From Out Of Darkness Cometh Light!

Last updated : 28 June 2002 By Dave Webster
In my opinion, the most beautiful motto of any team in the world, that of Wolverhampton Wanderers. It speaks of problems overcame and hours of darkness being expelled by a sudden influx of light just when least expected.

Maybe applies to us at present with all the court cases, talk about late accounts, etc., Rest assured, you younger fans, Dundee have came through some torrid moments in their history and still the club survives. This won't be the only moment of anxiety we will have to bear, a football club's a hard thing to understand, but it will be yesterday's news soon. For now we need the light that promises a resurrection.

Let me assure you all, we WILL rise from this and be a better club as a result of it. Hardened steel only becomes such after a torrid time in the furnace. It's the shared bad moments that bring a club together and after this sorry mess has been seen to it's conclusion, we can get on with the footy, which is what we fans are in it for. And like Tealing Dee, I just can't wait. Like a pacifist's pistol waiting to get into the action.

I think the Dundee P.R. guys are working as I speak. I've been wrong before, I don't think I'm wrong this time.

I PREDICT:- Before 2nd July it will be announced: that Nacho Novo has signed. (probably did a wee while back but they're keeping it to cheer us all up); Temuri Ketsbaia will announce he is the new player/coach; Julian Speroni will be hailed as a great coup for the club which of course his signing on a new deal would be. He's most definitely a future Argentine internationalist goalkeeper. Nothing surer. And he's learning his stuff at Dens Park. Amazing.

Brighter days are coming, Dees. July 14th isn't that far off when we'll be able to hail our heroes once more on Kirkcaldy's hallowed soil where we won promotion for the last time (we'll never go down again in my lifetime, I hazard to predict) and saw the first glimpse of the Bonettis' amazing flair players.

Now is the following not a team pool made from Heaven itself?

Lift your heads up, yes, mine's as well, it's too easy to get depressed by off the park shenanigans. LET'S GET READY TO JOIN THE GREAT ROLLERCOASTER ONCE MORE.

For the boring pessimists may I remind you as the circus ringmaster we still have much to put on show: We'll still have the amazing Speroni in goal; Barry Smith, the ever sure Captain somewhere at the back; Lee Wilkie, whose amazing comeback hurled him into international football and he got his first cap for Scotland; Beto Carranza, the midfield Harry Potter will still be here; Gavin Rae, who if he can find his true form again, will be there to excite us with his strong runs at goal; Giorgi Nemsadze has gone nowhere yet and his devastating ball skills will still be a feature of our road show; Javier Artero will be better after his illness and the games at the end of last season will have helped; Fabian Caballero the guy who is still trying to find full fitness since his horrific injury will be here to lead the attack; Juan Sara has gone nowhere and Scotland's best goalscorer outside the old firm will be keen to strut his stuff; Zurab Khizanishvilli, who many seen as the best young prospect in Europe, will still be here to tease our palates with his scintillating football ability; Marcello Marocco, stylish full back with a fine overlap, is still on contract; Dave Mackay, learning all the time, will be twice as good as last season with a few games under his belt now; brilliant ball player Gavin Beith, out to show he's ready for the SPL and oozing with talent; Stevie Milne, oh, Stevie, who can forget your late winner against Hibs at Easter Road, divine intervention, indeed; Temuri Ketsbaia, unless your injury has hampered you, the most exciting player at Dens last season with timed runs, powered shooting and a great football brain, . Mark Robertson, Australian internationalist, it's time to show your true potential, Mark, let's see you go in the season ahead. etc., etc.

This can go on forever, but time hampers me. etc., etc., means the young players ready to come through, full of optimism and expectancy. The future is youth, the future is dark blue. And we have many.

I spoke to 3 youth team players on Sunday past, Craig Taylor, Steven Stewart and Chas McGuire, and they're excited about the future of Dundee, and they see themselves as being part of it. I've been promised exclusive interviews with these kids in the season ahead as part of my promise to tell the story of not just the first team but the younger teams as well. If we only speak of the present we ignore the future of a club. Their voices will be heard.

In the words of the Dundee song: "Although on occasion, defeat we must know, we will rise up again and defeat every foe." OVER TO YOU, THE PLAYERS, YOUNG AND OLD, SCOT AND NON-SCOT, TO PROVE THAT IN DARKNESS, THERE IS LIGHT AHEAD. WE, THE DARKENED, NEED YOUR LIGHT MORE THAN EVER. LET IT SHINE!