Dundee FC has faced many a long battle for survival in their 117 year history but none as perilious than the battle we face to stay in buisness today. After a severe case of gross mismanagement by certaun individuals that have since left the Dens Park board, we are quite literally staring oblivion in the face. It is totally unacceptable that our club should find ourselves in the position we do today.
It can be argued for and against that Dundee FC are a "sleeping giant" of Scottish Football. In the 1960's we were one of the biggest clubs in the country and we were taking on the likes of Italian giants AC Milan in the European Cup. These were the glory years of the Dark Blues and a whole host of fantastic footballing names wore the Dark Blue jersey including Bobby Cox, Ian Ure, Billy Steel and Doug Cowie. In 1962 we won the Championship in what would be the equivalent of the SPL trophy today. Thousands crammed into Dens to watch their heroes play and usually win. Fast forward 48 years and Dundee FC find themselves at the bottom of the First Division, the second tier of Scottish Football. We have been knocked out of the Alba Challenge Cup by Stenhousmuir and knocked out of the CIS League Cup by Brechin City. The board also failed to pay a staggering tax bill and certain directors had troubles outwith their commitment to DFC. This has all led to Mr Calum Melville, the club's benefactor, resigning, preceded by Bob Brannan and Ian Bodie in the Summer and the club plunging into administration for the second time in seven years. Dundee spent the second highest transfer fees in the summer of 2009 in Scotland with the purchase of Leigh Griffiths and Gary Harkins for around £250,000. Mr Melville had answered the club's call for investment and he became not only a director but also the club's benefactor. We had previously had worked to a strict buisness plan that was thought up by former chief executive Dave McKinnon, Ian Bodie and Bob Brannan. However, the club decided to veer away from this buisness model and were tempted by the cash that Melville had to offer. Dundee FC brought in a strong squad of players and the fans were hoping that it was going to be our year for promotion. Mr Melville stated that "second was nowhere" and we really needed to get back to the SPL. He also aimed for top six SPL football at Dens and also looked to aquire Dens Park from Dundee United chairman, John Bennett, who himself aquired the ground as exchange for monies loaned to DFC to buy back debt from bank. However, Dens was not sold and Melville didn't fulfil his promise on that front. Dundee started shaky but gradually began to produce a good string of results. In November 2009, Dundee won the Alba Challenge Cup beating Inverness CT in a thrilling 3-2 result. Dundee FC then extended that good run of results until Christmas and at one point were 15 points ahead at the top of the First Division. From January to March 2010 however results dipped and Jocky Scott was relieved of his managerial duties in March. Gordon Chisholm and Billy Dodds were appointed as the new management team but couldn't get Dundee FC the promotion they so desperately needed. It was disappointing but Melville had stated that there was no pressure on Chisholm getting Dundee promoted in his first couple of months as manager, it would be a two year plan. However, as Chis and Dodds was preparing to get a new look squad developed with possible names such as Bob Harris and Michael Gardyne being touted with real possible moves to Dens, trouble was brewing up behind the scenes at Dens Park. The tax bill hadn't been paid and bills were mounting. It would appear that the board had chucked all their eggs into one basket to get back to the SPL in season 2009/10 and with that they had severely overspent. Chisholm was then informed that the playing budget would be cut by 40% which then scuppered his plans to buy certain players. Bob Brannan issued an open letter in the Evening Telegraph advising fans to back the club or the club will die. Now, he knew the state of play then surely? He clearly saw the books at Dens and it now transpires that there was a huge tax bill building up. Instead of him crying out to the fans to dig deep and further support the club, beyond the call of duty in my opinion, Brannan and Melville should have agreed a plan to pay the tax bill and then set up some sort of repayment scheme to Melville at a later date. Instead, they let it get to where it has got the club and now we are really facing the oblivion because of gross incompetence by the former board of directors. October 14th will long live in the memories of Dundee supporters and players and staff for a long time. Nine players were given the sack as were Gordon Chisholm and Billy Dodds along with Neil Cosgrove, the kit man of 13 years and lifelong Dundee supporter who also worked in the ticket office within the club shop. It was a dark day indeed, while it seemed Brannan and Melville both slipped into obscurity leaving behind a huge mess for others to sort out. Whilst that all happened, we have been hammered by the SFL with a 25 points deduction and player embargo. The Dundee fans came out in force on Saturday at the Partick match at Dens and showed their grievances at the decision. Political figures have also backed our fight against the SFL and it is a fight that us Dundee fans will continue to wage. Now. we have to find £500,000 before Christmas for us to survive. The Dundee fans so far have been superb and have raised over £100,000 towards that already. It is still going to be a mammoth task for us to raise that kind of money and we really hope that an investor can step in aswell. I am 100% convinced that our terrific fans will fight right to the bitter end in order to help this great club survive and it is one campaign I will give my all.
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