Dundee chief John Nelms has responded to complaints from fans group Dee4Life over the lack of a fan representative on the club board.
Formerly the Dundee FC Supporters Society, Dee4Life released a statement last month saying “diplomacy” had been exhausted after a number of meetings with Nelms.
That’s as they bid to regain board representation, having been without a seat since the 2020 resignation from the group of Bob Hynd, who remains a club director.
Dee4Life, the second largest shareholder in the club, describe their right to two seats on the board as “entrenched” in the club’s articles of association, following the purchasing of their majority shareholding in the club by owner Tim Keyes in 2013.
Dee4Life has worked continuously over the past year in an attempt to work with and get answers to fans’ questions from Dundee FC.
We feel the time is now right to provide this update of all that has happened.
👇https://t.co/gXMp6FO0lD— Dee4Life 🇨🇷 (@Dee_4_Life) September 29, 2023
Their recent statement revealed plans to meet with local MSPs Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison over the coming weeks in a bid to resolve the issue.
Legal action was also mooted as a possible route for Dee4Life to allow “fans to receive the information they deserve” adding that “the club (are) still failing to answer the perfectly reasonable questions put to them”.
Dundee FC responded with a statement of their own, hitting out at “many inaccuracies and false statements in the Dee4Life statement”.
‘Off-limits’
In an exclusive sit-down interview with Courier Sport, Dens chief Nelms was asked for his views on the matter.
He said: “Just like everyone else, Dee4Life gets any information that is not commercially-sensitive to the organisation.
“Nobody else asks about the commercially sensitive information.
“With the DSA (the Dundee Supporters Association), we have an open-door policy. They can walk in any time and we talk about things.
“They know that some things are commercially sensitive.
“Some things are just off-limits because we can’t do business in the public eye.
“It can be very sensitive and can fall apart very quickly if the wrong people are involved and things of that nature.
“Their statement said I’m not answering questions. Well, I’m answering everything I can answer.
“The club is putting out more information than we ever have.
“The only thing they can’t get hold of is commercially sensitive information.
“I’ve answered their questions multiple times, the club has answered their questions multiple times.”
Fan rep
Taking Dee4Life out of the equation, Nelms was asked if he could understand the desire from the club’s supporters to have a fan representative on the board.
He responded: “Everybody that is on the board is a fan.
“It’s interesting – if they don’t think I’m a fan, they should see me in the stands. I’m getting excited, all these things, because I live and die with every ball being kicked.
“We listen to the fans. I sit here with the DSA and SLO John Burke and they bring me everything.
“We hear.
“When we do this (the stadium project) we will consult with fans.”
He added: “Ten years on, I’m still here.
“We are continuing to move forward, continuing to put investment in.
“I don’t think you could see in the 10 years we have been here that we have put a foot outside of what is best for the football club, ever.
“Shouldn’t we be treated in that manner?”
Dee4Life response
Courier Sport approached Dee4Life for a response.
Their statement said: “As part of the deal that saw FPS take control of the club, they agreed that Dee4Life would have two places on the club board. This is clearly entrenched in the club’s Articles of Association.
“Board representation is of less concern than the lack of substantive information being provided to fans, however.
“We are one of the few full-time clubs in Scotland not to hold an AGM or open Q&A where shareholders and supporters can ask questions of the board.
“Dee4Life has been asking questions related to the proposed stadium development for almost two years but they remain unanswered.
“Earlier this year we asked questions posed by our members around the club’s season ticket launch but they remain unanswered despite promises to the contrary.
“We requested a Q&A so the outstanding questions around the stadium could be addressed but were told this wouldn’t take place, despite the club earlier indicating a willingness to participate.
“At no point did the club board indicate that the reason for not answering these questions was commercial sensitivity.”
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