Dundee have played at Dens Park for 123 years.
Now the plan is to end the club’s attachment to the patch of land squeezed between Dens Road, Sandeman Street and Tannadice Street in just over two years’ time.
For many, the wrench of leaving the club’s spiritual home would be a big one.
However, owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms insist now is the time to move on.
There are countless issues around the state of Dens, but the age of the main stand in particular is beginning to catch up with it.
Due to the construction of the stand, fire regulations could see Dundee forced to reduce the capacity from approximately 4,000 to around 1,500 – no matter what improvements are made.
‘You can’t tell’
In a sit-down interview this week, managing director Nelms said: “We have improved things here but that’s the point – you can’t really tell.
“That’s the hardest part about improving Dens Park.
“We put ladies toilets in, rewired and painted.
“All the rooms have been redecorated, new fire systems, new laundry rooms, new training rooms and new gym but it doesn’t feel like it.
“We have done all these things but it is hard to put on an entertainment event in a venue where this part was built in the 19th century.
“We are having to do studies to see whether we can get people in and out of this place in time (for fire regulations).
“We don’t know yet but we might have to reduce capacity in this stand because of the exits.”
What about redeveloping Dens?
Over a century of life, the Dens Park football ground has seen a number of big improvements over the years, the latest being the erection of the Bobby Cox and Bob Shankly Stands at either end of the pitch 23 years ago.
For Keyes and Nelms, though, further redevelopment is a non-starter.
“That would probably cost us as much as building a new stadium,” Nelms said.
“And we still wouldn’t be able to do concerts or use the stadium 365 days a year.
“We don’t have parking, there are all of those elements.
“Yes, this bit might change and it might be a bit better but everything else is the same.
“We can only get so many buses in, we have so many limitations – the neighbourhood is a limitation.
“So as time goes on, it gets harder and harder to be here.”
