First Team
All The Info | Rangers (A)
22nd November 2024
Former Dundee United Chairman Jim McLean has seriously
misled United fans, the Club's shareholders, and the Press
about his bid to regain control of the Club.
Mr McLean publicly gave his backing to United Manager
and "friend" Alex Smith last week, offering an assurance
that the Manager's job was safe.
But United Chairman Doug Smith told a Press Conference
today that McLean had made repeated demands for Alex Smith
to be sacked and had tried to block the award of contracts
to Smith and United coaches Maurice Malpas and Paul
Hegarty.
The Board also revealed that if their bid to repel Mr
McLean's comeback bid was to succeed, they would sanction
a full share issue to the fans and investors and step down
to allow a new generation of directors to take the Club
forward.
The directors believe it was their commitment to a share
issue - they wrote to Jim last month seeking his blessing
to allow fans to own shares in United - which prompted his
takeover bid. His response to the request was to demand the
Board's resignation and threaten an EGM.
"It saddens me to say this about a man who has done so much
for Dundee United - but I no longer believe Jim has the
best interests of the Club at heart", said Mr Smith.
"It also saddens me greatly that the Manager's position
should have been brought into this at all. He has done and
is doing the job that was asked of him.
"Jim however has recently claimed publicly that Alex is his
friend, he claims he believes Alex is doing a good job and
he claims Alex's job will be safe if he retakes control.
"This concerns me greatly. United fans should know that Jim
has come to me three times since October last year to
demand that Alex be sacked - demands which we naturally
dismissed.
"Jim has also made it very clear to me that he opposes our
decision to award contracts to Alex, Maurice and Paul. He
does not believe they deserve credit for making sure the
Club avoided the financial catastrophe of relegation last
season.
"If I was one of the three shareholders who've hopped into
bed with him last week, I'd be asking myself that question
right now".
Mr McLean's treatment of the United coaching staff was
cited among a list of reasons why the Board continues to
oppose his bid to return to the Boardroom at Tannadice.
They also rubbished McLean's suggestions that he needed to
retake control of United in order to sell his shares,
revealing he had turned down several offers from
prospective buyers and had never once asked the Board to
approve a share transfer.
And they also firmly refuted Jim's claims of a financial
crisis at Tannadice by confirming that the Club was making
strong headway into cutting losses and continued to operate
well within its banking facilities.
Among the reasons the Board are standing by their decision
to oppose Jim's return were:
- It was wholly inappropriate for the Board of an SPL Club
to include a person who publicly assaulted a journalist and
has yet to make an apology. Supporters found guilty of
assault at Tannadice are banned for life. McLean's return
would be hugely divisive and destabilising and would damage
the Club's relationship with regulatory bodies like the SPL
and SFA. It was highly likely that the Club, and not Jim
McLean, would be punished if he resumed office as a
director.
- Mr McLean had first attempted a return to the Boardroom in
March 2001. He had grown increasingly bitter towards the
Club ever since for rebuffing his efforts. Mr McLean had
rejected an offer from the Board to appoint a director to
represent his interests as major shareholder.
- Mr McLean had turned down four offers for his shareholding
and had never asked the Board to approve any share
transfer. The Board had only once indicated it would find
it difficult to support a planned sale - when Jim had
entered negotiations with Voya Novakovic, the former
Director of Football at Dundee Football Club.
- Mr McLean had refused to give his blessing to the
appointment of Tony Davidson to the Board. Davidson, a
respected City financier and United fan, was undertaking a
major review of the Club's finances and had secured
interest from new investors. McLean dismissed his
appointment as a "publicity stunt". Davidson, who was
preparing plans for a share issue, resigned last week in
protest at McLean's actions.
- Mr McLean had repeatedly told directors to sack Alex Smith
claiming "Smith didn't save us from relegation - St Mirren
saved us."
Club Chairman Doug Smith continued:
"We know the odds are stacked against us - but not nearly
as heavily as Jim would have you believe. Jim and his
cronies have a mathematical majority - but we have a moral
majority and a duty to the fans to adopt a stance which
allows everyone to know the real truth behind his bid to
come back.
"If the accountant, the SNP councillor, and the former
United for Change advocate have any self-respect or regard
for United left, they'll vote with us.
"If they vote with their wallets as we're led to believe
they will, then I'm afraid they and their wallets are in
for big shock. Jim has no intention of giving up control if
he comes back."
Smith stressed he and his fellow directors would sanction a
share issue to fans and hand over control to a new
generation of United directors if they survive McLean's
hostile takeover bid at an EGM in January.
"Let's remove any suggestion that we are doing this to
safeguard our own positions," he said. "If we win, we will
go ahead with a share issue as soon as possible to give the
fans a chance to have a major say in the way the Club is
run.
"When that has happened, we will step down from the Board
to allow a new, younger regime to take control.
"Meantime, we can only pledge to continue to keep the Club
on a steady and even keel until that day arrives.
"Since Jim left 15 months ago, we have worked very hard
with Alex to cut our cloth, bring in new players and move
players on. Alex has moved 26 players out the door, while
we've made sure cash has been available to sign the likes
of Charlie Miller, Jim Lauchlan, Jamie Fullarton and
Stephen Carson.
"We have slowed the Club's losses considerably while Alex
has effected steady progress on the park.
"The Club has a record number of season ticket holders -
over 5300 and counting. That's not a vote of confidence in
us but a vote of confidence in Alex and what the fans saw
him achieve last year.
"Commercial income grew again last season and will grow
even more this season.
"Despite all the propaganda we heard from Jim's side, the
Club is in good health, operating well within its banking
limits, has a loyal support and is still a very good
prospect for investors.
"Far from suffering or declining, Dundee United under Alex
Smith is making a steady recovery from the era of Chairman
Jim.
"I have no doubts however that if Jim returns to Tannadice
now he will destroy everything he, his players and the
United fans worked so hard to build for so long.
"This is not about improving the football club - it is
about greed.
"As United fans, we cannot allow that to happen."
misled United fans, the Club's shareholders, and the Press
about his bid to regain control of the Club.
Mr McLean publicly gave his backing to United Manager
and "friend" Alex Smith last week, offering an assurance
that the Manager's job was safe.
But United Chairman Doug Smith told a Press Conference
today that McLean had made repeated demands for Alex Smith
to be sacked and had tried to block the award of contracts
to Smith and United coaches Maurice Malpas and Paul
Hegarty.
The Board also revealed that if their bid to repel Mr
McLean's comeback bid was to succeed, they would sanction
a full share issue to the fans and investors and step down
to allow a new generation of directors to take the Club
forward.
The directors believe it was their commitment to a share
issue - they wrote to Jim last month seeking his blessing
to allow fans to own shares in United - which prompted his
takeover bid. His response to the request was to demand the
Board's resignation and threaten an EGM.
"It saddens me to say this about a man who has done so much
for Dundee United - but I no longer believe Jim has the
best interests of the Club at heart", said Mr Smith.
"It also saddens me greatly that the Manager's position
should have been brought into this at all. He has done and
is doing the job that was asked of him.
"Jim however has recently claimed publicly that Alex is his
friend, he claims he believes Alex is doing a good job and
he claims Alex's job will be safe if he retakes control.
"This concerns me greatly. United fans should know that Jim
has come to me three times since October last year to
demand that Alex be sacked - demands which we naturally
dismissed.
"Jim has also made it very clear to me that he opposes our
decision to award contracts to Alex, Maurice and Paul. He
does not believe they deserve credit for making sure the
Club avoided the financial catastrophe of relegation last
season.
"If I was one of the three shareholders who've hopped into
bed with him last week, I'd be asking myself that question
right now".
Mr McLean's treatment of the United coaching staff was
cited among a list of reasons why the Board continues to
oppose his bid to return to the Boardroom at Tannadice.
They also rubbished McLean's suggestions that he needed to
retake control of United in order to sell his shares,
revealing he had turned down several offers from
prospective buyers and had never once asked the Board to
approve a share transfer.
And they also firmly refuted Jim's claims of a financial
crisis at Tannadice by confirming that the Club was making
strong headway into cutting losses and continued to operate
well within its banking facilities.
Among the reasons the Board are standing by their decision
to oppose Jim's return were:
- It was wholly inappropriate for the Board of an SPL Club
to include a person who publicly assaulted a journalist and
has yet to make an apology. Supporters found guilty of
assault at Tannadice are banned for life. McLean's return
would be hugely divisive and destabilising and would damage
the Club's relationship with regulatory bodies like the SPL
and SFA. It was highly likely that the Club, and not Jim
McLean, would be punished if he resumed office as a
director.
- Mr McLean had first attempted a return to the Boardroom in
March 2001. He had grown increasingly bitter towards the
Club ever since for rebuffing his efforts. Mr McLean had
rejected an offer from the Board to appoint a director to
represent his interests as major shareholder.
- Mr McLean had turned down four offers for his shareholding
and had never asked the Board to approve any share
transfer. The Board had only once indicated it would find
it difficult to support a planned sale - when Jim had
entered negotiations with Voya Novakovic, the former
Director of Football at Dundee Football Club.
- Mr McLean had refused to give his blessing to the
appointment of Tony Davidson to the Board. Davidson, a
respected City financier and United fan, was undertaking a
major review of the Club's finances and had secured
interest from new investors. McLean dismissed his
appointment as a "publicity stunt". Davidson, who was
preparing plans for a share issue, resigned last week in
protest at McLean's actions.
- Mr McLean had repeatedly told directors to sack Alex Smith
claiming "Smith didn't save us from relegation - St Mirren
saved us."
Club Chairman Doug Smith continued:
"We know the odds are stacked against us - but not nearly
as heavily as Jim would have you believe. Jim and his
cronies have a mathematical majority - but we have a moral
majority and a duty to the fans to adopt a stance which
allows everyone to know the real truth behind his bid to
come back.
"If the accountant, the SNP councillor, and the former
United for Change advocate have any self-respect or regard
for United left, they'll vote with us.
"If they vote with their wallets as we're led to believe
they will, then I'm afraid they and their wallets are in
for big shock. Jim has no intention of giving up control if
he comes back."
Smith stressed he and his fellow directors would sanction a
share issue to fans and hand over control to a new
generation of United directors if they survive McLean's
hostile takeover bid at an EGM in January.
"Let's remove any suggestion that we are doing this to
safeguard our own positions," he said. "If we win, we will
go ahead with a share issue as soon as possible to give the
fans a chance to have a major say in the way the Club is
run.
"When that has happened, we will step down from the Board
to allow a new, younger regime to take control.
"Meantime, we can only pledge to continue to keep the Club
on a steady and even keel until that day arrives.
"Since Jim left 15 months ago, we have worked very hard
with Alex to cut our cloth, bring in new players and move
players on. Alex has moved 26 players out the door, while
we've made sure cash has been available to sign the likes
of Charlie Miller, Jim Lauchlan, Jamie Fullarton and
Stephen Carson.
"We have slowed the Club's losses considerably while Alex
has effected steady progress on the park.
"The Club has a record number of season ticket holders -
over 5300 and counting. That's not a vote of confidence in
us but a vote of confidence in Alex and what the fans saw
him achieve last year.
"Commercial income grew again last season and will grow
even more this season.
"Despite all the propaganda we heard from Jim's side, the
Club is in good health, operating well within its banking
limits, has a loyal support and is still a very good
prospect for investors.
"Far from suffering or declining, Dundee United under Alex
Smith is making a steady recovery from the era of Chairman
Jim.
"I have no doubts however that if Jim returns to Tannadice
now he will destroy everything he, his players and the
United fans worked so hard to build for so long.
"This is not about improving the football club - it is
about greed.
"As United fans, we cannot allow that to happen."
