Scotland’s top sides are getting stuck into their European adventures as 2023/24 rumbles into life.
Rangers, Hibs and Hearts were all successful in two-legged ties through the week, with Celtic and Aberdeen awaiting their own fates later this month.
It’s been a while since Dundee were among the nation’s European representatives – 20 years in fact.
Two decades ago this week saw a hardy band of loyal Dees – only around 150 – make the difficult trip to Albania to see Jim Duffy’s side take on Vllaznia Shkoder.
There were serious warnings from the Home Office, a link to comedian Norman Wisdom (a superstar in Albania) and a sheep slaughtered in front of Dundee players as they made their way to the game.
Vllaznia’s club president Myftar Cela had been murdered in nearby Montenegro just weeks before – shot twice in the head by a spurned associate – and the city of Shkoder had been described as one of the most dangerous places in Europe.
Years later UEFA investigated the home side over allegations of match fixing but not enough evidence was found to charge anyone from Vllaznia.
Not your average European trip.
Vllaznia, though, had a fair bit of European experience – they’d beaten Icelanders KR in a Champions League qualifier two years earlier before being knocked out by Turkish giants Galatasaray.
They’d been in European competition pretty regularly since 1998, though with very little success.
‘Blood everywhere’ as Dundee played in Europe
Despite concerns over fan safety, the only issues on the trip involved treacherous road conditions thanks to some sizeable potholes and overtaking various farm animals.
Sheep, cattle, horse and carts and people riding donkeys were all using the makeshift road to Shkoder, around 100km north of the capital Tirana.
Dundee striker Stevie Lovell recalled seeing a bit more than he bargained for when it came to one shepherd on the roadside.
Speaking in 2007 as he aimed to shoot Aberdeen to a European place, Lovell said: “I don’t have a great feeling when I think back to those European games with Dundee.
“We were driving through the streets in Albania seeing this poor sheep getting its throat slit on the side of the road and there was blood everywhere.
“It wasn’t the nicest experience but at least we got the right result to get us through to the next leg.”
To help with the language barrier, the Dark Blues had been offered the assistance of Norman Wisdom’s official translator.
The Englishman was a comedy superstar in Albania thanks to his being the only Western films allowed to be shown under communist rule in the Cold War.
But there were no issues for Dundee in navigating the tie itself, a 2-0 win in Albania set the Dee on their way.
Novo notches for Dundee
Duffy was the manager and picked a first XI boasting the likes of Julian Speroni, Giorgi Nemsadze, Gavin Rae, Lee Wilkie, Barry Smith and Nacho Novo.
Brent Sancho, Beto Carranza and Juan Sara would all come off the bench.
The Dark Blues were in control for much of the game, though Speroni did have to be at his best to deny Vllaznia an opener shortly before half-time.
Instead, Lovell put Dundee in front on 42 minutes with a confident low finish.
And just four minutes after the break Nacho Novo pounced to make it 2-0, turning in from close range to put the away side in command in the Loro Borici Stadium.
Rae rocket
Speroni and Lovell warned their team-mates ahead of the return leg.
But within two minutes at a jumping Dens Park, Novo had struck once more and the Dark Blues cruised to a 4-0 victory.
Argentine favourite Sara emerged from the bench and scored within a minute, turning in a Novo cross just before half-time.
But the standout moment came when Gavin Rae lined up a volley in the second half.
The ball dropping to the edge of the area, the future club captain crashed an unstoppable effort beyond Armir Grimaj in the visiting goal.
And with just a minute left of the tie, Novo popped up with the fourth goal to send Dundee through 6-0 on aggregate.
Their reward was a tie against Italians Perugia where the adventure would end rather prematurely.
But it was quite an adventure nonetheless.
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