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.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
As the dust begins to settle on a fine season for Dundee, manager Tony Docherty and his players can look back with a real sense of satisfaction and pride.
One which began with the Premiership new boys aiming for top-flight survival ended with them finishing in the top half of the table and knocking on the door of Europe, something Docherty described as "a remarkable achievement".
It was definitely a campaign which saw the Dark Blues exceed expectations, but those expectations will now be raised going forward, and that is the challenge for Docherty. He now has to find a way to build on his side's progress.
It was a busy summer last term as he built a new-look squad from scratch, and it looks like there will be plenty more business in the coming months.
The club have announced a number of departures following the conclusion of the season, including all 11 of their loan players.
While some of those leaving could yet return, there is plenty of work to do as Dundee look to assemble a squad capable of competiting at the right end of the table.
Given the deals done since Docherty arrived at the club, Dundee fans will be confident their manager can deliver again.
Image source, SNSSteven Caulker has been speaking about his six-month spell at Dundee, admitting he "had incidents when I didn’t know what had happened" as he battled alcohol and gambling addictions.
The centre-back arrived at Dens Park in February 2018, scored on his debut and went on to make 17 appearances, with form good enough to attract a rejected bid from Rosenborg in Norway.
However, he tells the BBC's Sacked in the Morning podcast: "I’d lost myself at the age of 25, 26.
"Coming from Tottenham and Liverpool, it felt like I’d been rejected from the top level.
"I was going through the challenge of thinking I’m not good enough and I needed to find that self-belief.
"I’d drink. I’d black out. Eight times out of 10 times it would be fine with alcohol, but I had incidents at Dundee when I didn’t know what had happened."
Read the full piece: Rehab at 19, betting & blackouts, unimpressed by Pirlo
Daniel Smith
Fan writer
And so, yet another score draw against Kilmarnock on Saturday closed the curtains on a very successful first season back in the Premiership for Dundee.
I doubt any fan would have thought we would be challenging for a European place with just a few games remaining. In fact, I suspect most thought we would be fighting to evade the relegation play-off.
We punched well above our weight, which may also have been help by how badly a few clubs with vastly bigger budgets performed, but it doesn't take away from the top-six achievement we claimed over six more established top-flight teams.
Unfortunately, we hit a ceiling to as how far we could go, but I see this as a glass ceiling and one the whole club will be looking to shatter next season.
The board have announced an extraordinary general meeting to convert £9m of losses into shares and potentially see up to £4m invested into the club.
The owners of Burnley, ALK, are involved in the club now and this scenario looks like their way of helping us out by gaining shares along the way.
It all makes for a very interesting summer for Dundee. One that I hope that sees us improving on areas that need improving and, for once in my life, Dundee building on the feelgood factor that surrounds the club.
Until next season, Mon The Dee!
Daniel Smith can be found at Up Wi' The Bonnets, external
On-loan striker Amadou Bakayoko says he’d “love it” if he got the chance to return to Dundee next season. (Courier), external
Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.
Peter Grant says there would be "nothing wrong" with Scotland boss Steve Clarke taking Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan to the Euros.
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Image source, SNSTyler French and Shaun Byrne have left Dundee at the expiry of their contracts.
The pair - who both won the Championship at Dens Park - spent last season on loan with second-tier sides, with French once again featuring for Greenock Morton, while Byrne joined Raith Rovers.
Jack Wilkie, 21, has also left the club having made his Dundee debut in July 2020 but struggling to break into the team on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, all of Dundee's loan players from this season have returned to their parent clubs.
The Burnley contingent of Michael Mellon, Owen Dodgsen and Dara Costelloe all head back to Turf Moor, while Liverpool's Owen Beck, Aaron Donnelly of Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace's Malachi Boateng move back to Premier League sides.
Amadou Bakayoko, Jon McCracken, Rickie Lamie, Zach Robinson and Ryan Howley's loan spells have also ended.
Dundee players under contract for next season: Adam Legzdins, Cammy Kerr, Ryan Astley, Joe Shaughnessy, Jordan McGhee, Scott Tiffoney, Curtis Main, Lyall Cameron, Diego Pineda, Lee Ashcroft, Josh Mulligan, Luke McCowan, Charlie Reilly, Finlay Robertson, Zak Rudden, Max Anderson, Mo Sylla, Antonio Portales, Harry Sharp, Trevor Carson
Highlights: Dundee 1-1 Kilmarnock
