Dundee to raise complaint with SPFL and SFA as players train on pitch after late Aberdeen postponement

Furious club officials insist Dens Park playable as home side train on pitch following call off

A Dundee groundsman sweeps water off the pitch at Dens Park prior to the match against Aberdeen being postponed. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Dundee will raise a complaint with the SPFL and SFA after their match against Aberdeen was postponed less than one hour before kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The late decision at Dens Park provoked a furious response from fans, some of whom had already arrived at the stadium, after referee David Munro deemed the pitch unplayable following an inspection due to concern over the goalmouth area.

Club officials appeared to be caught off guard by the postponement with Dundee general manager Greg Fenton confirming the club will seek answers from the Scottish football authorities after insisting the match could have gone ahead.

“We arrived for the game this morning as normal," he said. “There was light rain and there was no issue with the pitch at that time. The referee arrived at 13.40 for the game. He did his pitch inspection and was concerned with the away goalmouth. At that point, and with no consultation with the managers, with the police neither, he made his decision to call the game off. Obviously, we’re not happy with that and we’ll be taking it up with the league and the SFA.”

Asked if the match should have gone ahead, Fenton replied: "Absolutely. The referee said he had concerns with the water in the goalmouths. I would argue we’ve had a lot worse here. If you look at Motherwell at the start of the season, look at the Rangers game on November 1 – a lot worse than what this is, in my opinion."

Dundee manager Tony Docherty echoed that view as he took his players onto the pitch for a training session after Dens Park groundsmen had worked to clear water from the affected areas.

"I think the game should have gone ahead,” he said. “We’ve got our full team training on the pitch at the moment, so we’re really disappointed.

“You’ve got 3000 Aberdeen fans here and I know how passionate they are. But more important, I've got all my home fans coming here on the back of good performances looking forward to a good game of football, then to be turned away.

“I’m just really stunned, shocked and really disappointed. I’m frustrated for my players. You organise your life and your family’s lives around games of football. We now need to go and change all that when the feeling is this game should be on.”