Dundee bids to buy back Dens Park: What it means for football in the city

Dundee are in discussions to buy back Dens Park in a move that could lead to significant changes to the city’s footballing landscape.

Tale of two grounds: Dundee's Dens Park sits in the foreground and Tannadice, home of rivals Dundee United, sits beyond it.

Rather than safeguarding the stadium’s future, the news is likely to hasten the moment a wrecking ball begins demolishing the famous old ground. It could also see the club playing home games outwith Dundee for a period.

Owner Tim Keyes’ motivation for initiating these talks with landlord John Bennett is to move forward with plans to relocate the club to Camperdown Park on the northern edge of the city. Bennett, a former Dundee United director, has owned Dens Park since 2009.

There is speculation that a deal has already been agreed with a building company to purchase the land at Dens Park for housing. A unique quirk whereby two clubs share the same street would be lost forever.

It would also mean Dundee being required to share a ground with a neighbouring club until the new stadium is ready. The obvious option of playing games at Dundee United’s Tannadice Park is reported to have been ruled out. Arbroath’s Gayfield Park and St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park are other options said to be under consideration.

Keyes, together with Dundee managing director John Nelms, has already spent £1.2 million buying a plot of land next to the city’s ice arena. The United States-based owner recently stressed his commitment to the project.

“We have others involved in the project and there are understandings there,” Keyes said this summer after Dundee had secured promotion back to the Premiership.

Bennett bought Dens Park for a reported £500,000 as Dundee sought to pay off their debts after administration in 2003. He agreed to suspend rent payments when Dundee entered administration for a second time in 2010.

Bennett’s status as major creditor helped prevent the threat of liquidation despite pressure from HMRC. He has always claimed he would be “easy to deal with” if the time came and Dundee wanted to re-purchase their ancestral home.

It’s understood Dundee are locked in a contract to rent the ground until 2036 and any negotiations would have to take that into account. Dundee have been based at Dens Park since 1899. The Archibald Leitch-designed main stand, opened in 1921, recently celebrated its centenary.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions