In Wednesday’s Courier, Ian Roache chats to new Dundee FC chief executive Scot Gardiner about the way ahead for the Dark Blues and his determination to make them respected and admired in the community, city and across Scottish football.
Dundee FC chief executive Scot Gardiner is a man on a mission and failure is not an option.
His goal is to restore the club’s reputation in the business community, city and Scottish football at large.
Bruised and battered by two administrations under previous regimes, the Dark Blues with Gardiner at the helm are determined to be a dynamic, forward-thinking and, above all, respected organisation.
The hand of friendship has been extended to Dundee United, St Johnstone and Dunfermline, with talks about working together having taken place or been scheduled.
Gardiner is also confident that every game sees bridges built in boardrooms with directors of teams who have perhaps held a dim view of previous goings-on at Dens.
Contact has been made with universities and colleges about link-ups that would see students given work experience at the club and courses and qualifications endorsed by Dundee.
A serious message to supporters that their backing and money is needed more than ever is being accompanied by promises of deals and offers to help persuade them to renew their season tickets.
The club lottery is about to be relaunched, with all monies raised ringfenced for doubling investment in the youth set-up.
Most significantly, investors have been wooed and won, with the announcement last week of £100,000 secured from a married couple based in London.
Others will be met by the chief executive in Birmingham this week with the hope that tens of thousands more will be on their way.
So how have these last six weeks Gardiner was only appointed on January 23 been for the man now handed such a daunting responsibility by the board?
“The honest truth is that it has been more challenging than I thought it was going to be but it has also been more rewarding than I thought it would be,” says the former Tottenham Hotspur commercial manager, who also worked at Rangers.Read the full interview in Wednesday’s Courier