Dundee

There will be a new public consultation over Dundee's plans for a new stadium in the Camperdown area. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Friday's Scottish gossip

• The top two players for clearances in this season's Premiership are Dundee central defensive pair Owen Bevan (98) and Ryan Astley (94), while Astley also leads the league for interceptions (22).

• St Johnstone have drawn their past three home league games, last drawing four in a row at McDiarmid Park in the Scottish Premiership in August 2018.

• St Johnstone have won just one of their past 11 top-flight games against Dundee (D5 L5), a 2-1 away victory in October 2024.

• Dundee have won their past three Premiership visits to McDiarmid Park, more than their previous 13 beforehand (W2 D3 L8).

• Dundee have won five of their 11 league games this season (D2 L4) - it took them 20 matches to reach five wins last season.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Joe Westley says fierce competition for a starting role is driving Dundee's strikers on.

The Dark Blues' scoring form has been a big factor behind their good start to the season, with their 17-goal Premiership haul bettered only by the Old Firm and Hearts.

Westley is the club's joint top scorer, alongside Ashley Hay, with five goals in all competitions.

"When all the strikers are scoring it is good to be part of an attack that is doing well because you create for each other and you want to score as many goals as you can," said the 22-year-old.

"So if everyone is firing and doing well it increases your chance of getting goals and assisting as well, so it is a really good time to be an attacker at the club.

"It is starting to click between everyone and whoever is on up front I think has got a great understanding of what is wanted from them and it gives them the best possible chance to score goals and win games.

"I think it is a healthy competition, everyone wants to be playing and be in the team.

"So when you have got Ash and Bradley (Fink) scoring it means 'Right, I need to up my game and score as many as I can when I am given the chance', because you know when you have got the shirt people are waiting to take it off you."

Image source, SNS

Steven Pressley is eager to secure "a number" of players - including injured captain Simon Murray - on new Dundee deals.

Striker Murray, 34, is sidelined with an ACL injury that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season, by which time his contract will have expired.

"Firstly his situation was so unfortunate and of course with only a year left to run of your contract it brings a lot of pressure to him, to his family, a lot of uncertainty and that is difficult," said boss Pressley.

"So I am hopeful in time that Simon will sit down with (managing director) John (Nelms) and those decision-makers and get a really positive outcome because I think it would be great for the football club and most importantly really important for Simon and his family."

Left-back Imari Samuels last week signed fresh terms until summer 2029 and Pressley hopes more extensions will follow.

"I think these are all aspects that the club will certainly be looking at at present," he said.

"We have a number of players that we would like to secure their services and (technical manager) David (Longwell) along with John and (technical director) Gordan (Strachan) will be very much on top of those things.

"It is an area I don't tend to get too much involved in, which suits me. But very much so we have a number of players that we think are really important to the group and hopefully over the next weeks and months we can secure more."

Dundee have enjoyed a good start to the season. They are fifth in the Premiership and have lost just one of their past five games despite a lengthy injury list which finally appears to be easing.

"Yes, I think so, and the one thing we are really pleased about is that over the last five or six weeks it has been a real squad contribution," added Pressley.

"We have been stretched at times but whenever any player has been asked to perform they haven't let anybody down and I think that has been a really important factor.

"I have said all along I wanted a tight and very united group and it would appear that way just now, so I am really pleased the way they have come through a difficult and challenging period."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Dundee head coach Steven Pressley has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premiership trip to St Johnstone (15:00 GMT).

Here are the key points:

• With Owen Bevan and Ryan Finnigan back available, Pressley says he is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of Dundee's injury plight.

• Despite selection problems, the Dark Blues are in fifth place and Pressley says: "Over the last five or six weeks it has been a real squad contribution."

• After defender Imari Samuels last week signed a new deal, Pressley says: "We have a number of (other) players we would like to secure."

• On the prospect of a new contract for long-term injured captain Simon Murray, whose deal expires at the end of the season, Pressley hopes for "a really positive outcome because I think it would be great for the football club and most importantly really important for Simon and his family".

• Despite his side's good start to the season, Pressley notes "the league is so, so tight" and warns: "If we take our eye off the ball we will be in trouble."

• He is expecting a really tough game against a St Johnstone side who have "good variation and a clear understanding of how they want to go about things".

• Pressley also praised Saints for the way they have adapted to life back in the Premiership, saying manager Simo Valakari has done "a terrific job".

Image source, SNS

As he recovers from an ACL injury, 34-year-old Dundee captain Simon Murray says he has spoken to manager Steven Pressley about his future and is hoping it leads to a new deal. (Daily Record - subscription required, external)

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

The death of Giorgi Nemsadze is a tragedy that's hurting everyone in the Dundee FC family.

This was a midfielder who played before my time, but when you speak to the lucky spectators who got to watch the dazzling Georgian they speak about him as the absolute pinnacle of a Dundee player.

Words alone can't capture exactly what he meant to Dundee. As he lays to rest his name will stand forever immortalised in the soul of the club.

If you were to search for the last time Dundee qualified for Europe or reached a cup final, you would find his footprint all over it. He was an icon and will be dearly missed.

On to matters on the pitch, good teams are defined by how they react to setbacks and last week's win over Kilmarnock showed what Dundee are about.

Not just in bouncing back from defeat to St Mirren, but holding our nerve when Kilmarnock had us under the cosh and were brought to level terms thanks to a shambolic penalty decision from Duncan Nicholson.

With a disallowed goal soon following, a Dundee team of the past maybe would have felt hard done by and let the heads drop.

But the effort remained unquestioned until we struck gold and killed off the game.

There's a synergy and unity in this team that I've not seen from any Dundee side in a long time. The optimism is palpable.

On-loan Bournemouth defender Matai Akinmboni feels "blessed" after the 20-year-old made his first professional appearance in two-and-a-half years in Dundee's win over Kilmarnock last week. (The Courier, external)

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Dundee technical director Gordon Strachan has recalled being exiled by the club aged just 15 after scrapping with twins in a reserve team derby against Dundee United. (Open Goal, external)

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Cal Gilkison
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Steven Pressley is delighted "key player" Imari Samuels has signed a new deal at Dundee until the summer of 2029, with the club holding the option of an extra year.

The 23-year-old defender has made 49 appearances for the Dark Blues since joining in January 2025 from Brighton.

"In my time at the club, Imari has been a really key player for me. He's very brave, he's grown in confidence and belief and he's a player whose performances probably don't get the praise they deserve," said the Dundee boss.

"He's been a really consistent performer for me and he's still young, so we think there's still a lot to come from Imari."

Samuels had an injury-disrupted start to the season but has been ever-present in the Dundee team since his return.

"I'm really excited to get the deal over the line. I want to kick on from here now," he said.

"To get the injury in pre-season was frustrating because my ambition was to kick on this season, so I had real drive to get back into the team."

We asked for your thoughts following Dundee's 3-1 win against Kilmarnock that moved Steven Pressley's side fourth in the table.

Here's a selection of your replies:

Gary: At times Dundee looked like one of those flowing Mexican sides of the past with the new strip, at others more like a bunch of bandits! Relatively untroubled by an obviously poor Kilmarnock side, any play they got was due to slackness in midfield, but we got the right result. Ash Hay played through the pain to get the decisive third and our resolve won through.

Jimmy: Another fine win, the team played really well and deserved the three points, long may it continue.

Albert: A very astute steady performance from Dundee. Pressley is working wonders with our small squad.

Andy: Another impressive display at Dens. Haven't seen the replays but their penalty looked as soft as you'll see in real time. As soon as we went level, they moved it up a couple of gears. We defended stoutly with energy and attack in the midfield. We have found a real threat in Hay. Drey Wright and Owen Goodman were simply magnificent. #Pressleyball

Bob: That's the way to respond after the weekend's disappointment. A good sound hard0working performance and deserved victory. The players who came in did their jobs and their effort was rewarded.

Kenny: The spine of this Dundee team is excellent. Real optimism for the future.

Watch the best of the action as Dundee win 3-1 with a late Ashley Hay double to go fourth in the Premiership and send Kilmarnock bottom. Available to UK users only.

Dundee midfielder Ryan Finnigan, 23, is an injury concern for the Dens Park side after missing Wednesday's 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Steven Pressley praised Dundee's work ethic after his side moved up to fourth place in the Scottish Premiership with a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock.

"The thing that really pleased me was after Kilmarnock scored and the momentum changed, we showed great resilience and determination and ran really hard," Pressley told BBC Scotland.

"After the equaliser it is easy to feel sorry for yourselves. We didn't and we got a really important three points.

"We were reliant on a number of players. Joe Wright came in, Joe Bevan we had to change because he was cramping up. Matia Akinmbomi on loan from Bournemouth got his first taste of Scottish football. The squad has responded and is doing really, really well.

"We never set targets. The only target we set is to try to win the next game."

Dundee fans, how satisfied are you with your team's start to the season after a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock?

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

• Dundee have only lost one of their past eight home league matches (W5 D2), a 2-1 defeat to Hibs in August.

• Kilmarnock have only won one of their past nine league games played on a Wednesday (D2 L6), beating St Mirren 4-3 in February last season.

• Joe Hugill has scored three goals in his two Scottish Premiership appearances against Dundee for Kilmarnock, although both games were at home.

• Dundee have won both of their past two home league games against Kilmarnock, this comes after only winning one of their previous 15 in the top flight at Dens Park against the Ayrshire side beforehand (D10 L4).

• After their 3-1 win in May, Kilmarnock could win back-to-back Scottish Premiership matches against Dundee for the first time since December 2018 (3 in a row).

Image source, SNS

Dundee could have Joe Westley back in contention but Bobby Wales (ankle), Simon Murray, Finlay Robertson and Jack Moorhouse (all ACL) are still out.

Kilmarnock have several doubts including Aaron Tshibola while Bailey Rice and Johnly Yfeko remain out.

Versatile Dundee player Drey Wright, 31, is keen to stay at Dens Park beyond the end of his current contract, which runs out next summer. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Cal Gilkinson
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Steven Pressley has been speaking to the media before Dundee host Kilmarnock in the Premiership on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Here are the key lines from the Dundee boss:

• Westley has returned to training following an ankle injury and Pressley is hopeful the forward could be involved in Wednesday night's squad.

• The Dundee boss was "pleased" with aspects of his side's performance in their 2-1 defeat against St Mirren and praised them for being "brave" in their build-up play considering the blustery conditions.

• Pressley hailed Bradley Fink's "outstanding" recent performances. The 23-year-old has scored four goals in his past five but Pressley still wants more from him: "He's an outstanding finisher with both feet, he's demonstrated that with his goals so we're really pleased but we still want more from him."

• Pressley spoke about the boost of having players back from injury: "Obviously, my selections have been inhibited because of the number of injuries we've had. Slowly but surely, not only are we getting players back but we're getting players more up to speed and more ready to participate from the start."

• On Kilmarnock, Pressley says: "We're playing against a team that have been performing really well over the last few games. With all the teams the margins are so fine and if we're not at our best on Wednesday then there's every chance we lose the game."

Dundee centre-half Owen Bevan is an injury doubt for Wednesday's meeting with Kilmarnock. (The Courier, external)

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Sportscene's Steven Thompson and James McFadden discuss Dundee's defeat by St Mirren.