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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Barry Glendenning

Dundee deluges and Rangers getting righteous over a soggy Scottish pitch

Dundee club secretary Eric Drysdale talks to journalists about the very wet Dens Park pitch
Dundee secretary Eric Drysdale (left) speaks about the very wet Dens Park pitch before Wednesday’s postponement. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

WET WET WET

Located in the central lowlands of Scotland on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, just a few skims of a stone from the perishingly cold north sea, Dundee is often subject to inclement weather. On average it rains there 125 days a year and in recent weeks some of the heavier deluges have stymied Dundee’s attempts to host their Scottish Premiership match against Rangers. Last month’s game was kiboshed because the Dens Park pitch was rendered unplayable after a downpour and the game was rescheduled for Wednesday night. Due to be broadcast live on Sky and with 4,000 Rangers fans preparing to make the 80-mile trip from Glasgow, it once again fell foul of the weather, with referee Don Robertson deeming the pitch unplayable following his second inspection of the day. It is rare that one man’s solemn and often futile attempts to bounce a football in various parts of a quagmire have been subject to so much public scrutiny, but such was the air of gravitas lent to Robertson’s inspection they were afforded the liveblog treatment from the Daily Record’s digital news wing and subsequently prompted a furious reaction from Rangers.

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