These pictures of Dens Park open days should bring back memories for Dundee FC fans from across the generations.
They brought great enjoyment to many families.
Where else could you meet Batman, Brookside stars, George Best or Isla Fisher?
There was a plentiful supply of entertainment.
Beat the goalie?
Fencing?
Haggis hurling?
Some might even remember flamboyant former owner Angus Cook donning a helmet and going round the Dens Park track on a speedway bike.
All are here – and more.
1976
The highlight of the December 1976 open day was a game between Dundee’s 1962 league winners and a team of former Scottish internationalists.
A tractor cleared the snow to allow the Sunday event to take place.
More than 4,500 people watched the game, which finished 2-2.
Ally Donaldson and Thomson Allan were in goal for a penalty competition for kids.
Santa was there to meet young Dundee fans in his grotto.
So were Batman and Robin.
A scheduled appearance from the Batmobile ended in the caped crusaders running for cover when they were pelted by snowballs during the meet and greet.
1977
Dundee fans were buzzing when Jimmy Johnstone arrived in July 1977.
After leaving Celtic in 1975 he signed a one-year contract in the North American Soccer League with the San Jose Earthquakes before moving to Sheffield United.
Dundee manager Tommy Gemmell convinced him to return to Scottish football.
The fans got an up-close look at Johnstone, who did keepie-uppies and showed off his tricks and flicks when Dundee held an open training session at Dens.
“I enjoyed my spell down south but I am really pleased to be back in Scotland and I couldn’t do better than join Dundee,” said Johnstone.
“I can’t wait to get started.”
1982
George Best pulled on a Dundee shirt in October 1982.
He took part in a Superstars competition at the club’s open day.
Best showed off his skills when he scored two out of three penalty kicks in the opening round of the competition, before attempting haggis-hurling.
Best eventually finished fourth in the Superstars competition.
He rolled back the years in the five-a-side football tournament and his guest team went on to win the competition, defeating the hosts Dundee 4-2 in the final.
Afterwards, he enjoyed a few cocktails in the bath.
1988
A charity fun day took place in May 1988 sponsored by Linfood Cash and Carry.
A wide variety of entertainment watched by a 2,000-strong crowd raised money for the special baby care unit at Ninewells Hospital.
The day’s events began with athletics races featuring three of the district’s top clubs which was followed by a display of speedway from Edinburgh Monarchs.
Chairman Angus Cook loved the spotlight and decided to have a go.
The match of the day was the cast of Brookside playing against a Dundee side that included Jocky Scott, Drew Jarvie, Gordon Wallace and Jimmy Bone.
They defeated the TV stars 7-5.
1993
An open day was held to celebrate Dundee’s centenary in August 1993.
The event included a variety of activities aimed at families including a beat-the-goalie competition, Gladiators event and a prize giveaway by Radio Tay.
A fire engine visited, along with animals from Camperdown Wildlife Centre.
Around 30 people lined up at Camperdown Park to take part in the first Dundee FC fun run with starters orders given by Dees manager Simon Stainrod.
The six-mile route ended on the track at Dens Park.
1997
Isla Fisher turned up at a Dens Park open day in July 1997.
The Home and Away actress was a good sport and donned a Dees top.
Isla was in the UK on a promotional tour when she was asked to make a guest appearance after Peter and Jimmy Marr took over at Dens.
Roadshow DJs entertained the crowd and there was a bouncy castle, a beat-the-goalie competition, face painting and street entertainers.
Fans also watched a training session before the players signed autographs.
1999
More than 2,500 people attended a family fun day at Dens Park in October 1999.
One of the main attractions was a public training session for the first-team squad, which was taken by manager Jocky Scott and assistant Jimmy Bone.
Afterwards, the players met the fans and signed autographs.
Horne’s funfair hosted rides behind the Bobby Cox Stand and staff from McDonald’s demonstrated their face-painting skills on a crowd of willing youngsters.
The Dee-Lites cheerleaders added their own brand of razzmatazz to the day, and younger fans had the chance to shake paws with mascot Deewok.
2001
The open day in August 2001 was held before a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers.
Fans took the chance to see the team complete their final training session before Ivano Bonetti and his players answered questions and signed autographs.
Both the new home and away kit were on sale from the club shop.
More 6,000 fans turned out for the open day.
The attendance highlighted the feel-good factor around the club following a top-six finish the previous season after the arrival of big-name foreign signings.
2004
The big-spending Bonetti era was consigned to history when the players signed autographs at the club’s open day in August 2004.
Against all odds, manager Jim Duffy had led Dundee to a seventh-place finish the previous season, despite being deducted 25 points.
Dundee had gone into administration in November 2003 with huge debts.
Dundee’s fans raised a staggering £150,000 by the first quarter of 2004 to stave off the threat of immediate closure, a sum that went up to half-a-million by the summer.
The Dee4Life fundraising campaign asked fans at the open day to pay a £5 fee to have their name stitched in to a huge Dundee FC banner.
2009
The Dundee Academy and Community Open Day took place in May 2009.
There were U/13 and U/14 games against Rangers in the Youth Performance League.
Manager Jocky Scott and some of the first-team players signed autographs.
Club mascot Deewok also held a signing session with fans.
There was also various stalls and activities.
2019
Dundee fans got a chance to watch some of the team’s new additions when the club opened its doors for a public training session in August 2019.
A range of activities were put on specially for the day.
There was face painting and supporters were reintroduced to Deewok, who came out of hibernation after being dropped by the club at the end of 2018.
The mascot signed autographs to celebrate his return.
Also signing autographs, posing for pictures and chatting were some of the club’s new signings including Declan McDaid, Jordan McGhee and Jamie Ness.
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