Dundee
Kilmac Stadium
Capacity:
11,850 (all seated)
Address:
Sandeman St, Dundee, DD3 7JY
Telephone:
01382 889 966
Fax:
01382 832 284
Pitch Size:
101m x 66m
Pitch Type:
Grass
Club Nickname:
Dark Blues or The Dees
Year Ground Opened:
1899
Undersoil Heating:
Yes
Home Kit:
Navy & Dark Blue Hoops
The overall look of Dens Park was greatly improved with the re-development of both ends in the late 1990’s. The Bobby Cox & Bob Shankly Stands are similar looking, both being single tiered and roughly of the same height. Both sides are quite old looking stands that date back to the 1920’s. The Main (North) Stand is a covered seated stand, unusual in that it is oval in shape, meaning that those sitting on the half way line are furthest away from the playing action. In fact at one time the whole ground was oval. It also has only a small amount of seats in the lower portion of the stand, with the bulk of the seating in the upper part. On the other side is a more conventional single tiered stand, that only runs for about two thirds of the length of the pitch. Both these stands have many supporting pillars that may hinder your view. Dens Park is completed with a set of four tall old fashioned looking floodlights.
In 2018 Dens Park was renamed the Kilmac Stadium in a two year corporate sponsorship deal, with a local construction company.
The clubs owners have purchased land near Camperdown Park and Dundee Ice Arena, with a view to possibly building a new stadium for the Club. The site is located on the North Western edge of Dundee, around two and half miles away from Dens Park. The Chief Executive of the Club has expressed an ambition to see the Club in a new stadium by the start of the 2020/21 season.
Away fans are housed in the Bob Shankly Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 3,000 supporters can be accommodated. If required then a further 1,000 seats can be allocated in the Main (North) Stand towards the Bob Shankly End. The facilities within the Bob Shankly Stand are quite good and the view of the playing action excellent. The great thing about this stand is that even a relatively small number of away fans can really generate some noise. George Hobb a visiting Hearts supporter adds. ‘normally a relaxed and friendly day out and the atmosphere generated within the ground can be quite good’. However, I have received reports that the stewarding can be a bit strict if away fans persistently stand.
The Centenary bar near to the ground welcomes both home and away supporters. The bar has two rooms within it, one of which is used for home fans and one for away supporters. George Hobb recommends ‘The Clep bar on Clepington Road. Great pies, friendly bar staff and very reasonable prices. It is only five minutes walk from the ground’. Willie Douglas adds; ‘The Stobswell Sports Club in Raglan Street is a ten minute walk from Dens Park. It is family friendly and also allows away supporters buses.’
Follow the A90 through Dundee. Leave the A90 at the junction with the B960 (sign posted ‘Football Traffic’/Dundee), and turn right onto Clepington Road (B960). Continue along Clepington Road for one mile where you will reach a roundabout. Go straight across the roundabout and after a short distance you should be able to see some floodlights over beyond the houses on your right. Take the 2nd right into Arklay Street and then right into Tannadice Steet. Dens Park is up at the end of this street on the left. There is no parking available for supporters at the ground so it is a case of finding some street parking.
Dundee Railway Station is over two miles away from Dens Park and is quite a walk away (25-30mins). Best to jump in a taxi. Leave the station and cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. Take the exit to the right before the Nethergate centre, this exit has steps leading down to Union Street. Walk up to the top of Union Street and turn right onto the High Street, after a couple of hundred yards veer left into the pedestrianised Murraygate and proceed to the Wellgate centre. Go via the escalators in the Wellgate centre to the top floor of the centre and exit onto Victoria Road. (If Wellgate is closed, turn left along Panmure Street, right up Meadowside and right onto Victoria Road to rear of Wellgate Shopping Centre).
Here you have two choices, via the Hilltown (Shorter distance but like climbing the north face of the Eiger) or via Dens Road (much longer but far less likely to induce a heart attack): Option 1 (for those fit enough) cross Victoria Road to the foot of the Hilltown walk up this for approx 1/3 mile (it feels like 3) till you reach the junction of Main St & Strathmartine Road this is easily recognisable by the ornamental clock near the junction. Turn right onto Main St and proceed until you reach the junction with Isla St (Church on the corner opposite the excellent Snug Bar). Turn left into Isla Street (at Clepington Church). Continue across Dens Road into North Isla Street and turn left at Tannadice, Dens Park is just up the road. Option 2 Turn right onto Victoria Road proceed about 1/4 mile, veer left at the Eagle Mills into Dens Road. Pass Dura Street, Alexander Street and Dens Road Market then right into Arklay Street. Once you reach Tannadice Street turn left past Tannadice, Dens Park is just up the road. Iain Thomson adds; ‘Bus Number 1A drops you off right below Dens Park. It leaves from Bus Stop A2 next to the High School of Dundee in Albert Square in Dundee City Centre. A single Adult fare costs £1.60’. Visit the Dundee Travel website for more information.
Thanks to Neil Gellatly for providing the directions.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.
Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.
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The Club operates a category system (A & B) whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. The ticket prices are the same for all areas of Dens Park.
Category A Games (Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hearts)
Adults £26, Over 65’s/Students £19, Under 18’s £12
Category B Games (Other SPL Clubs)
Adults £24, Over 65’s/Students £16, Under 18’s £10
Official Programme £3
Dundee United.
Dundee FC fixture list (takes you to the Dundee FC website).
Spaces are available in both the East & West Stands. Wheelchair users are admitted free, whilst helpers are charged £13. Spaces must be booked in advance by calling: 01382 826104.
If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going.
Record Attendance
43,024 v Glasgow Rangers
Scottish Cup, February 1953.
Average Attendance
2018-2019: 6,025 (Premier League)
2017-2018: 5,947 (Premier League)
2016-2017: 6,410 (Premier League)
If you require hotel accommodation in Dundee then first try a hotel booking service provided byBooking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.
One of the most unusual aspects of visiting Dundee is seeing how close the ground is to their rivals United. They are literally a few hundred yards apart on the same road. I believe that these two grounds are the closest together of any in the country.
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, then please e-mail me at: contact@footballgroundguide.com and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to Owen Pavey for providing a photo and ground layout diagram of Dens Park Dundee.
Dundee v Dundee United
Scottish Premier League
Monday 2nd May 2016, 7.45pm
Welsh Exile (Dundee fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Dens Park?
This game was billed as the "Down Derby" as United couldn't afford to lose or they would get relegated by their bitter rivals. This is my home ground these days and I absolutely love the place.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
There is no car park at the ground itself, but there is street parking available all around the stadium. It's less than a 5 minute walk for me, though from the train and bus station it is a good 20 minute plus walk. You can get the 1a and 1b bus from the city centre along with the 22 and 18 which stops nearby also taxis are available. I find that if you need to order one then try Tay taxis on 01382 450450 they are normally very quick and reliable.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went to my local before the game where both fans mix although the Dee fans mainly drink on the Hilltown. I have yet to find a local pub that isn't friendly and welcoming to both home and away fans for any match. The High Corner is normally a good pub to go to as it welcomes all supporters and families and is now ran by ex-Dundee goalkeeper Derek Souter. This bar is well priced as well and the atmosphere is always welcoming. It also has lots of Dundee memorabilia on display throughout the pub.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides Dens Park?
The Dens Park ground consists of the old and the new. The first thing you will notice are the floodlights and the fact that three ends of the ground share the same entrance road with Uniteds ground not far away. Dens Park itself was designed by the famous football ground architect Archibald Leitch. The Main Stand which dates back to the 1920's is a unique design with the middle of the stand being further away from the pitch than the ends. The main part is raised. It also has supporting pillars running along the stand and a small seated section at the front of the stand and club offices. The ends behind the goal are Bobby Cox and the Bob Shankly Stands. They are both a large single tiered stands with disabled facilities and modern facilities such as bookies in the concourse. The away fans are house in the Shankly Stand and when demand is required are also allocated a portion of the Main Stand also. Opposite the Main Stand is the South (Derry) Stand. This stand only runs half the pitch and has half bucket seats bolted to benches, this is where most the atmosphere is created from the home fans. A proper old fashioned stand. The facilities in the two older stands are basic and both are accessed vis narrow stairwells.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game started as any Derby game very nervy, it was 0-0 at half time, United scored shortly after half time and it gave their fans belief that they could hold off relegation for at least another week. Then the Dee's equalised you could see the realisations kicking into the United fans and as they again stared relegation in the face. Then to top off the game a local lad and Dundee fan Craig Wighton popped up and scored the winner in the 93rd minute to put the icing on the cake and send them down. The atmosphere was one of a party from a Dundee point of view and after years of gloating from United after they once won the League at Dens Park this was in someways a dose of karma and one which will live in the memory forever.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Most the home support stayed a while after the game to celebrate. Getting out of the ground can be congested and roads around Dens Park will be busy up until around 15-30 minutes after the final whistle.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day – redemption for the long suffering Dundee fan. This one will live in the memory forever.
Dundee v Heart of Midlothian
Scottish Premiership League
Friday 23rd December 2016, 7.45pm
Brian May (Hearts fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Dens Park?
This was my first chance to see how Hearts were going to play under new management with Ian Cathro having recently taken over. Also, I had never been to Dens Park before and had heard good things about it.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled to the game on a Hearts supporters bus which parked just along the street from the ground. It didn't look as though there was any official car parking for supporters and the local streets were coned off so if you drive, you should probably be prepared to walk a fair distance from your car.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As usual, I had my children with me so didn't visit any of the local pubs, but there doesn't appear to be very much else to do in the immediate vicinity. Instead, we took a walk around the Dens Park ground (including taking a look at nearby Tannadice Park), visited the club shop and then made our way into the ground. Whilst not overly friendly, the home fans seemed pretty calm overall.
South Stand
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Dens Park?
Dens Park is a classic example of an old ground that has been modernised yet retains some 'old school' character. We were with the Hearts fans behind one goal in the modern Bob Shankly stand which had good facilities and although set slightly back from the pitch offered a great view of the action. The seating bank is fairly steep and the roof is free of supporting pillars and amplified the noise nicely. At the opposite end is a mirror image new stand. To one side, the classic old Main Stand (I presume it's a Leitch) has a seated former terrace in the lower level, whilst seats in the upper level would have an obstructed view due to pillars supporting the roof. The stand has quite an unusual angled shape and the players tunnel is found towards the end of the stand near the away end and is more like a fenced pathway through the lower tier of seats. The last stand is a fairly simple 'cowshed' but this seemed to be where Dundee's most vociferous supporters were to be found.
Main Stand
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The pre-match pie was a fairly grim offering – bland, gristly and not worth the £2.20 charged. However, queues moved quickly and toilet facilities were decent enough. The stewards outside the ground were very friendly but things changed once inside. Tickets had been sold in advance to Hearts fans but as the allocation had not sold out, a cash gate was opened and those using it apparently told to sit anywhere rather than issuing the spare tickets or allocating a specific block. This then created confusion approaching kick-off as those with pre-bought tickets arrived to find their seats occupied. The stewards were fairly dismissive towards the displaced supporters and called in the Police who seemed to be very impatient and a bit heavy-handed. To be fair, a minority of the fans had been drinking and were probably not the most co-operative but overall this was disappointing handling of a problem of the club's own making.
For the first half, there was a good amount of noise created by the Hearts fans especially as they took an early lead and Dundee's fans didn't really make themselves heard until booing their team off at half-time! Early in the second half Hearts went 2-0 ahead but the game turned on it's head around 55 minutes as Dundee staged a comeback and their support found their voices. So, a long time coming, but the atmosphere for the final third was cracking with both sets of support urging their team on. Eventually, the home side ran out 3-2 winners with some Hearts fans taking a turn to boo their team at the final whistle!
View From the Away Stand
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We took our coach home which got away from Dens Park and out of Dundee within a few minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, a good night out despite the problems before the game and the disappointing result for Hearts.
Dundee v Brechin City
League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 28th July 2018, 3pm
Daniel Turner (Groundhopping)
Dundee v Hibernian
Scottish Premier League
Friday 22nd February 2019, 7.45pm
Damian Purser (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Kilmac Stadium?
Well, this was added to our weekend schedule as we were staying in Fife with the intention Friday of visiting the local areas sights and taking a trip to watch East Fife on the Saturday. The Dundee game was changed to a Friday for the benefit of being shown live on BT Sport. Seeing as this was a ground myself and my wife had not yet ticked off on our mission to watch a game at all the Scottish grounds and was only a 45 minute journey away by train, it was a No brainer. So a day spent in Dundee followed by the evening's match was our new Friday plans.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Got a taxi cab to the ground from Dundee station 30 minutes before kick off as our day led us further afield than just Dundee. So extremely easy as dropped right outside the Main Stand.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As i mentioned we were in Dundee for the day. I have always been told "If you go to Dundee you have to climb Dundee Law Hill". So we did!. If you take the direct route from the main road and through the Park it is a straight steep climb up what seems like hundreds of steps that tease you by giving you a rest every minute or so just to cross the road onto the next flight. A surprisingly warm day so needless to say I wasn't expecting to be standing at the top of a hill in Dundee in February stripped down to a T shirt trying to cool off due to the hard work involved in that climb. Great views over the city and from up high really shows the closeness of the two Dundee football grounds. After the fast march back down the steps (you can't help yourself due to the steepness and the feeling your feet are going to rip out of the front of your shoes) we decided on a cold beer and discuss what else to do in Dundee. Didn't fancy the V&A museum so decided on a further half hour trip up the coast to Arbroath.
I'd heard about Arbroath's ground and its closeness to the North Sea as well as its Harbour which in the Summer is probably lovely. Well, it wasn't Summer and it was a bit more breezier than Dundee. We saw Arbroath's ground and walked towards it. This wasn't going to be classed as a visit in our eyes as no game was involved but was seen as a scouting mission for a future visit and the relevant tick in the box then as Ground visited. As mentioned on this website the North Sea didn't need much encouragement from the breeze to crash over the paved area behind the stand of Gayfield Park and left us wondering what it's like on a really windy day. We found a Wetherspoons close by the harbour and had food and drink before heading back to Dundee station for a cab ride to the match.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kilmac Stadium?
Walking down the road with both Dundee clubs either side of you does make you compare the two grounds. Dundee United does seem to look the smarter more modern stadium, but I loved the old school character of Dens Park. Old brick walls and barbed wire and a strange Main Stand that curves away from the pitch the nearer you get to the middle. Loved it!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A nightmare evening for Dundee. Calamitous defending for Hibs first two goals and looked toothless really despite equalising for 1-1. Only when Kenny Miller came on did they threaten but were fighting an uphill battle by then. An amusing moment of the night was when Dundee were lining up a free kick just outside the box and the sprinklers rose from the ground to give everybody a quick shower to the delight of the crowd. The eventual free kick that followed saw Kenny Miller bullet a header into the Hibs net. As he reeled away the linesman had his flag up. Goal Disallowed!. Such a shame nobody told the man in charge of the PA who promptly blasted out the Dave Clark 5 hit "Glad all over" through the tannoy followed by a high pitch excited scream of "A second goal for Dundee scored by Dundee number 10 Kenny………..", at this point you knew somebody had tapped him on the shoulder or given him the cut symbol with their hand under the throat type gesture. This was also met with hilarity from the crowd especially the Hibs fans as you can imagine. To make matters worse a little later Kenny Miller scored again only for it to be ruled out by the linesman. This time the PA announcer stayed schtum. An easy victory for Hibs and a cracking goal from Stevie Mallan made it 2 unbeaten for new boss Paul Heckingbottom.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Left a couple of minutes before the end as we knew we were on an Edinburgh bound train with the Hibs fans. Hailed a cab very quickly and got to the station in plenty of time as we wasn't sure how many people would be piling into the station. A large police presence, but no problems and an easy trip back to Fife
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
As always a very enjoyable day but in footballing terms nothing compared to the next day when we visited East Fife.
Dundee v Hearts
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 9th March 2019, 3pm
John Boynton (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Kilmac Stadium?
Another new ground to visit on a weekend in Dundee, which is a city I was interested to explore. It was also a good chance to take a moment to consider a ground where Charlie Cooke plied his trade before becoming a 1970s Chelsea legend to me when I was just a kid.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
With spending the weekend in Dundee we had plenty of time to walk to the ground. Once we found the road out of the town centre it was a pretty straightforward if lengthy walk up to and through Hilltown. We did, however, quickly discover why the area was called Hilltown as the road was one mighty steep climb! If you travel by car I did spot a small car park half way up the hill should you want to get close-ish without driving all the way to the ground. It is probably worth considering such an approach as a lot of people seemed to park on the streets near the ground, however, after the game the main road was blocked off for a time. I presume this while they allowed the away fans out.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We spent time exploring the town centre which is lovely. A very decent small shopping centre, a really enjoyable quay and riverside stroll and a visit to the V&A museum. We then walked up to the ground to buy tickets and savour the visit. Everyone we met were very friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kilmac Stadium?
My first thought on seeing the ground was praise the lord that walk up the hill is over. After that, it was a real nostalgic feeling as I looked up at the ground and its really solid old fashioned painted perimeter walls with remnants of barbed wire fencing on top. It still had that 1970's feel to it from the outside. We sat in the Main Stand and that 1970's vibe continued through the turnstile and up the narrow stone steps to the seats. Also situating the gents up by the back row of seats rather than going back down to a concourse was a nostalgic feature. The stands inside the ground were an eclectic mix. The Main Stand was an unusual v shape with the seats in the centre further away from the pitch than the ends (apparently because the ground used to be an oval shape rather than rectangular). Behind each goal, there were more modern stands and opposite was another stand but one which did not run the full length of the pitch!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was turgid with Hearts winning 1-0 from a very scrappy goal. I don't think I've been to a Scottish Premiership match before but if this is a benchmark the standard is disappointing. Fortunately, Hearts scored early so their fans had something to sing about for most of the game but the atmosphere elsewhere in the ground was very flat. The facilities were all you would expect if quite basic. The pies were okay; at a Premiership game, however, I was hoping for premier standard scotch pies but unfortunately, they were a little bland and just … okay.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was okay. A little crowded on the narrow pavements around the ground. Fortunately, the main road was closed after the game leading to a lot of standing traffic so crossing the road was simpler than I expected.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A very good day with more than a hint of nostalgia. Dundee is a great city and Dundee FC seems like a real and proud club who are going through a tough time at the moment. I expected a bit more quality from Premiership football but I don't think either Dundee or Hearts are serving up their best football at the moment so it is probably not fair to make judgement on this game alone. On the walk back I couldn't help but think how both teams would have benefited if they'd had a Charlie Cooke in their team. I'm sure he would have lit up the game no matter what era he was playing in.
Dundee v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Sunday 28th July 2019, 3pm
Andrew Wood (Neutral)