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Dundee’s departed 5 – The best bits of Paul McGowan, Paul McMullan and more at Dens Park

Alex Jakubiak, Jordan Marshall and Cillian Sheridan will also leave at the end of their contracts as the Tony Docherty era begins

Dundee have announced the release of (from left) Alex Jakubiak, Paul McGowan, Cillian Sheridan, Paul McMullan and Jordan Marshall.
Dundee have announced the release of (from left) Alex Jakubiak, Paul McGowan, Cillian Sheridan, Paul McMullan and Jordan Marshall.

A manager is in place and Dundee’s summer departures have begun.

It is always a time for footballers and football clubs to go their separate ways.

These goodbyes for the Dark Blues, though, are a little different.

Among the five first-teamers departing on Wednesday, there are over 600 appearances.

Those matches include one top-six finish, two promotions and two relegations – the epitome of the Dundee experience.

As the players themselves say goodbye, Courier Sport has picked out their best bits in dark blue.

Paul McGowan

A modern-day club legend, McGowan is the first player to play 300 times for the club in the 21st century.

Paul McGowan celebrates with Dundee fans
McGowan celebrates with Dundee fans. Image: SNS.

That puts him 20th in the all-time list at Dens Park. His first appearance came in a 4-0 win over Peterhead in August 2014.

Since then McGowan’s career has been eventful, to say the least.

Dundee finished that season in the top six of the top flight for the first time since 2001 with McGowan a key player.

Relegation battles would follow but a strong influence in the middle of the park, McGowan remained important and would assist Marcus Haber to score against Kilmarnock to keep the Dee in the Premiership.

A 20-yarder in a derby win at Dens followed a season later and a memorable celebration in front of visiting Dundee United fans.

The 2019/20 season ended with McGowan named the Andrew De Vries Player of the Year.

Off the field, the midfielder was known for his brutally honest assessment of bad days, culminating in a remarkable rant after a defeat at Ayr United in November.

The repeat fixture later in the season saw McGowan score the club’s Goal of the Season during the storming run that ended in promotion back to the top-flight.

Relegation would follow a year later before the 35-year-old reached 300 appearances in a Challenge Cup clash at Welsh side The New Saints.

Appearances: 302 Goals: 21

Jordan Marshall

Jordan Marshall celebrates with Paul McGowan in October 2020.
Jordan Marshall celebrates with Paul McGowan in October 2020.

Left-back Marshall signed from Queen of the South in 2019 as James McPake built his squad for the Championship.

Injury ended a good first season early before the Dark Blues fended off interest from Hibs to sign the full-back on an extended deal.

Injury again threatened to end the following season early when Marshall pulled up with a hamstring issue late in the season. However, he recovered in time to play his part in the play-off final win over Kilmarnock.

The following season was disappointing for all at Dens but a glimmer of hope came with a Marshall opening goal at home to St Johnstone. It was a fleeting glimmer, though, with relegation on its way.

Last season, Marshall played 34 times as the Dark Blues won the Championship.

Appearances: 124 Goals: 2

Cillian Sheridan

Sheridan finds the net against The New Saints. Image: David Young

The former Celtic striker’s time at Dens Park was hugely interrupted by Achilles tendon injuries.

After struggling for match fitness, Sheridan impressed in a victory at St Mirren but pulled up early in the second half and his opening season was over in October.

He would return last season after 11 months out, getting on the scoresheet on his return in an SPFL Trust Trophy victory over The New Saints.

Again his season ended early after another Achilles injury picked up in February.

Appearances: 26 Goals: 1

Alex Jakubiak

Jakubiak developed a deadly partnership with Zach Robinson. Image: SNS

Just like Sheridan, Jakubiak’s first two seasons at Dundee were beset by injury.

After just five appearances in his first campaign, ‘Jak’ would grab his first goal for the club against Brora Rangers but would eventually join Partick Thistle on loan.

Last season started very brightly with four goals in the League Cup group stage but injury struck again.

Eventually he got himself injury free and began to show his quality, scoring in key wins over Queen’s Park, Cove Rangers, Ayr United and Raith Rovers.

Then he would open the scoring in the final-day decider at Queen’s Park to make it 10 goals for the season as he said farewell to the Dundee fans in style.

Appearances: 45 Goals: 11

Paul McMullan

Just swapping Dundee United for Dundee was enough for Dees to take McMullan to heart as soon as he arrived.

His impact, however, was immense in the Championship. The club’s assist king throughout his time at Dens, McMullan was a regular creator of chances.

Paul McMullan makes it 1-0 against Hamilton at Dens Park. Image: David Young/Shutterstock.

He wouldn’t find the net but played a key role in the club’s play-off promotion.

After two League Cup goals against Brora, McMullan would finally get off the mark in the league with a beauty of a curler for a Covid-hit Dee at Motherwell.

Last season, though, saw McMullan at his best – terrorising Championship defenders.

Late form tailed off but the winger had done enough in the first half of the campaign to earn a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award.

That was after eight goals, including a spell of seven in 14 matches.

Among those strikes was a historic first-ever win at Inverness, a winner against Hamilton and an absolute thunderbolt against title challengers Ayr in October.

Appearances: 110 Goals: 10

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