Dundee vs Rangers: Dens Park passes pitch inspection ahead of Scottish Premiership match
Dundee's rearranged Scottish Premiership match against Rangers will be played at Dens Park on Wednesday after a pitch inspection on Tuesday.
The league's governing body, the SPFL, had put contingency plans in place - including moving the game to St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park - after two previous attempts to play the fixture were called off hours before kick-off due to heavy rain.
However, match referee Don Robertson carried out checks at the Scot Foam Stadium and deemed it playable, while a pitch consultancy firm had also been appointed by the SPFL to check on the condition of the surface.
In a statement, the SPFL added: "On the basis of the weather forecasts and following discussions with the SPFL-appointed pitch consultants, who have been at the stadium for a number of days, no further inspection is planned ahead of the match."
Rangers go into the game - live on Sky Sports - four points behind leaders Celtic after defeat at Ross County. Meanwhile, Dundee have already secured their top-six spot with a draw at Aberdeen.
Dundee could yet face disciplinary action from the SPFL after having five games called off at their Scot Foam Stadium called off this season.
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Rangers manager Philippe Clement has said he's been given assurances that the game will "200 per cent" go ahead despite the notorious unpredictability of the Scottish weather.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It's not our decision, we play where it's decided. If people have decided this then I'm sure it will be in good circumstances.
"I'm sure the people that have decided this are sure there will be a game, otherwise it will be difficult with a cup game to come on Sunday. They needed to be 200 per cent sure and they were 200 per cent sure this morning.
"We were all disappointed [vs Ross County]. We've spoken about what mistakes we've made and how we can do it better. It's the first time in six months I've seen us have an off day like that. We did make some individual mistakes but also collective mistakes we haven't done before. it was important to talk about that. I expect a firm reaction, I've felt that in the dressing room and in training. Everybody is ready to show their real face."
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Dundee boss Tony Docherty feels his side have faced just as much disruption as Rangers as they look to end the campaign strongly. He told Sky Sports: "There's been disruption. Let's be clear the disruption has been as bad for me as it has for them. Our players kept focused in the Aberdeen game where we got a clean sheet to get us into that top six.
"It was huge disruption in terms of preparation and organisation. It's on me as a football manager to make sure there is laser focus from the staff and squad - and we did that in such a massive game."
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Following the second postponement last week, Dundee club secretary Eric Drysdale admitted the club must address issues at Dens Park and told Sky Sports News: "I can understand people are annoyed and looking at this as being Dundee's fault.
"What I would say is from the research we have done in the last few days, we noticed this year's rainfall was 35 per cent higher than the last 10 years' average - that shows the effects climate change is having on it and we need to urgently do more work on the Dens Park pitch and we are absolutely up for doing that in the summer.
"The pitch is of a very good quality, there have been a number of occasions where our fixtures have coincided with, for example, the storms last October which was the highest rainfall ever recorded in Scotland.
"It is very clear work needs to be done to rectify the situation and we absolutely recognise the challenges we face and the club is up for doing what is needed."
Following last week's call-off at Dens Park, Rangers said they had written to the SPFL regarding the developments and in a statement added: "The negligence and unprofessionalism demonstrated by Dundee Football Club, where they have repeatedly breached SPFL rules, continues to have a damaging effect on the top professional league in the country.
"In a week where record TV viewing figures were recorded for a match in the same competition, and this evening's game due to be televised again by Sky Sports, this episode is deeply embarrassing and has also been eminently avoidable.
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"At this time, we sympathise fully once again with our supporters, approximately 4,000 of whom were looking forward to attending tonight's game. Having already been left hugely inconvenienced and out of pocket by the first postponement last month, it is entirely unacceptable and disrespectful on the part of Dundee FC to have allowed this situation to have developed again."
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30 of April 2024
