Chairman's Statement

“It’s not unusual for football club board members to have other business interests and I’m no different. There are confidentiality agreements in place regarding the situation in Australia that stop me going into further detail but I want to make it clear that my priority first and foremost is to Dundee United as Chairman and a supporter of the Club. “The Board and I remain focused on matters here and are supporting the management team in getting our young squad ready for next season. “Results haven’t gone our way of late but I’ve had positive meetings with Jackie in recent days about where we are and where we’re going and he has the full support of the board in building on the job he started. “United has a five-year strategy covering football, finance and community; we’re almost two years through it and are already ahead of schedule. “Of course we’ve lost good players along the way but we’re developing and bringing in new ones as well as trying to retain others. We’ve just secured Seán Dillon’s commitment to the Club and we’ve also offered contract extensions to Nadir Çiftçi and John Souttar. "This club is a place top young managers are motivated to develop top young talent. That means at times we’ll be a springboard for some, which is fine if we’re achieving on the pitch and bringing in new talent like Justin Johnson, our most recent young signing. “In recent years we’ve reached back-to-back cup finals, won the Scottish Cup for only the second time in our history, enjoyed eight consecutive top six finishes and delivered European qualification, all while becoming one of the country’s most prolific producers of home grown talent. That’s the standard we have at United and it’s about not just maintaining that but improving upon it. “Off the pitch we have obliterated bank debt and reduced overall debt, and while the process doesn’t always win you popularity contests, in the cold light of day it’s the right thing to do for our club. As a family club at the heart of a community, we’re proud of the fact our business is robust and has paid every penny in the pound to any creditor due it, particularly through times when not every club has been able to. “In football circles United is held up as a model club in terms of its strategy of developing talent and selling on at profit, and I for one stand by any strategy which is designed to get a club in the best shape possible off the pitch so it can achieve sustainable success on it. “Of course that can mean some pain along the way but it’s for the long-term good of the Club and that’s what all fans want. “Whether or not I pursue opportunities in Australia, I clearly have a major emotional tie here which my sister Justine shares with me as a board member and we are fortunate to have a Board made up of people of varying skill sets who have the best interests of Dundee United at heart and the expertise to take the Club forward.“