Dundee North End (Scotland)

Dundee North End FC is a Scottish non-league Junior football club from the Tayside city of Dundee who were formed in 1895 and becoming Dundee Junior League champions in their debut season.

The same league competition was won in 1905-06, 1908-09, 1914-15, 1956-57 and 1959-60 before the club progressed to the Tayside League while picking up a collection of regional cup wins.

Future Hibernian and Scotland legend Gordon Smith began his career at North End before moving on in 1942. Dundee United keeper Hamish McAlpine learnt his trade between the sticks at the club before moving to Tannadice until 1966.

‘The Dokens’ became Division One winners of the Tayside League in 1978-79 before picking up the Premier Division title in 1997-98 before finishing runners-up the following two seasons.

In 2002 the club became members of the East Region of the SJFA along with all other Tayside Junior clubs. The Tayside Premier Division title was collected in 2004-05.

A further league championship was won in 2013-14 as North End lifted the East Region Premier League North crown after restructuring of the leagues.

A second title in the same competition followed in 2017-18 following the appointment of manager Ross Lunan, before the title was retained in 2018-19 with North End being promoted to the East Superleague North.

Dundee North End FC will play in the SJFA East Superleague North in the 2019-20 season.

My visit

Sunday 19^th January 2020

It was a cold Sunday lunchtime with North End the last of three Dundee non-league grounds on my tick list. My aide Prorege from the Non-League Matters forum had been most helpful with tips throughout the weekend and he suggested to keep this venue until after midday.

His rationale was that the social club would be open for business to allow me access inside as there weren’t too many photos opportunities without entry. All had gone to plan as I headed back up the hill after collecting my rail replacement tickets for later in the day from the station.

The 22 bus from Cards Hall dropped me at the Dundee Contract Services stop on Strathmartine Road, from where I wandered along Clepington Road, Smith Street and Fairfield Road from where I took some limited shots of North End Park.

The social club was impressive, and not unlike many others of its ilk that I’d visited over the years. I explained what I was doing and bought a pint of Tennants while the lady behind the bar dealt with customers arriving for bingo and the raffle.

I felt quite young around the faces all looking and wondering who the stranger was. A couple were coming in and out of the fire exit at the back of the main room, so I seized my opportunity to go outside and look at the ground.

It was another decent ground in a football rich city. A significant terraced cover stood on the centre down the left touchline. A grass bank enclosed the end behind the far goal. The rest of the ground was open flat standing, with the clubhouse behind the goal offering views from upstairs.

Everything seemed well maintained and cared for. I returned indoors to finish my pint. I walked back round and found the main gates on Fairmuir Street wide open with access to the ground. Ten minutes later and there'd have been no need to go inside for a pint! 

That said, I'm glad that I had. It's always good to spend cash at smaller clubs. I walked back to the Travelodge on Strathmore Avenue to collect my bag and then head for some lubrication in Frews Bar before the Dundee United v Motherwell Scottish Cup tie.