Mark Ogren tightened the Tannadice purse strings in January, but will loosen them sufficiently to allow Jim Goodwin leeway to sign a free agent.
That’s a sensible precaution to try to ensure Dundee United’s Premiership status.
Rumours persist that one consortium has had conversations with the American owner with a view to a takeover.
One source close to Tannadice tells me that isn’t the case, while another correctly points out that everything is for sale at a price.
‘Caravan near Penicuik’
Jim McLean was always insistent that he wouldn’t sell to Eddie Thompson, until he did.
For years at the BBC I covered various tales of spurious takeovers at clubs, including at Dundee and United.
I had one prolific e-mail correspondent who regularly assured me he was set to bid for Dundee FC and, on a few occasions, Hearts.
He turned out to be a man living in a caravan near Penicuik with Walter Mitty fantasies about being a football big shot.
My recent conversation with Mark Ogren suggested a man disheartened at recent fan diatribes, but he insisted he was going to ‘plough ahead’.
He’s invested millions in the club and I think the majority of fans are rightly appreciative of that commitment.
Whether or not someone emerges to buy him out or whether he continues his stewardship of the club, the more critical elements, and they are a small number, might pause for a moment to consider the impact their behaviour can have.
As one individual no longer at Tannadice said to me: “They don’t understand how this vitriol plays out to potential signings, young players wanting to stay, and potential investors.”
It’s a valid point.
Fans pay good money and measured criticism from them is perfectly fair.
Capricious condemnation though can be dangerous and self-defeating.
Former United boss Craig Levein stirred the pot in midweek, saying he’d like to see the Old Firm leave for England.
It’s an old chestnut, but speaks to many who believe the financial gulf between the Glasgow pair and the rest means the top Scottish prize will never again reside outside of Parkhead or Ibrox.
There were exploratory talks years back about Scottish clubs being invited into an English second tier which would have North and South divisions.
It came to nothing.
It’s hard to see why clubs in England would vote like turkeys for an early Christmas to allow the Glasgow behemoths in, because in a short space of time both would present a threat to smaller English outfits.
There’s also little chance of the rest of the Scottish game standing up to challenge the voting system which gives Celtic and Rangers a stranglehold.
And it’s not just in the boardrooms; Fans also silently seethe but seem prepared to acquiesce to Glasgow dominance.
Third place is the prize the rest of us have settled for as a compromise to the damaging duopoly.
There are other countries where a few teams dominate the top leagues.
That though shouldn’t make it any more palatable that our Premiership seems destined to be a two-horse race in perpetuity.
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