Anger as Dark Blues will have no fans in main stands at Dens

Dundee will have no fans in the Main Stand or South Enclosure for their three upcoming home matches.

The Dark Blues take on Hamilton Academical in their opening fixture of 2022-23 as the Premier Sports Cup gets under way on July 9.

They’ll follow that up on July 13 with a friendly against English Championship side Blackburn Rovers, a former club of new manager Gary Bowyer.

They will then complete the League Cup group with a home clash against Angus neighbours Forfar Athletic at Dens Park on July 23.

In advertising ticket prices, the club stated home fans would be in the Bobby Cox Stand at one end of the ground while away fans will be in their usual place of the Bob Shankly Stand behind the other goal.

That will leave the other stands empty and has angered some supporters.

The South East Section, a fan group set up last season to improve the atmosphere at games, base themselves in the South Enclosure and took to social media to voice their displeasure.

Their statement read: “This obviously means it’s going to be difficult for us at the SES to do something for these games.

“(We) are really not happy about this situation at all and we would like some sort of meeting and discussion with the club.

“Dundee Football Club, if you want more and more bums on seats, you need us guys to do a job for you.

“If you want our supporters group to grow, yous (sic) surely can’t be closing off our section, small games, big games, it should be and needs to be open for every home game.”

Dundee have taken into account attendances for similar matches in the past, early-season cup fixtures against lower league sides and friendlies.

After their previous relegation, at the start of the 2019-20 season the club played Blackpool in a friendly and Inverness and Peterhead in the cup with the friendly bringing the largest attendance of around 2,400.

The previous campaign saw matches against Dunfermline and Brechin City bring in crowds of 2,870 and 2,058 respectively.

To save on the costs of stewarding and staff as they expect similar turnouts, the club have decided to house all fans in the newer stands for these games where facilities are better.

The combined capacity of the two end stands is more than 6,000.

All stands will be open as normal when the league commences on Saturday July 30 as Partick Thistle visit.

The South Enclosure at Dens will be closed to fans.