The group of Dundee fans behind an Open Letter that gained over 1,300 signatures calling for reform at Dens Park have made their next move.
Correspondence between the group and Dark Blues owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms ended after the club stopped responding last season.
Now the Open Letter Group have joined forces with Dee4Life, also known as the Dundee FC Supporters Society, to try to bring improvement in relations between the club and a ‘disenchanted’ support.
An abridged version of their latest message can be read here, the full version reads:
“Much has happened since we asked you to sign this open letter eight weeks ago.
“Most notably, Dundee succumbed to relegation.
“While there have been positive signs that the football side of the club is now moving in the right direction, we believe much more needs to be done to rebuild the relationship between the club and its fanbase.
“Season ticket sales to date suggest there is some way to go to win over a sceptical and disillusioned support.
“From the outset we wanted the club to appreciate how deeply this relationship had deteriorated and to commit to a programme of reform.
‘Alternative strategies’
“John Nelms and Tim Keyes ruled out our initial proposals and have so far not acknowledged subsequent communications, including alternative suggestions and the results of a fan satisfaction survey that many of you took part in.
“While disappointed that the John and Tim chose not to engage with these ideas or to meet to discuss the situation, we remain committed to ensuring that the voice of Dundee fans is heard and that they can help rebuild the club.
“It has become clear, however, that we need to pursue alternative strategies if that is to happen.
“Dee4Life directors Norrie Price and Gary Cocker were among the hundreds of Dundee fans we spoke to in the aftermath of the open letter.
“The more we talked the more we realised that our aims aligned, leading us to discuss ways of working collaboratively.
“The outcome of these talks is that four of the original signatories – Ross Day, Grant Hill, George McIrvine and Ryan Norrie – have been appointed to the Dee4Life board as External Directors.
“In addition, Grant McGregor, another open letter backer, will be joining as Financial Director.
“All members of our group will continue to work to advance our aims alongside the existing board.
‘Not something we foresaw’
“This is not something we foresaw when we first asked fans to back our letter to John Nelms and Tim Keyes, and we appreciate not every Dundee supporter will agree with our course of action.
“We know there are issues within Dee4Life in terms of its capacity and perception that need to be addressed if it is to be effective in both supporting the club and scrutinising its activities.
“In discussions, the Dee4Life board impressed us with their willingness to commit to change to become a more agile and modern organisation.
“We believe we bring fresh ideas, drive and energy to the table, and we intend to use the Dee4Life platform to benefit everyone with the good of Dundee FC at heart.
“Working in the best interests of Dundee supporters will be at the heart of everything the new Dee4Life board does, and specifically we will strive to:
- Rebuild the relationship between the club and Dee4Life
- Work with other groups to develop a system of representation that ensures the views of fans are heard at board level
- Support the club by providing financial assistance where possible and appropriate
- Assist the club’s efforts to engage with fans and the wider community in order to grow its support base
- Ensure accountability of the club’s functions and performance
- Generate new ideas that will aid the club’s efforts in all areas it currently works and new ones
- Act as a bridge to the expertise of the fanbase
- Reform Dee4Life to create a more active organisation capable of dealing with contemporary challenges
- Attract new members to Dee4LifeIncrease the number of active members willing to lend their skillsets to the club and Trust
Want new members
“We are eager to get to work, with the formation of working groups to review Dee4Life operations, develop proposals for improved fan representation, and explore new fundraising opportunities a priority for us.
“We also want new, former, and potential members of Dee4Life to help shape its direction via a consultation process we hope to launch soon.
“Our experiences over the past two months have convinced us that only through a vibrant group representing as large and diverse a group of Dundee supporters can we hope to bring about meaningful and positive change.
“If you want to help play your part in this, please sign up to Dee4Life by visiting
https://www.dee4life.com/membership_form.php
or emailing contact@dee4life.com.”
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