Dundee have some making up to do to their long-suffering fans.
The Dark Blues have won only one home league game since December 1, 2021.
I mean, that is just ridiculous – winter, spring and nearly summer have passed since then.
That’s 11 matches played at Dens in league football with just one victory – a stirring one over Hibs where Charlie Adam bid farewell in the only way he knows, spanking a thunderbolt into the top corner.
There have been four draws and six defeats with a goal difference deficit of 17-10.
That’s a lot of miserable afternoons spent trudging back out through the turnstiles.
There have been better days in the Premier Sports Cup, beating Hamilton 3-0 and thumping Forfar 5-1 to improve the overall picture.
But league football is the bread and butter.
Time to put on a show
The task for new boss Gary Bowyer is success in the Championship, that’s the only goal.
And goals are what Dees want to see from their team this Friday.
Because not only will there be a good home crowd packed into Dens Park to see them face Arbroath but also a watching TV audience with the game broadcast live on the Beeb.
This is the perfect time to put on a show.
Dundee remain a work in progress under a new manager and their last home outing left a lot to be desired.
The good news is they got over that with a hard-fought win at Raith Rovers at the weekend.
So Partick Thistle is already out of their system.
Arbroath – different sort of test
But the Red Lichties will provide a different sort of test.
Dundee will be coming up against the best defensive outfit in the lower leagues.
Last season only Celtic and Kilmarnock across the entire SPFL conceded fewer goals than Dick Campbell’s side.
And this season they look no different.
In six matches, they’ve only conceded one goal.
Both Championship games against Ayr and Inverness have finished 0-0.
They give absolutely nothing away.
Dundee attack
Bowyer’s attack, too, isn’t quite firing.
So it could be a slog for the Dark Blues if they don’t score early.
Zak Rudden could do with a goal to give his confidence a boost while I’d be amazed if top scorer Alex Jakubiak will be available after he limped off with injury on Saturday.
Zach Robinson has impressed me from the bench so may get a look in.
But I expect goalscoring help from midfield – or from that Cammy Kerr bloke – may be needed again.
Josh Mulligan getting off the mark is big, he’ll be a key player all season for Dundee.
But it doesn’t matter who pops up to do the business, as long as somebody does.
Because one home league win in over nine months of football is just plain woeful.
Fans again have put their hands in their pockets to buy season tickets – they need to get something back.
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