Barry Smith is confident Dundee will show their true face when they meet SPL opposition in the Scottish Cup for the second year in succession.
The Dark Blues let themselves down when they lined up against top-flight team Motherwell in the fourth round of the country’s top knockout tournament just over 12 months ago.
The scene was set for the Dens men to do themselves proud that January 9 day. The stadium was well filled, with hundreds of home fans having got up at dawn to help shovel snow off the park.
The TV cameras were poised to catch the live action, bringing with them a welcome £80,000-plus windfall. Also, Dundee were in the midst of the magnificent league run that would eventually secure their First Division status despite the 25 penalty points for going into administration.
However, the loss of a goal after just three minutes, scored by former player John Sutton, was the first sign that all was not well and the Steelmen outplayed their hosts on the way to a 4-0 victory that also saw Dens striker Leigh Griffiths ordered off.
Smith’s side take on Premier opposition again at the same stage of the same competition at lunchtime on Saturday, with Kilmarnock the visitors for another live TV broadcast to the nation. And the manager revealed his players are desperate to display the real Dundee this time around.
He believes they will take the lessons of the Well match into this one and strive to make amends a year on from that bitter disappointment.
”Losing an early goal against Motherwell killed us,” recalled Smith. ”That day really hurt the boys but I would like to think it was a learning experience. It showed them that everything is done a lot more sharply at SPL level and mistakes get punished more readily.
”They have taken that on board and I am sure it will have an influence on them on Saturday. We didn’t give a true account of ourselves last year and they are determined to make up for it.”
There will be no emotional return to the Dens pitch for Killie midfielder and former Dundee fans’ favourite Gary Harkins, who has broken his ankle and will watch from the stand. Normally the loss of a key man by the opposition would be a boost to a manager but Smith would much rather Harkins were playing than suffering on the sidelines.
”It is a real shame for Gary,” said Smith. ”We are all disappointed for him because was very popular here and still keeps in touch with a lot of the boys. Looking at the game alone, he is capable of creating something from nothing, has great ability and I am sure Kilmarnock will miss him. But you never want to see anyone injured like that.”
Smith, who expects to hear in the next 24 hours if midfielder Gavin Rae is going to extend his stay at Dens, watched Killie against St Johnstone last month and came away impressed even though they lost.
”Kilmarnock are a very good side,” he stated. ”I watched them against St Johnstone the other week and they were very unlucky not to get anything from the game. They don’t change the way they play they always get the ball down and try to spread it around. We are capable of doing that as well but they are the SPL team so of course we are the underdogs.
”They are doing well in the Premier League so the pressure is all on them because everyone expects them to win. We will have to match them and, as I said, the big thing is not to concede any early goals.”