Dark Blues to make cuts as youth academy is restructured

Planned restructuring will possibly end in redundancies

Dundee are set to make cuts at their youth academy as the football shutdown takes its financial toll on the Dens Park club.

The Dark Blues are looking at ways of reducing costs having already sustained losses of revenue worth more than £500,000 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Courier Sport understands a restructure in the development ranks will take place in the coming weeks, leaving some personnel facing the prospect of redundancy.

First-team boss James McPake has already seen his No 2 Jimmy Nicholl and sports scientist Cammy McDermid become victims of cost-cutting.

Captain Josh Meekings also departed after rejecting new terms, with his old team-mates weighing up whether or not to take 30% salary reductions to help the Championship side.

Jordan McGhee – given the armband following Meekings’ exit – and viceskipper Paul McGowan agreed deals to remain at Dens.

Dundee’s Championship campaign won’t start until October 17 at the earliest and is likely to be behind closed doors.

Last month Dundee managing director John Nelms warned “tough choices” needed to be made to “sustain the club for future generations”.

McPake, 36, said he sympathised with everyone impacted by the cuts, including Dark Blues chief Nelms and owner Tim Keyes.

He added: “They don’t want to be doing it. They don’t want to see people losing their jobs and they don’t want to be asking their players to take wage cuts. I know that for a fact. They want to be doing what is best for the football club and John and Tim have done that.

“It is not as if they have gone out and brought this on themselves being reckless and spending money.

“This has come on because of a global pandemic, so yes I have sympathy for that but I also have sympathy for a whole host of people.

“People have lost their lives and there are businesses who can’t afford to run any more. But if we are talking solely about football then I do have sympathy for John and Tim because I know for a fact that it is hurting them that they are having to do this.

“I’m not just saying that – I know it’s true.

“I have been at this club long enough to know how they treat people and want them to be treated. So when things like this are happening, it is really difficult for them as well.”

Meanwhile, left-back Tom Field has left Dens after playing just 15 minutes of football since arriving in January.

The 23-year-old was snapped up in a deadline day deal in the winter after first-choice full-back Jordan Marshall suffered a thigh injury.

Marshall was ruled out for months, prompting McPake to move late in the window for Brentford’s Field, a player previously on the club’s radar.

However, a change of formation shortly after his arrival in February saw winger Declan McDaid excel at left wing-back leaving the former Irish youth international on the bench.

He did make his Dark Blues bow at the start of March, playing the final 15 minutes as a substitute in a 0-0 draw at Ayr United.

That was the extent of the action for the player, though, as Dundee’s continued good form and defensive solidity before the lockdown made it difficult for him to get a place in the team.

Also leaving the club is youngster Grant Rodger after the defender’s youth contract came to an end.