ripping it all up and doing it up all over again.

What I won't have is the way this is being treated by the rival club and pundits in the press alike.

We even got the blame of Ross County being able to pull off a shock result on Sunday. Absolutely ludicrous.

Sometimes it's best just to keep your thoughts to yourself instead of flinging it down on a statement like your holier-than-thou.

Daniel Smith can be found on the Up Wi' The Bonnets Podcast, external.

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• Dundee have won just two of their last 33 meetings with Rangers across all competitions (D3 L28), though both victories did come at Dens Park (2-1 in February 2017 and 2-1 in November 2017).

• Rangers have won each of their last six league games against Dundee, their joint-longest active winning run in the league against a current top-flight opponent (also six vs Hibernian & Ross County).

• Dundee have dropped 10 points from winning positions at home in the Scottish Premiership this season, with eight of these dropped points coming in their last six home league fixtures, all of which they took the lead in but they failed to win three of them (W3 D1 L2).

• Rangers have won 18 of their last 19 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) games in the Scottish Premiership (D1) since a 3-0 loss at Celtic in February 2022.

• Luke McCowan has scored in each of his last three home league games, while the last player to score in more successive top-flight appearances at home for Dundee was Kane Hemmings in February 2016 (5).

After securing a spot in the top six on their first season back in the top flight, Dundee welcome Rangers for the rearranged clash.

But who should be in Tony Docherty's starting lineup?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your XI here.

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Rangers' away fixture with Dundee will be held at St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park if the Dens Park pitch is again deemed unplayable.

The SPFL confirmed its contingency plans for Wednesday's meeting after two previous call-offs for issues with Dundee's surface.

A pitch inspection will be carried out by the match official on Tuesday morning, with a decision on the venue to be made later that day.

A statement read: "The SPFL has appointed an experienced pitch consultancy, which is regularly used by UEFA and other sporting bodies, to report back to the league with guidance on the condition of the pitch in advance of Wednesday’s match.

"Dundee were also informed on Thursday that they must provide the pitch consultants, SPFL and Rangers with daily updates on the playing surface and weather forecast, and immediately report any concerns regarding Wednesday’s match being played at Dens Park.

"It has further been agreed that the match official will carry out an inspection of the playing surface on the morning of Tuesday, April 16, after which, taking weather forecasts into account, a final decision will be taken on whether to play the game at Dens Park.

"If the game cannot be played at Dens Park, the SPFL has confirmed that it will be moved to St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park on Wednesday, April 17, with Dundee making arrangements for fans of both teams to attend. If the game requires to be moved to McDiarmid Park, it will still be categorised as a Dundee FC ‘home game’.

"The SPFL is grateful for the assistance of St Johnstone and will make a further announcement tomorrow."

Pat Nevin and Richard Foster join Liam McLeod to pick over the bones of another incredible weekend of Scottish football drama.

They look back on Ross County’s historic victory over Rangers and discuss what impact it could have at both ends of the table.

They also assess the jobs done by Tony Docherty and Nick Montgomery as Dundee secure their place in the top 6 at the expense of Hibs and Motherwell.

Listen to today's episode of the Scottish Football Podcast here.

St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park will host Dundee's game against Rangers if Dens Park fails another pitch inspection. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

We asked for your thoughts after Dundee drew 0-0 with Aberdeen at Pittodrie and secured a top-six finish in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Carl: So at the split we are in the top half of the league. Congratulations to the playing squad and all staff for this incredible achievement of a newly-promoted team and good luck for the remainder of the season.

Ronnie: We should have tied things up at home last week, but an excellent second half against Aberdeen does the job, with Motherwell also doing us a massive favour. A great season from Tony Docherty and the players; we need to get some contracts sorted now and look to next season.

Anon: For a few years now I've been unable to get to games, due to a wrecked old body. But I still follow the boys closely. Tony, his staff and the squad of players have done brilliantly this year. It's not just about the draw today, it's the whole season. The future is bright, the future is blue.

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Joe Shaughnessy says Dundee's top-six finish is a "brilliant achievement", but he insists they want to kick on for the last five games of the season.

Dundee's goalless draw at Pittodrie, combined with Hibs' draw with Motherwell, ensured Tony Docherty's side will finish in the top half in their first season back in the top flight.

"It is some achievement for the lads," Shaughnessy said.

"After getting promoted last season and over the course of the season we have deserved it, we have made hard work of it but it is a brilliant achievement.’

"It is hard to finish in the top six in this league, I have been playing here for years and I have done it maybe twice, three times.

"It is a hard thing, that it what I’m saying to the young lads that have just done it here, enjoy it because it is some achievement.

"Every year you just want to progress and improve on the season before so whatever that is.

"For now we will enjoy the result today and we will look at the fixtures when they come out and we will go try and catch St Mirren, that has got to be the next aim."

Did you travel up to Pittodrie to celebrate with Tony Docherty and co? What did you make of the game, and what have you made of the season as a whole?

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty tells BBC Sportsound: "Enormously proud of the group of players. It speaks volumes of that group. I'm lucky, the way they work every day, the conscientious nature of how they apply themselves. They got their reward today.

"It's a good feeling to achieve that as the newly-promoted club. There were 17 of these players making their Premiership debut, 11 are under 21. For them to put the shoulder to the wheel all season, they deserve every plaudit coming their way.

"It's a big achievement, but it's for other people to judge. I've had great support from my staff, they work so hard every day. The support from John Nelms and Gordon has been fantastic as well.

"I had a great deal of satisfaction when that final whistle went. All I said at the start of the season was I wanted to be competitive in every match. We've been that and more."

Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport Scotland

It's never easy for Dundee fans. Last week they were 2-0 up and cruising before losing in injury time. This week, for the majority of this game, their top-six dreams effectively lay in tatters. Their emotions must be all over the place.

Ultimately, despite all the points dropped, despite all the bad press around the Dens Park pitch, they've made it to the promised land of the top six for the first time since 2015.

Amadou Bakayoko lacked composure up top, but was presented with plenty of opportunities by the usual suspects - Scott Tiffoney, Lyall Cameron and Luke McCowan.

There is still a lot of work to do next season if they're to repeat the feat. The league this season has been poor, the job should be harder. Tony Docherty will need to recruit extremely well.

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Lyall Cameron. A threat throughout, who sometimes goes under the radar when Luke McCowan shines a little brighter.

Dundee weren't expected to hang on to Cameron when they were promoted last season. They'll struggle to keep him in the summer, too.