Barry Smith to go on bench for threadbare Dundee

By Euan McArthur
Published on 31/07/2012 01:53

Dundee manager Barry Smith has been forced to pull his boots back on again just days before his injury-hit team make their SPL return. Smith hasn’t played since 2010 when he was with Brechin but will put himself on the bench for tonight’s Scottish Communities League Cup first-round tie at Peterhead after 
registering as a player.

With just four days to go until the big kick-off, Smith’s Dundee side has become decimated by injuries, with skipper Stephen O’Donnell among the casualties.

O’Donnell is almost certainly out as he prepares for a scan on his groin while winger Nicky Riley has a hamstring problem and a flu bug has struck down both Iain Davidson and teenager Jamie Reid. Smith said: “It’s a big worry and shows how we are down to the bare bones. It’s the last thing we needed going into the new SPL season. We didn’t want to sign new players before we were invited into the SPL as we didn’t know where we’d be playing. Now it’s cost us because we’ve got such a small squad in terms of numbers.

“I’m left with just 11 outfield players so I’ll have to put myself on the bench which shows you how serious things are.

“Going into the SPL on Saturday with just 11 fit players is not ideal so we need to get new faces in as soon as possible because it’s a desperate situation.”

Smith hopes to add some new faces before Saturday and knows tonight’s trip to Balmoor would be a stern test. “This will be a difficult enough tie without this added problem. We had Peterhead watched on Saturday when they played well against East Fife.”