Dundee

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland at Dens Park

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Luke McCowan is keen to “enjoy and relish the challenge” of meeting the high expectations he believes will be placed upon Dundee next season.

The midfielder netted in the first half, before missing an 88th minute penalty that would have sealed three points on the final day at Dens Park – a moment McCowan told BBC Scotland he is keen to “learn from.”

“Moments like that through the season, not just for myself but for the team, that you probably look back on and you know that you are going to learn from.

“It has probably been my best season as a footballer. But I know next year there will be more to come and I will motivate myself to get going again next year.

“The challenge for any team, especially if you overachieve, is that as soon as you put pressure on yourself for overachieving then you will lose that [motivation]. I think you have just got to enjoy and relish the challenge.”

We asked for your views following Dundee's final day 1-1 draw versus Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you all had to say:

Doug: The proverbial game of two halves. When the dust settled, it was just about right that the honours were shared. Kilmarnock were unlucky with a couple of shots off the bar, and the less said the better about the Dundee penalty strike... All-in-all a surprisingly successful season for Dundee, and hopefully they can keep it up in season 24/25.

Gary: The usual script in games against Killie this season - either side could’ve won it. A great atmosphere though to end a decent season, well done to the players and staff. Hopefully we can retain some, enhance what we have, add some new additions and have a go at matching some of the standards set this term!

Thomas: Dundee won only 10 of 38 league games, letting in almost 70 goals. They went out of both cups early, had the postponements fiasco, and have still not put a brick down at the proposed new stadium. Home fans have hovered around the 5,000 mark. A great season? I don't think so.

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• Kilmarnock have lost 21 points from winning positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, only Dundee (25) have lost more.

• Dundee have failed to win in their last eight games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 20 February 2022 to 7 May 2022, a run of 11 games.

• Luke McCowan has scored 10 goals this season (one in this game), more than any other Dundee player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Robbie Deas received his first red card in the Scottish Premiership (30th appearance).

• Dundee have scored 10 goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half, only Rangers (18) and Celtic (15) have scored more in the Scottish Premiership this season.

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty told BBC Scotland: "We should have shook hands at the start of the game and agreed on a draw! It was another entertaining game against a good team who've had a successful season.

"It was a game of two halves. They were better first half, we didn't do a lot. I asked the players to be braver and they were. We could and should have got our just rewards.

"I want to reflect on the season and recognise the achievement of the players this season.

"The thing that pleases me most is I said I wanted to create a synergy or a relationship between fans and players. I wanted to put a team on the pitch that had an identity and style of play. You could see today, at the end with the reaction of the fans, that we've managed to do that.

"It's important that we identify things we've done well and things we can do better, there's still loads of room for improvement. I'm sure we'll have a real go at it. To have achieved top six is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the staff and players."

For the fourth time this league season, Dundee and Kilmarnock couldn’t be separated as they both finished successful seasons with a draw at Dens Park.

After a slow start, Kilmarnock took the lead through Gary Mackay-Steven - who was making his first start on possibly his final appearance for the club.

Dundee hit back when Scott Tiffoney sprung the offside trap and played Luke McCowan in, with the deputising captain firing in. The effort was initially disallowed but VAR intervened to award the goal.

Kilmarnock hit the bar twice in the second-half and had Robbie Deas sent off for a second yellow, while McCowan missed a penalty to seal victory for Dundee in the 88th minute.

What did you make of that, Dundee fans? Should you have won? Did you expect Luke McCowan to score from the spot?

Let us know your thoughts.

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Luke McCowan. There have been, rightfully, a lot of plaudits for Lyall Cameron but McCowan has carried this Dundee at times this season, and has announced himself as a solid Premiership attacker this year.

Again today, he was the creative fulcrum all day - until he missed the penalty. A rare slip up from a player destined to go higher.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

If you told Tony Docherty where his team would finish at the start of the season, he's have absolutely snapped your hand off.

A sixth-placed finish signalled their best league position since 2015, and they did so with a ropey defence and no clear goalscorer.

They also didn't win in the final eight Premiership games, and conceded more goals than every team other than Livingston. If they can solidify that, they'll be in a decent position again next season.

The other task will be keeping hold of Luke McCowan and Lyall Cameron, their two best creators who got them into the top six.

Dundee XI: McCracken, Mulligan, McGhee, Portales, Donnelly, Dodgson, Sylla, McCowan, Cameron, Tiffoney, Bakayoko.

Substitutes: Sharp, Astley, Main, Robinson, Robertson, Howley, Boateng, Mellon, Costelloe.

Kilmarnock XI: O'Hara, Wright, Deas, Findlay, Ndaba, Mackay-Steven, Donnelly, Polworth, McKenzie, Murray, Watkins.

Substitutes: Dennis, Vassell, Kennedy, Armstrong, Watson, Balagizi, Cameron, Stewart, Van Veen.

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Tony Docherty hopes Dundee fans and players show "mutual appreciation" in their final game of the season against Kilmarnock.

The Dens Park side have enjoyed a successful first campaign back in the top flight, finishing in the top six after winning the Championship last year.

"When you look at our first game of the season against Bonnyrigg Rose, we've come a long way since that," Docherty said.

"It's been a season of real achievement and tomorrow is an opportunity to celebrate that with the fans.

"When I first came into the job, I wanted to have an identity for the team. I wanted to have a style of play. Particularly, I wanted to have something that created that synergy between the players and the fans.

"For me, the real satisfaction comes in seeing that relationship that we've built and hopefully it gives us a platform to build even further next year.

"From the start of the year, most of you guys [the media], it was written off that we were the team that were going to be relegated.

"That gave us huge motivation to do what we've done as a group. [Saturday] is an opportunity to celebrate that and hopefully there's a mutual appreciation between the fans and the players."

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Dundee will spend a week in Polish city of Poznan as part of their pre-season preparations in July.

Tony Docherty's side will take part in two friendly matches, first against Czech outfit FC Banik Ostrava on Wednesday 3 July.

Three days later, the Dee will face eight-time champions of Poland, Lech Poznan.

The club also confirmed that fans will be able to take in the games, with ticketing information to be announced at a later date.

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• Dundee are winless in nine Scottish Premiership meetings with Kilmarnock (D6 L3), although the last four have all been 2-2 draws.

• All three league meetings between Dundee and Kilmarnock this season have been drawn; the last fixture to be drawn four times in a Scottish top-flight campaign was Dunfermline Athletic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2011-12 (Motherwell v St Johnstone could also be drawn four times this season).

• Dundee have lost their final match in their last seven top-flight seasons since a 1-1 draw with Livingston to finish 2004-05. Their last final-day win in the top tier was in 2003-04 (2-1 v Aberdeen).

• Excluding the curtailed 2019-20 season, Kilmarnock have won their final match in their last four Scottish Premiership seasons, last failing to do so in 2016-17 (2-1 loss to Ross County).

• Dundee have lost all four of their Scottish Premiership games since the split. The last top-six side to lose all five of their matches in a top-flight season after the split were St Johnstone in 2011-12.

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Dundee have called an emergency general meeting on 3 June for a vote on a new share issue of up to £13m.

The Dens Park last month club posted a loss of £2.9m for the year up to May 2023 and said they expect a similar deficit this season despite having returned to the top flight.

Dundee, who in January struck a "talent and knowledge share" deal with Premier League club Burnley, hope to move to a yet-to-be-built new stadium at Camperdown Park by next year.

Dundee welcome Kilmarnock in their final Premiership match of the season with only pride to play for.

Is this a chance for Tony Docherty to experiment? Pick your XI here.

Dundee defender Jordan McGhee is determined to finish the season on a high with victory at home to Kilmarnock after four successive Scottish Premiership top-six defeats. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

The post-split fixtures were always likely to be difficult for Dundee.

Just a year ago they were playing in the Championship - so the prospect of a run of games against the other five top teams in the top division , while enticing, also looked like being a tough one.

And so it has transpired, with Dundee suffering defeats to both halves of the Old Firm, as well as to St Mirren and Hearts.

They round their campaign off at home to Kilmarnock on Saturday.

It is important to say that in no way should this run of results be allowed to overshadow what has been a fine campaign for Tony Docherty’s side.

Getting into the top six is a pretty serious achievement for a side who will have kicked off this term with the aim of simply surviving in the Premiership.

Such has been their upward trajectory, they have certainly raised the bar and the expectations about what this group is capable of, and what they should be aiming to achieve going forward.

"When the dust has settled on another eventful campaign, Docherty can rightly reflect on a good body of work, but not for long.

He must embark on his next challenge - trying to build on a level of success the fans would dearly love to become accustomed to on a regular basis.

We asked for your thoughts after Dundee let a two-goal lead slip against Rangers and lost their fourth successive game in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Carl: Couldn’t make it up! A great first half but as usual there was no tweaking or even a small change in tactics for the second. Our game management needs improvement. A couple of players off the boil stayed on for 90 mins. Why? An overachieving season, that could have been even better in my opinion.

Gary: Unfortunately it was our whole season in 90 minutes. A great first half, where we were dynamic, fluid, assertive and confident. In the second half we looked tired, rattled, clueless and naive. As Tony Docherty says though, we are a work in progress. Antonio Portales’ goal was a thing of real class. If only we can add solidity and a bit of footballing sense, we’ll be OK.

Anon: I think the top-six spot flattered Dundee to be honest. The amount of points that Dundee threw away this season beggars belief. Watching last nights game I knew that as soon as Rangers scored just before half-time we would go on to lose and I predicted 5-2. Massive improvement is needed for next year as the games after the split have shown.

Listen to Dundee manager Tony Docherty after his side lost to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Watch highlights as Rangers come from behind to beat Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

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Dundee boss Tony Docherty told BBC Scotland: "First half we were outstanding, we were the better team and should've come in 2-0 up. We controlled the game out of possession and were clinical.

"We're a work in progress, very much so, but there have to be plaudits for the players, getting into the top six and the way we played here first half. There was a bit of naivety.

"People remember the way games finish, we need to remember what we did right. That's the yardstick for me next season.

"I know where we need to improve and we'll make sure we do that for next season."

Rangers recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Dundee to avoid an Ibrox embarrassment, while also prolonging Celtic’s almost inevitable wait to be crowned Premiership champions.

The visitors scored two goals in two first-half minutes through defenders Jordan McGhee and Antonio Portales to threaten a first win at Ibrox since 2001.

However, Ross McCausland’s toe-poke just before half-time eased the pressure on the hosts before Cyriel Dessers nodded Rangers level six minutes after the restart.

It was Todd Cantwell, who infuriated many in the first half, who whipped Rangers into the lead when his cross flew in, and Scott Wright secured all three points with a late double.

Philippe Clement’s side move three points behind Celtic, who visit Kilmarnock on Wednesday needing one point to seal the title.

Dundee, meanwhile, will finish sixth as their quest for European football was struck a fatal blow.

Were you at Ibrox, or did you watch from home? What did you think when Dundee went 2-0 up? Were you confident, or did you fear the worst?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

The cracks have started to show at Ibrox in recent weeks, and Dundee threatened to prise them wide open in the first 45 minutes.

They were excellent in that first-half - putting out fires at the back, looking dangerous in attack, and showing no fear all over the park.

But, yet again, they failed to handle the pressure. They've lost 25 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

They've won four, drawn three, and lost three when leading at half-time in the league - and they've conceded more goals than any other team in the league.

If they are to make the top six, or even avoid a relegation battle, next season they need to shore up at the back.