It is rare indeed for a football club to part company with their manager when they are sitting second top of the table, just behind the league leaders on points difference.
That, though, is exactly what happened to John Brown when he was in charge of Dundee in 2014.
At the time, the Dark Blues were going toe to toe in the Championship with Falkirk and Hamilton, battling it out for the one automatic promotion spot.
With so much at stake, nerves were fraught and when Dundee lost consecutive matches against Livingston and the Bairns, there was a pressure-cooker atmosphere the following weekend at Dens on February 1 when Alloa came calling.
Brown’s men looked to have secured a much-needed win thanks to a solitary Ryan Conroy penalty, but deep in injury time, Ben Gordon snatched a shock equaliser to the fury of the home fans.
Two days later, “Bomber” had left the club.
Paul Hartley took over and built on the 40 points secured under his predecessor’s reign to finally secure promotion on an unbelievable day of drama on May 3 as the Dark Blues beat Dumbarton at Dens to pip Hamilton to the title.
Brown insists that he celebrated that triumph just as much as the Dundee players and the new management team – and he revealed that some members of the club board took time that night to call him and thank him for helping the club win promotion.
Bomber, who was back in the City of Discovery helping promote a Rangers v Celtic Legends match at Dundee North End’s Junior ground on September 18, said: “We were joint top but there were things going on that we don’t need to go into.
“I think there was a concern at the time that we were going to blow it but as I explained to the board, we had five first-team players on the treatment table and not available.
“I told them that if we could get over the wee sticky patch . . . but I think a few were just getting a bit twitchy and it happened that I moved on.
“The circumstances of that will stay with me and the board but we know what happened.
“I was just proud to nearly keep Dundee in the Premier League (the previous season) and then getting a squad together that I felt was strong enough to win the league, which it turned out to be.
“It was great to see them getting back into the Premiership and I was celebrating as much as the players, management and probably the directors as one or two of them phoned me that night.
“I congratulated them and they also thanked me for my efforts, which was pleasing.
“Dundee means a lot to me. I had a good spell there as a player in the 80s and I still have some great friends there like Bobby Glennie and Brian Scrimgeour as well as the girls in the office and Jim Thomson, the stadium manager.
“It was good to see them at the recent game with Rangers and hopefully Dundee do well again this season.”
When asked if he had any regrets about the way it ended at Dundee, Brown said: “No. I spoke to (directors) John Nelms and Steve Martin when I was at Dens for the Rangers game and I wished them all the best.
“So, I have no regrets about it. That’s football and these things happen.”
Brown admitted that he is an admirer of the job his successor in the Dens hot-seat has done.
Although he confessed he was still struggling to take in the fact that while the Dark Blues have established themselves in the Premiership, at the same time their near neighbours United are now in the division below.
He added: “I think Dundee in the last couple of seasons have gone on to establish themselves in the Premiership. Paul’s done a decent job.
“They have let a couple of decent players leave recently (Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart) but I think you have to balance the books.
“Paul seems to have an eye for players and the club have made some good money.
“I think bringing in the lad from Dunfermline, Faissal El Bakhtaoui, and one or two others, as well as Craig Wighton and Cammy Kerr coming through is great for the Dundee support.
“I was pleased to see Dundee winning promotion that season and they have come up and done really well.
“I expected more from them in the Scottish Cup game against Rangers last season but I think the early goal knocked the stuffing out of them.
“Speaking to Dundee fans in the car park prior to the game, they were really upbeat about getting a result and I thought they would have really tested Rangers on the day but it never happened.
“But I always look out for the Dundee results.
“And what a turnaround with United in the Championship and Dundee up in the Premiership.
“People couldn’t have imagined that years ago so it just shows you how strange football can be at times.”
Brown played at some of the best stadiums in the world while he was in his pomp but he confessed he was really impressed by the pitch at Dundee North End and he couldn’t wait to pull his boots on again for the Legends game.
He said: “It is great to be back in Dundee and to see North End’s pitch which is fantastic.
“For a Junior side to have a standard of surface like that is remarkable.
“It always has been. In my Dundee days as a player, I used to come here to watch Under-18 games against United.
“I also used to take the Rangers youth teams here as well all the way back to the young Allan McGregor and Barry Ferguson.
“It is a great footballing pitch and you can get the ball down and pass.
“It is great to put the boots back on and you have a lot of fans playing in the sides as well.
“You also have a number of the ex-players like Marvin Andrews and Frank McAvennie.
“It is good to keep ticking over.
“It used to be the Tangerine jerseys that got me going but even now I am in my 50s, you still want to get a result against a Celtic team, especially for the fans taking part in the game.
“I look forward to it and when I look at that pitch, I cannot wait for it to come around. Bring it on!”
Brown added: “I am working in the commercial department at Rangers being an ambassador and getting along to all the games.
“It has been good and has taken me away from the football side of things.
“You are involved in match-day hospitality, going round all the lounges and seeing the supporters coming in, making them feel welcome.
“It has been interesting and I really enjoy it.
“That was two years I was out of the game after I left Dundee. You just try to find something to keep yourself going instead of playing golf all the time so it was it was good to get back in there.
“When I spoke to Dave King and got the opportunity to work in the commercial department in the office, it opens your eyes to the other side of bringing in sponsorship and hospitality packages.
“So it is very interesting.”
The gates open at 1.30pm for a 3pm kick-off at North End Park in Fairmuir Street on the 18th with the game raising money for Epilepsy Scotland and youth football. Adults £9, children and concessions £5, pay at the gate.
