The Scottish Professional Football League has ordered Dundee to pay St Johnstone £15,000 after ruling on whether the Perth club should be paid for the costs associated with McDiarmid Park being the back-up "home" venue for the Dark Blues’ Premiership game against Rangers in April. (The Courier), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Image source, SNSBBC Scotland will continue to broadcast live matches and highlights from the Scottish Cup for another five years.
The new deal extends the BBC's arrangement of showing a game from each round - up to and including the final - on a free-to-air platform.
The contract also allows the broadcaster to produce "near live digital highlights".
The Scottish Youth Cup final will also be shown live for the next five years.
Image source, BBC SportDundee have lost their appeal against a £186,000 fine handed down by the SPFL over the state of the pitch at Dens Park. (Herald - subscription), external
Image source, SNSControversy and VAR have been intertwined ever since its implementation in the Scottish top flight in October 2022.
From handball decisions to fouls and penalties, managers and fans alike have had grievances over the technology - and the length of time taken for decisions to be made.
With the 2023-24 season complete and the new campaign a number of weeks away, would you rather see VAR scrapped from Scottish football or persevered with?
Cast your vote here.
Dundee have played down reports they are looking to sign Lebanon international Daniel Lajud, 25, after the president of his former club Atlante said the winger was moving to Dens Park to link up with former teammate Antonio Portales. (The Courier, external)
New Liverpool manager Arne Slot will give Owen Beck, who spent last season on loan to Dundee, and Luke Chambers, who was with Wigan Athletic after a spell at Kilmarnock, a chance in pre-season to stake a claim to become Andy Robertson's understudy at left-back. (Daily Record), external
Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Tony Docherty will never say Scottish football does not need VAR, but the Dundee manager wants improvements in the use of the technology after an "extremely frustrating" season with "too many mistakes".
Click here to listen to more from Docherty on Saturday's Sportsound.
Image source, SNSTony Docherty hopes some of his loan signings from last season will return to Dens Park next term.
The Dundee manager welcomed 11 temporary signings as his side finished sixth, picking up players such as Owen Beck, Amadou Bakayoko and Malachi Boateng.
While the recruitment strategy was criticised by some, Docherty insists he has a new plan as he gets to work on rebuilding the squad.
"I had 11 loans this year, they'll go back," he told BBC Radio Scotland.
"The process starts all over again. We're formulating a plan. I was in a recruitment meeting just yesterday, .
"On holiday I was on the phone, you're watching players constantly.
"I had to do that last year because first year, you know what you're looking for. I've lived in Dundee for a while, I had a pulse of the city. I knew what the support wanted to see.
"That was the biggest achievement. When you start with loan players, some of them we will try to keep.
"That's the strategy behind that, they've enjoyed it. Some of them have gone back to their parent clubs because they've done that well, Owen Beck is an example."
We asked you to name Dundee's best cult hero signings - the player that showed up with little expectation (and perhaps ability) but won over the support.
Here's a taste of what you had to say:
Murray: Claudio Caniggia was the biggest name that Dundee had signed in a generation. The signing of the Argentine World Cup star was the talking point of Scottish football at the time. I remember working in Glasgow when a Rangers fan and work colleague of mine broke the news of Caniggia's signing with a degree of jealous amazement.
George: I remember Albert Kidd the day he scored two goals to beat Hearts. Also Keith Wright and Tommy Coyne, what a pair! They scored so many goals and paired perfectly.
Kevin: Has to be Sir Barry Smith, not just a cult hero but a one off.
Ben: Christian Nade. Was signed in the January window of the 2013/14 Championship season and was a signing that was laughed at by many at the time due to his poor stint at Hearts where he was mocked for being overweight. Despite only playing 13 games for the Dee, he quickly became a fan favourite and scored one of the two crucial goals on the final day.
Anon: Kostadin Gadzhalov. Came in, played well, solid at the back. Felt like he had cigars out half the time. Sadly never got much of a look in when McCann took full charge. Oh aye, and he scored the goal that relegated United, but boys will say that was actually Wighton.
Ross: Georgi Nemsadze was class and scored a memorable chip in the Dundee derby and the goal that took us to Scottish Cup final in 2003. What a player!
Mark: Georgi Nemsadze. The best player I've ever seen at Dens.
Image source, SNSDundee will kick off their Premier Sports Cup campaign with a trip to fourth tier Bonnyrigg Rose.
Tony Docherty's side head to New Dundas Park for the second successive season on Saturday, 13 July before travelling north to take on Arbroath.
They round off their campaign with two home ties, welcoming Annan Athletic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Bonnyrigg Rose v Dundee - Saturday, 13 July (15:00)
Arbroath v Dundee - Tuesday, 16 July (19:45)
Dundee v Annan Athletic - Tuesday, 23 July (19:45)
Dundee v Inverness Caledonian Thistle - Saturday, 27 July (15:00)
Players come and go, but sometimes a new face will arrive and win the hearts of supporters unexpectedly.
Who's the lesser-remembered player that showed up at Dundee with little expectation and perhaps had more passion than talent, but turned into a hero loved across the fanbase?
Image source, SNSChief executive Neil Doncaster says crowd figures are "hugely promising" after the SPFL broke its attendance record for the second year running.
Over 5.15m supporters took to the stands to watch their side across all SPFL competitions in 2023-24, covering the Premiership, Championship, League 1, League 2, League Cup and the SPFL Trust Trophy.
The year-on-year figure marks an increase of 64,122 on the season prior's record high, when the number of people attending SPFL matches surpassed 5m for the first time.
A total of of 4,746,052 fans attended games across the four divisions, with Premiership matches attracting 3,760,765.
Scotland continues to have the best attendances figures per capita across its top four divisions in Europe with 21.3 per 1000 people - 65% ahead of second-placed the Netherlands.
Doncaster said: “After topping five million fans across an SPFL season for the first time in season 2022/23, it is hugely promising to see attendances growing even further this season.
“Our supporters are renowned across the world for their dedication and passion and regularly record the highest per capita attendance in Europe."
Image source, SNSDundee have avoided Championship sides in the Premier Sports Cup draw for next season, landing Inverness CT, Arbroath, Annan Athletic and Bonnyrigg Rose in Group D.
The group stage gets under way on the weekend of 13-14 July and wraps up on 27-28 July.
The eight group winners and three best runners-up join European participants Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren in the last 16 on the weekend of August 17-18.
Click here to view the draw in full.
Image source, SNSTyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
As they continue to digest what was a fine Premiership campaign for their side, Dundee fans will now be turning their attention to next season.
A big part of that will be wondering what kind of business manager Tony Docherty does during the summer transfer window.
From the outside looking in, there was so much to like about how his side have performed over the last 12 months.
But the bar has been raised, and so have expectations.
With that in mind, Docherty will be looking to mould a squad capable of building on the solid foundations that have now been laid.
With the likes of Luke McCowan and Lyall Cameron - two of their talismanic players of late - under contract, both will be sticking around unless someone makes the club an offer they simply cannot refuse.
On the basis they remain at Dens Park, they are two key performers a successful team can be shaped around.
Having relied so heavily on the loan market last season, there is a lot of work to be done on the recruitment front and it will be fascinating to see the type of players brought in.
The loanees did well for Dundee last time out, but star turns like Liverpool’s Owen Beck are hard to come by - although if Docherty can unearth a few more gems like that, you have to imagine there will be plenty more good times to enjoy next season.
BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English attempts to sum up another entertaining and incident-packed season of Scottish football.
Listen to the full season review on the BBC's Scottish football podcast.
League One club Stevenage want 23-year-old midfielder Dan Phillips, who is out of contract with St Johnstone, and are also tracking Malachi Boateng, the 21-year-old midfielder who has been on loan to Dundee from Crystal Palace. (The Courier), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
We asked which departing loan players you would potentially like to see return to Dundee next season.
Here's what some of you had to say...
Dark Blue: Would like to see Aaron Donnelly back as he played quite well for us. Amadou Bakayoko a decent target man but needs more goals in his game. Would love Owen Beck back but have a feeling he'll be in demand after a fantastic spell for us. The others, nobody in there I'd say is a must, maybe Boateng but the others would be squad players.
Kevin: Beck the obvious choice to stay but unfortunately this won't happen. As for the rest, Donnelly, Boateng and Jon McCracken definitely worth a punt if we can afford them.
Jim: Beck and Bakayoko definitely. Possibly wishful thinking but never say never. Get Luke McCowan and Lyall Cameron tied to longer term deals. More permanent signings could be good but Tony Docherty has worked the loan market well and may produce a couple of good players that way again. We definitely need to get a more solid back line. Too many goals conceded this season.
George: Get back Beck and Michael Mellon. Zach Robinson could be worth a gamble. If he gets a few goals early on he may settle. We need a good goal scorer like Simon Murray of Ross County.
Ben: Would like to see McCracken, Donnelly and Boateng all return permanently next season. I personally think the criticism of Bakayoko and Robinson from sections of the fanbase this season has been a bit over the top, and I'd welcome both back on permanent deals. Getting Beck back would be the dream, however probably a bit unrealistic.
Raith Rovers face competition in their attempt to sign Shaun Byrne, who is leaving Dundee after his loan spell in Kirkcaldy, with Dunfermline Athletic, Livingston, Partick Thistle and Larne also chasing the 30-year-old midfielder. (The Courier), external
Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Dundee have waved goodbye to their army of loan players from a successful season.
Owen Beck, Amadou Bakayoko, Malachi Boateng, Owen Dodgson, Michael Mellon, Ricki Lamie, Zach Robinson, Jon McCracken, Aaron Donnelly, Dara Costelloe and Ryan Howley have all returned to their parent clubs.
Who would you like to see return to Dens Park next term? Would you be keen for more permanent signings from Tony Docherty?
Dundee boss Tony Docherty insists the club isn’t going to give up on January signing Ryan Astley - despite the 23-year-old only having had a brief runaround since joining from Everton. (The Courier, external)
Read the rest of today's Scottish football gossip here
Dundee defender Antonio Portales is excited for his first taste of the Dundee derby next season, and has his eyes on an international call-up. (The Courier, external)
Read the rest of Saturday's gossip here.
