It’s not often you discover you are the new Dundee manager by the man you are replacing angrily thrusting the keys to the stadium into your hands as he departs.
However, that’s how Simon Stainrod stepped into the world of football management as Iain Munro left Dens Park in 1992.
Following a career that saw him flit across the top two divisions down south and included an FA Cup Final, a 33-year-old Stainrod arrived at Dundee after two years at Falkirk.
Just one appearance in, however, his role changed from player to player-manager as the Dark Blues looked to boost their bid to return to the Premier Division.
That was February 92 – come May, Dundee were First Division champions for the third time and Stainrod’s caretaker stint was made permanent.
The former QPR and Aston Villa man caused a flamboyant fuss by wearing a trademark fedora in the top flight.
‘You couldn’t make it up’
But, in an exclusive chat with The Courier ahead of his return to the city for a managers’ night alongside Jocky Scott, Archie Knox, Jim Duffy and Barry Smith, he recalls the surreal nature of his appointment at Dens Park.
“I arrived as a player but it quickly became clear it hadn’t been the manager’s decision to bring me in, I think it was foisted on him,” Stainrod said.
“It was a really strange situation.
“Iain (Munro) was a good coach but I don’t think he could make the dressing-room believe they would win the league.
“That’s what I was good at.
“But I didn’t expect to be manager.
“I had gone back home to Edinburgh one day and got a call to come back up to Dundee for a meeting.
“So I’m thinking ‘what have I done’? It was usually me having done something.
“I arrive and Iain Munro is leaving, he’s fuming.
“He had a bunch of keys in his hand and he stuck them in my hand and said ‘you’re in f***ing charge now’.
“You couldn’t make it up.
“So I walk in with these keys, the directors are there and managing director David Holmes is in the manager’s chair and says ‘we’d like to offer you the manager’s job till the end of the season’.
“We got promoted and I got an extended contract.”
‘I didn’t like their manager much’
Stainrod kept the Dark Blues up the following season but his time ended early in the 1993-94 campaign following a 2-1 League Cup defeat to Hibs.
Though he is well-remembered for a stunning 4-3 victory over Rangers at Dens Park, it was actually at Easter Road where he enjoyed himself most, getting one over rival boss Alex Miller.
“One of my favourite games was Hibs away,” Stainrod said.
“I didn’t like their manager much.
“I’d been a bit late with the team sheet and their manager came barging into our dressing-room.
“He was really aggressive and I told him where to go. The players knew then I was off on one.
“I had signed Chris Kiwomya basically from retirement and he was usually a left winger but I decided to put him up front.
“It was one of those games where you’d be under pressure but he could run like the wind.
“He played a blinder and we won 3-1. He scored a goal exactly like I’d envisioned.
“Then their manager refused to shake my hand.”
‘Who’s the w***** in the hat?’
Stainrod himself scored in that game, one of seven league goals he netted across the season.
It was in the dugout, however, where he made his most memorable impact at Dens Park.
Winless so far, Dundee welcomed champions Rangers to Dens on August 15 1992.
After an enthralling 4-3 victory, the Dark Blues had their first three points of the season.
And a new fashion icon in Stainrod after he emerged from the half-time break complete with fedora and a white mac.
“It’s a simple story about the hat,” Stainrod explained.
“When I was at Falkirk, me and my missus had been shopping in Edinburgh and it was freezing cold and raining.
“I was fed up with this freezing rain hitting my head and there was a hat shop so I bought this fedora.
“If it rained, I wore the hat so it wasn’t strange for me, wearing a hat.
“Then I came out the tunnel at half-time against Rangers and it was pouring down.
“So I popped back into the office and picked up my hat and my mac.
“I never thought anything of it but there’s obviously a long walk to the dugouts.
“And Rangers fans are singing ‘who’s the w***** in the hat?’
“Not being shy, I was blowing kisses to them.
“And Alan Dinnie says he looked over on the pitch and saw his gaffer with a fedora and a white jacket on.
“He told me he was thinking ‘bloody hell, we better win or he’ll get slaughtered!’
“I wasn’t trying to be clever or anything.”
‘Didn’t want to leave’
Stainrod’s time in charge, however, would be short-lived with only one full season in charge.
A year on from that Rangers victory and he was replaced by assistant Jim Duffy, a man who would manage the Dark Blues in two separate spells.
The pair will be reunited on November 3 at Duck Slattery’s at a Dundee Supporters Association night called The Managers.
Stainrod, though, insists he wasn’t ready to leave the Dark Blues when his time at the club ended in August 1993.
“I didn’t want to leave. Duff got my job – I’ll duff him up when I see him!” Stainrod joked.
“I went to Ayr and it ended in a bit of a nightmare, though it started well enough.
“I will say, though, I never lost to Duff – he lost but I didn’t!”
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