John Nelms insists St Johnstone are the benchmark for Dundee after likening the Saints’ astonishing cup double to Leicester claiming the English Premier League title.
The Dark Blues defeated Kilmarnock on Monday night to complete a comprehensive 4-2 aggregate triumph, becoming just the third side to earn a place in the top-flight through the current incarnation of the playoffs.
The victory for James McPake’s men was richly-merited and could have been even more handsome over the two legs.
Managing director Nelms is determined to ensure the Dee take that momentum into the Premiership and reckons his regular chats with Saints chairman Steve Brown are all the inspiration he needs.
St Johnstone stunned Scottish football by winning the Betfred and Scottish Cups, becoming the first side beyond the Old Firm to complete the remarkable feat since Aberdeen in 1990.
“St Johnstone are the marker for all of us — and we want to win some silverware,” said Nelms. “We have bigger ambitions than just staying in the league. We want to be in the top six.
Congratulations to @DundeeFC who have been promoted to the Scottish Premiership after a 4-2 aggregate win over Kilmarnock in the play-off final! 👏 pic.twitter.com/TBXt2Nvppl
— SPFL (@spfl) May 24, 2021
“I talk to Steve Brown quite often and, watching him after the match at the weekend, he was in tears. That’s how much that meant to him.
“To do the double is almost like Leicester winning the league and things like this can happen if you get on a right run and get the right guy.”
While he did not replicate Brown’s tears as he undertook rare media duties, it was evident just how important promotion was to Nelms following a two-year exile from the Premiership.
And he has no intention of ever going through that again.
“This year has been very difficult to navigate as we had no idea what was happening,” Nelms added candidly. “Being in the Championship really laser focuses your attention — as did being in the middle of a pandemic.
“Everything we did was a proper graft and I couldn’t be more pleased with the manager and his staff.
“We never want to be back in the Championship again. It is a hard slog to get out of this league and we don’t want to be there.
“We are always trying to learn to make sure we don’t make those mistakes again. We will try to do things a different way and the right way.”
Are @DundeeFC Premiership-bound? @LeeAshcroft5’s header makes it 2-0 on the night & 4-1 on aggregate! 💥 pic.twitter.com/5Xg0Q1gpaJ
— SPFL (@spfl) May 24, 2021
However, Nelms is adamant that does not mean ‘starving’ McPake of funds as the Dundee gaffer seeks to build a top-flight squad.
“We will have a look at [strengthening] but we have never starved our manager of finances,” he added. “Within reason, we will do what we have to and try to build a proper, sound, stable team.”