7/10
LEAGUE: 6th, 45pts (2013-14 - promoted from Championship)
SCOTTISH CUP: Fifth round
LEAGUE CUP: Third round
MOST USED FIRST XI: Scott Bain, Paul McGinn, Thomas Konrad, James McPake, Gary Irvine, Jim McAlister, Kevin Thomson, Greg Stewart, Paul McGowan, Gary Harkins, David Clarkson
OVERVIEW: There was never any real danger of Dundee ending up in a relegation battle; they spent all but the first week of the season between fifth and eighth in the table and took advantage of Accies' late season travails to scrape into the top six. Their final position seems apt, given only two of their league wins were against sides who finished above them. Unlike their last season in the top flight, there's a real feeling that the Dark Blues are here to stay at this level for a while yet. Whilst they were generally functional than flamboyant, that's what it takes to cement yourselves at this level. I certainly didn't see a fitter team in the league this season - even in the last few months of the campaign.
HIGH POINTS: The best performance of the season came in a demolition of Motherwell in January (I spent that evening at a wedding reception consoling Motherwell's team doctor!) Finally winning a derby, in April, will have come as a relief.
LOW POINTS: Losing four derbies 1-4, 0-1, 2-6 and 0-3. It was a shame they seemed to down tools early, winning only one of their last eleven games - probably because a lot of the players knew they were offski. And they could have done without the saga of Paul McGowan's electronic tag.
STAR MAN: Scott Bain thoroughly deserved his end-of-season Scotland callup. The goalkeeper was absolutely terrific, not just because of his excellent agility but also because of he has a commanf of his box, and a reliability, not normally associated with goalies of his relative youth. If only he'd ditch that ghastly pink top. An honourable mention should go to Greg Stewart, who was plucked from relative obscurity at Cowdenbeath and ended up on the Player of the Year shortlist after scoring 15 goals.
ONE FOR THE FUTURE: There are very high hopes for teenager Craig Wighton, who scored against Partick in August, and it was a shame he didn't see more first team action after returning from a loan spell at Brechin City. He's still only 17, so there's plenty of time yet.
WASTE OF SPACE: Goalkeeper Arvid Schenk will go down in folklore for conceding six goals in his only match, but he was only supposed to be used in an emergency. Of the regular squad members, Phil Roberts was a huge letdown; he displayed his talents against Celtic early in the season, and then resorted to the sulking he was well known for at Inverness and Falkirk. Giving him a two year contract was not wise.
THE BOSS: Paul Hartley seems to know what he's doing. In terms of training, he thinks outside the box - his side are drilled so that they can switch formations several times during a game if necessary, and I don't know why other teams don't send out their players for a warmup before the start of the second half. His reputation as one of the best young managers in the country is certainly justified. It'll be interesting to see how far he can take Dundee...and how long he'll be here before a better offer comes along.
PROSPECTS FOR NEXT SEASON: They got down to business early - seven new signings already (that's twenty-six new players Hartley has signed in just over a year). They look like good moves too, for the most part. The minimum target will be consolidating that top six place, but they will be aiming higher than that - possibly even to overtake their rivals across the street. And that ambition isn't all that unrealistic. There's a very decent backbone here - Bain, Paul McGinn, James McPake (I didn't think I'd be saying that a year ago), Paul McGowan and Stewart - and I'd consider the Dark Blues to be dark horses for a Europa League place in 2015-16.
FIRST TEAMERS DEFINITELY LEAVING: Kyle Benedictus, David Clarkson, Iain Davidson, Willie Dyer, Alex Harris (end of loan), Paul Heffernan, Kyle Letheren, Kevin McBride, Jamie Reid
Lawrie Spence (LS) has ranted and spouted his ill-informed opinions on Narey's Toepoker since September 2007. He has a life outside this blog. Honestly.
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