Dundee and Rangers pitch farce has one unseen positive but Hotline hammers the nail into Dens Park coffin

The Premiership races on into matchday 33 this weekend but the Hotline is mired in the muddy hell that sees Dundee and Rangers stuck on matchday 32.

Wednesday’s latest call-off at dodgy Dens has callers taking aim at SPFL chief Neil Doncaster, the Taysiders and even Hibs for their ‘sporting integrity’ complaint with top six spots up for grabs. Robert Livingstone, Palm Beach, said: “Everyone's hammering nails into Dundee's coffin with the talk of huge fines, big points deductions and even wanting them relegated. Certainly the club’s board have made a total mess of a bad situation when they knew they had a major drainage problem with the playing surface and needed to urgently fix it, it seems they didn’t.”

Derek Morris, Stirling, said: “Dundee should be deducted three points for every game that was cancelled - 15 points - and face a stiff fine. But knowing the SPFL and how Dundee bailed them out with their dodgy email fiasco we won’t hold our breath.” Dr Robert Pender emailed: “Neil Doncaster dithers his way through football business. It is now time for him and his team to move on. The majority of the SPFL have had enough of inept leadership.”

And Robert McEwan, Mount Vernon, said: “The shambles at Dundee is beyond a joke and making us look like a pub league. As for Dundee taking their foot off the gas if they qualify for the top six, surely the players have the integrity and desire to go and play their best?”

Neil Renton, Leith, added: “At least the Dundee pitch debacle has put a rest to the debate of having a longer winter shut down due to weather. Only in Scotland would a game be postponed in April because of a water logged pitch. Madness.”

But Hibs fan John Scott, Grassmoor, took aim at his own club and particularly chief executive Ben Kensell when he said: “Honestly, the Hibees talking about ‘sporting integrity’… want some polish for that brass-neck Ben? Let's just remember that Dundee are in a position to claim a top six place after one year back in the Premiership. We on the other hand still need to beat Motherwell and hope Rangers and Aberdeen help us out. Even then Dundee might lose the triumph of a top six place if the lynch mob get their way. Hibs fans are embarrassed enough this season without us gaining a place in the top half of the league by default.”

On to other matters and last weekend’s Old Firm draw has left the title race on a knife edge. John Bruce emailed: “Celtic fans may think that they have the advantage after the Old Firm result and the latest Dundee postponement. But Rangers fans see things differently. In the Old Firm game, Rangers gifted Celtic a 2-0 lead in the first half and scored four past them in the second half, only to have a goal controversially chalked off. So we are more than confident going to Parkhead for the next encounter - even with a contrived fixture pile-up beforehand and even though it's been 14 years since we've had a penalty there.”

Celtic loanee Mikey Johnstone continues to tear it up at West Brom and was voted Championship player of the month this week. Gordon Ashley, Ayr, said; “Celtic are going to get a fortune for Johnstone. This boy has been running riot in the Championship and scoring worldies almost every week, he is now player of the month and there is already talk of Premier League interest.”

Meanwhile, Hearts admitted this week they face having to cough up if they can’t shift thousands of unsold tickets for their Scottish Cup semi final against Rangers with just a week to go. Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, said: “It looks like Hearts have fallen for the old Aberdeen trap! Every time they get to a semi final they demand a 50/50 split on tickets. Then they have to search for people wanting a day out in Glasgow. Football is for the fans and both Hearts and Aberdeen should get no more tickets than their average home crowds.”