Rangers’ Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee has been postponed for a second time.
The Dens Park pitch has been deemed unplayed as part of a 3:30pm inspection after referee Don Robertson had initially passed an 11:30am inspection earlier in the day.
The situation will be bitterly disappointing for the Rangers supporters who have made their way towards Dundee and the calls for disciplinary action are mounting.
Rangers have also prepared their players, stayed overnight in a hotel, and been strung along all the way up until now only for the game to be called off.
Now, the Ibrox side have released a stinging statement against Dundee and it’s clear that if the Scottish Premiership clash cannot be played, there has to be repercussions.
This is the fifth call off at Dens Park this season and Dundee haven’t got a leg, never mind a pitch, to stand on here.
For the time being, the match has been rescheduled at Dens Park despite the shoddy surface for next Wednesday, 17th April at 8pm.
Rangers demand SPFL action after Dundee pitch fails
A furious Rangers have called on the SPFL to make an example of Dundee who have displayed “negligence and unprofessionalism” throughout the entire fiasco.
Rangers didn’t find out about the threat of the original fixture being called off back in March until their kit man arrived at Dens Park.
It led the Ibrox club and Philippe Clement to present Dundee with both barrels and if they thought the original call off riled Rangers, then the bumbling John Nelms and co better buckle up.
Rangers have also called the SPFL out for their role in this pathetic pitch fiasco and we suspect Dundee are going to have suck up a strong punishment.
The Gers believe both the members’ body and the Dens Park club have been reluctant to accept alternative options in the circumstances, which could include a change of venue.
Rangers are also furious that 4000 of their supporters have for the second time made the trip to Dundee on the pretence of really quite shocking and irresponsible posturing from the Dens Park club.
The Rangers statement reads:
“The negligence and unprofessionalism demonstrated by Dundee Football Club, where they have repeatedly breached SPFL rules, continues to have a damaging effect on the top professional league in the country.
“In a week where record TV viewing figures were recorded for a match in the same competition, and this evening’s game due to be televised again by Sky Sports, this episode is deeply embarrassing and has also been eminently avoidable.
“Rangers expects the SPFL to take proportionate and decisive action in accordance with its rules, and the club will continue to make representations to them in the strongest possible manner.
“The club has been repeatedly putting forward solutions to the SPFL, which have not been taken up. It has again proposed a solution to the preparation and execution of this rescheduled fixture and is awaiting a response from the SPFL. As things stand, the rescheduled match will be on Wednesday, April 17 at 8pm. The club considers that this matter has been handled incorrectly throughout by both Dundee and the SPFL.
“At this time, we sympathise fully once again with our supporters, approximately 4000 of whom were looking forward to attending tonight’s game. Having already been left hugely inconvenienced and out of pocket by the first postponement last month, it is entirely unacceptable and disrespectful on the part of Dundee FC to have allowed this situation to have developed again.”
SPFL insist Dundee disciplinary action is in pipeline
The SPFL have also come out with a statement of their own on the situation, which really shows the nation’s game up in the worst possible light.
The leadership of John Nelms – who pleaded being helpless due to the weather – sums the situation up.
Any professional football club worth their salt will take responsibility for their surface and look to support fans and broadcasters around the game if there are issues.
The game should have been rescheduled at another venue and played this evening.
Instead, Dundee have acted selfishly, irresponsibly, and really quite unfairly in our opinion and the entire fiasco is exemplified by the contemptuous approach of the American director.
Yes, the split can wait, but why should the paying supporters who’ve made the journey?
That’s five games and Dundee are still without punishment although the SPFL’s chief operating officer Calum Beattie has claimed sanctions are in the pipeline.
A statement reads:
“The Match Referee has carried out two detailed pitch inspections today and in light of the forecast for heavy rain later today in Dundee, a decision has now been taken that the pitch will not be playable this evening.
“Whilst this development is extremely disappointing, we have had contingency measures in place since last month and informed both clubs by email on March 21st of our intention, should tonight’s game fall victim to the weather, that we would rearrange the game for Dens Park on the evening of Wednesday, April 17th. In the last week we have explored other possible options with both clubs but none of them were deemed to be better than our original contingency plan.
“This decision gives this vital fixture the very best chance of being played in front of both sets of supporters and also gives us a week to finalise further contingency planning in the event that the weather unexpectedly deteriorates in the interim.
“There is currently an ongoing disciplinary process regarding pitch issues at Dens Park and the latest developments will form part of those enquiries.”
Rangers will now head back to Glasgow and prepare for Sunday’s early morning trip to Ross County, before repeating this whole sorry fiasco again next week.
