It’s been a rough few weeks for Dundee.
Off-field matters have been almost as damaging as the on-field performance at St Johnstone.
Can’t get a win, can’t get goals and to top it all off they’ve even got players picking up lengthy injuries thanks to a night on the town.
Not to mention the other stuff that has buffeted them recently, whether it’s everything surrounding Leigh Griffiths right now or player bonus rows.
When signing the Scotland striker, the Dark Blues knew there was baggage coming with him.
The striker even said it himself when he was unveiled.
What they maybe didn’t envisage is just how horrible an atmosphere it’s been in stadiums thanks to the chants thrown his way.
Sadly, I think those of us who watch Dundee every week will just have to get used to the word ‘paedo’ being yelled 100 times a game.
I guess he will, too.
As distasteful as that is, it’s likely to be a chant we hear again for the next few weeks weeks.
Free to play
Because, injury allowing, Griffiths is now free to feature for the Dark Blues.
With his SFA disciplinary hearing for the smoke bomb incident against St Johnstone having been postponed, there is now no prospect of an upcoming ban hanging over the striker’s head.
It’s also likely the hearing won’t happen for long while yet either with legal proceedings to be completed following the police charge over the incident.
Overall, that’s not the type of situation you want at your club.
But Dundee will have been expecting some issue to crop up around Griffiths because that’s what often happens, whether it’s hyped up by the media or not.
I’m guessing they didn’t expect it to happen before he’s even got himself up to speed.
This delay, though, could be just what the Dark Blues need.
Now the disciplinary hearing has been pushed back, Griffiths is free to play.
Had he been handed a five-game ban as has been mooted, the striker would have been out of action until the end of November.
And then he’d likely need some more games to try to get up to speed – possibly lasting until the new year.
Fortunes turning?
Now, though, the roadblock has been cleared and the Dark Blues have Scotland’s best finisher at their disposal.
Could this be a sign of Dundee’s fortunes finally turning?
Dundee have been searching for something to jolt them out of their recent run.
Getting Adam and Griffiths on the pitch together for the first time could be exactly what they need.
Suddenly the black clouds around Dens are beginning to lighten a little.
It’s now up to the Dark Blues to take the little bit of fortune that has gone their way this past week and run with it.
Starting Saturday.
George Cran’s column is published in the Evening Telegraph every Wednesday.
