Dundee

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Almost six years on from his Dundee debut, it has been announced that midfielder Lyall Cameron will leave his boyhood club in the summer for fellow Premiership side Rangers.

After making his first outing in dark blue back in 2019 against Raith Rovers, Cameron had to bide his time to become a first-team regular, spending two loan spells with Peterhead and one with Montrose.

Those experiences helped him establish himself at Dens Park as Dundee won the Championship title in 2022-23, a title they may not have won were it not for Cameron's second-half strike in a winner-takes-all match against Queen's Park.

He has continued to shine in the top flight. Dundee earned a top-six finish under Tony Docherty last season, and since Luke McCowan's exit for Celtic in the summer, Cameron has stepped up to fill the void left by his fellow midfielder, netting eight goals in 30 appearances so far this term.

Don't bet against the 22-year-old continuing his upward trajectory when he joins Philippe Clement's side.

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Former Aberdeen and Dundee striker Billy Pirie has died at the age of 75.

Pirie signed for the Dons in 1974 after spells with South African side Arcadia Shepherds, Huntly and Arbroath, but it was at Dundee where he played his best football.

Having left Pittodrie for New York Apollos, Pirie signed for Dundee in 1976, and went on to score 106 goals in 138 games across four seasons at Dens Park, including 44 in a remarkable first campaign with the club.

He finished his career in Australia with APIA Leichhardt and Sydney Olympic.

On Dundee's club website, a tribute to Pirie reads: "Everyone at Dundee Football Club was extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former player Billy Pirie who passed away at the weekend.

"Billy is a member of the Dundee FC Hall of Fame after being inducted in 2016 and for many Dee supporters is remembered for the incredible amount of goals he scored during his time in dark blue.

"The thoughts of everyone at Dundee Football Club are with Billy's friends and family at this very sad time."

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss the damage done to Dundee's top six hopes after their 6-0 defeat to Hearts.

Watch highlights of Dundee's 6-0 defeat against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your views on Dundee's 6-0 defeat against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Boab: Horrific, shambolic and embarrassing. We didn't win one single second ball and Hearts were a lot hungrier than us. Simon Murray needs some help, midfield is too lightweight and a severe wake up call for the defence. Tony Docherty's got his work cut out.

Davy: Absolute shambles. Lyall Cameron should not have been playing as it seems his head was elsewhere due to transfer speculation. Too many players not showing up, the fans deserve better!

Danny: Docherty's lack of tactical ability and in-game decision making have been exposed once too often. He has had 18 months to build a defence but things just get worse. Few managers recover from a result like this and I'm afraid the writing is on the wall unless he can turn things around dramatically in the last third of the season.

Murray: Dundee showed no semblance of cohesion, and were found wanting in every department. The manager also has a lot to answer for, forever playing players out of position and puzzling decisions on the use of substitutes. After this debacle Dundee fans will want to see major changes at Dens.

Steven: Yet another window about to close and we still don't have a right back, bizarre. Bullied and out battled all over the park. Dismal performance all round. Why would you bring a midfielder on to play at left-back when we have a very good left back on the bench? More baffling decisions from Docherty.

Alan: Quite simply disgraceful to lose six at home to a side who have struggled all season. We wonder why Dundee United get bigger home crowds, and this type of dreadful inconsistency and lack of focus is the reason! We now have a real battle to stay up and look ill-equipped for it. I would be making an offer for Kevin Holt now!

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• Dundee have failed to win in their last three games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 7 December 2024 to 26 December 2024.

• Hearts are undefeated in their last six games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 16 December 2023 to 17 February 2024, a run of 10 games.

• Dundee have conceded 12 goals to opposition substitutes in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• Lawrence Shankland has scored four goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hearts player has more.

Dundee fans, were you at Dens Park to witness today's heavy defeat to Hearts or following along from home?

Either way, we want your thoughts on the game.

Have your say here., external

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "I think to describe that for me is anomaly. I don't know where that came from. We had such strong performances heading into the game.

"When you concede goals as cheaply as we did today, it drains confidence. Hearts caught us on a bad day and they had a good day. These things happen.

"For all the credit we got for recent performances, we now deserve a lot of criticism and I deserve a lot of criticism because I lead the group. I apologise to the Dundee fans. The players will be in tomorrow morning to address that.

"It is a new group, a very young team. It can happen. It is important to learn from that. It is my job to improve on that performance. The fans should not see that type of performance.

"I did not see that type of performance coming. You could see the confidence draining as the game went on. I was a bit surprised."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland at Dens Park

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This has been been a strange season for Dundee. They are in the mix for a European place but are also having to look over their shoulder with the relegation play-off place a concerning vision in their rear-view mirror.

Tony Docherty's team have shown enough of late to suggest they will be able to get themselves away from things at the wrong end of the table.

But, like a number of other teams in a similar predicament, that lingering concern will remain hovering on the horizon until they do.

While things certainly didn't go according to plan here – with players like Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan in their ranks – you do feel it wont be too long before Dundee find themselves back winning.

But the manner of this defeat will undoubtedly be a real cause for concern for Docherty, who must find a way of lifting his players for their daunting-looking midweek trip to Celtic.

Rangers and Aberdeen have both held talks with 22-year-old Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron over a pre-contract agreement to move from Dens Park this summer. (Football Insider), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Dundee could give a debut to Mexican midfielder Victor Lopez. Josh Mulligan returns, while Ziyad Larkeche, Jordan McGhee, Joe Shaughnessy, Antonio Portales and Charlie Reilly are also back in training and have a chance of being involved.

Billy Koumetio (ankle) and Scott Fraser (groin) are the only definite absentees.

Hearts could include recent signings Sander Kartum and Michael Steinwender while Calem Nieuwenhof is also in contention after being sidelined since last March with a hamstring problem.

Craig Halkett (hamstring) joins Frankie Kent (quad) and Stephen Kingsley (hamstring) on the sidelines.

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Trevor Carson says Dundee face a "huge" 10-game run to the Premiership split as they look to climb clear of relegation worries and back into the top six.

The Dark Blues sit eighth but are just two points clear of Kilmarnock, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Dundee host Hearts on Saturday and goalkeeper Carson said: "It's a massive game. I think our next 10 games are before the split, every single one of them is going to be huge.

"I can guarantee you in 10 games' time we'll look back and it'll be the odd goal in every game. Every game is going to be tight.

"I think at the start of the season, if someone had said after 23 games you'd have been on the same points as Hearts, we probably would have took that.

"But then you look at the table now, you'd be expecting to be third or fourth in the league. But the way the league is, it's so congested.

"We're really confident and looking forward to the next stretch of games."

Carson insists a settled back three has been key in Dundee's fine recent form.

Tony Docherty's men are four games unbeaten, including draws with Celtic and Rangers plus a derby win over Dundee United.

"We've had that settled back three now for the last four games and you learn each other's games, little traits you've got, and more than anything it breeds confidence and it can only be good for the squad," Carson added.

"You see the lads coming back in training and that just lifts the levels, so we're in a good place, we've had that little run of injuries but we're over the other side of it now and we've got a really competitive squad."

Swansea City are keeping close tabs on Dundee defender Luke Graham after receiving impressive feedback from the 20-year-old's first half of the season on loan to Falkirk. (Daily Record), external

Tony Docherty is "relaxed" about the way Dundee's squad has shaped up, but the manager is not ruling out any more business and is unaware of any outgoings despite reported interest in midfielder Lyall Cameron and Jordan McGhee. (The Courier), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Dundee have scored 37 goals from 25.5 expected goals in the Scottish Premiership this season, with their overperformance of 11.5 by far the biggest of any side in the competition (Celtic closest with 3.8).

• Only Rangers (4 wins, 14 points) picked up more wins and points in the Scottish Premiership in January than Hearts (3 wins, 10 points).

• Dundee have won two of their last three home games against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership (L1) – as many as their previous eight beforehand (W2 D1 L5).

• Hearts have won four of their last five Scottish Premiership games against Dundee (L1), scoring 12 goals in this time (2.4 per game).

• Since winning three successive home league games in November/December, Dundee are winless in their last four on home turf (D2 L2), although have drawn with the Scottish Premiership's top two sides in their last two such games (1-1 v Rangers, 3-3 v Celtic).

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Dundee boss Tony Docherty says there's "a real buzz" about the club as players return to full fitness.

Docherty welcomed five players back into full training this week having been down to the bare bones of his squad.

Now, the Dundee boss is relishing the "healthy competition" between players which he hopes will be an extra benefit for the remaining games of the season.

He's also added the expertise of Victor Lopez, Imari Samuels, Cesar Garcia and Sean Kelly in the January window.

"I'm delighted that this week's training really went up a notch because, as well as the four additions we brought in, all the injuries (outwith Scott Fraser and Billy Koumetio have returned)," he said.

"So this week's first time, I've had a 11 v 11 all season.

"It's really, really healthy competition and at a pivotal stage of the season, you know, we're still in a cup competition and there's 10 games to the split.

"It's brilliant, it's almost like new signings, getting Joe Shaughnessy, Ziyad Larkeche, Jordan McGhee, Antonio Portales, Charlie Reilly all back in the training ground.

"So there's a real buzz about the place and there's a real strength to the squad. But I would stress that, you know, any success we're going to get, I said the same thing last year, it's down to healthy competition.

"And I think that's what we've got now. There's real competition for places, but there's healthy competition because everybody is on the same page and everybody's got the same agenda.

"But I've got to give huge credit to, when we were really threadbare and we were maybe only 12, 13 training at a time, these players came through that and they came through it with flying colours.

"So put that all together in the mix and you've got a strong squad that are definitely, you know, vying for places and there's a real competition about it."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media before Dundee host Hearts in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Dundee boss:

• On Stuart Kettlewell resigning as Motherwell boss over fan abuse: "Really disappointed to hear that. Stuart's a good guy and he's done a great job. We're all in this industry for our family and unfortunately he's making that decision because he felt he was getting unnecessary pressure on his family."

• Docherty accepts that managers are in an "entertainment industry" and will be judged on performances and results, but criticism "should only go so far".

• He believes more can be done to protect managers from abuse: "If there's anything positive that can come from this, it could maybe be that wee bit more of a support mechanism."

• A number of key players are back from injury: "It's great, it's really healthy competition and at a pivotal stage of the season."

• Docherty hopes Lyall Cameron will still be a Dundee player when the transfer window closes on Monday night, but says: "There's five days to go, so there's a lot that can happen."

• Having added Aaron Donnelly, Cesar Garza, Victor Lopez and Amari Samuels, the Dens boss is "really pleased" with his January business so far.

• Both Dundee and Hearts are on a "good run" but Docherty is keen to replicate the performance that blew the Tynecastle side away in August.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Momentum can be key in football. With just one defeat in their last six games, Dundee have plenty of that at the moment.

In such a rich vein of form, form which includes back-to-back draws against the Old Firm and a Scottish Cup win over neighbours United, the players will want the games to come thick and fast.

So the cancellation of last weekend's league trip to Celtic - because of storm damage at Parkhead - will have been an unwelcome development for those in Dark Blue.

However, such is the feelgood factor around Dens Park, Tony Docherty will believe his side can pick up where they left off when Hearts come calling on Saturday.

In fact, with his squad stretched recently injury, the enforced break could actually be a positive as Docherty looks to get players back available for selection.

He will need as many of those players as possible, with Hearts' visit marking the start of a hectic week that also include a rearranged midweek trip to Celtic and Scottish Cup fifth-round tie with Airdrieonians.

Experienced defender Joe Shaughnessy is among seven players fit again for Dundee before Saturday's home league game with Hearts. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

Attention turns to the home game with Hearts after our trip to Celtic Park last weekend was postponed.

Despite having started the season so poorly, Hearts are level on points with us. They're a very hot-and-cold outfit this season but have won four out of five games this month.

Our last encounter with them, at Tynecastle in early December, was one-sided. The 'real Hearts' - the one that would be expected to fight for third place - showed up that day and beat us comfortably.

The space between fifth and ninth just now is ridiculously tight - just four points - so beating Hearts would be a real six-pointer and a statement of intent that Dundee are getting better with each passing game.

Teams above like Motherwell and Aberdeen have gone off the boil, leaving us the perfect chance to capitalise and climb the table.

We are still the league's third top scoring team, behind Celtic and Rangers, and appear to look much more defensively astute compared to earlier in the season.

We deserved our clean sheet against Dundee United, it was a long time coming and if we can keep that hole patched for the fixtures in February then this could prove to be a very productive month for Dundee.

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Curtis Main has left Dundee by mutual consent and signed for Championship side Ayr United.

The striker, 32, joined Tony Docherty's side in January 2024 and scored six goals in 35 appearances.

In a statement, Dundee said: "Dundee Football Club can confirm that Curtis Main has left the club after both parties mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

"We want to thank Curtis for his service to the club in the past year and we wish him all the best for the rest of his career."

Main has signed a deal with Ayr until June 2026.

Aberdeen have joined Rangers in the race to snap up Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron, with the 22-year-old out of contract this summer. (Daily Mail), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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