Dear Mr Keyes,

Supporters would appreciate improved communication compared to what we received in response to the open letter issued 3 years ago. With the lack of an AGM supporters’ voices are not heard, increasing the feeling of disconnection between fans and the club.

The previous letter presented the unrest among the fans that needed to be addressed before it escalated. This has still not been resolved and is worsened by a series of decisions made by the club’s leadership.

After Tony Docherty’s departure it felt like a chance for a fresh start for the club. A chance to build upon the foundation that had been made. However, the decision to appoint Steven Pressley was made and left supporters with concerns. Pressley had not managed a professional club since 2019 and didn’t have a strong track record with other clubs. To say the least, this was a rather uninspiring appointment when looking to improve upon Docherty’s tenure.

The window only heightened supporters’ concerns. The loss of key players during the window and the inability to replace them with players of a similar or better ability has also left supporters questioning the new recruitment process. The club announced a restructuring of the footballing department, which included a new head of recruitment. This restructuring was intended to move Pressley away from the recruitment side of things and to allow him to focus on match day decisions like tactics and squad selection. However, some signings suggest this process may not have been followed. For instance, a player was brought in from a club at which Pressley’s son played alongside him last season, and then two players were brought in from the Brentford youth squads. While these players’ abilities are not in question, their recruitment raises doubts about whether the new process was followed. Were players looked at by the recruitment team and deemed to be what we need? Did the club forgo the new process and just let Pressley pick up some players he already had some connection to but weren’t necessarily what the club was looking for? It is understandable that Pressley would want players he already seems to have an understanding of, but the new structure suggests this is not the intended way of making signings, leaving supporters confused.

John Nelms had mentioned a top six budget for the summer transfer window; now supporters are left wondering where that budget went. Key players were allowed to leave for free or development fees which are still to be decided. The signings made did not reflect the so called top six budget that was supposedly being used.

All these decisions have and will continue to see the attendance of Dundee supporters decline. The club keeps pushing out statements about the new stadium developments rather than focus on the current pressing on field issues and this risks further alienating fans. These issues need to be addressed and fixed before the club can even think about moving stadium, otherwise filling seats will be a challenge and damage the club’s financial sustainability.

The current prices of tickets and season tickets also do not reflect what supporters are seeing on the pitch. The prices are unjustifiable and do not help attendance numbers at all. This year’s season ticket is one of the highest in the league which even if the team were performing better on the pitch is not acceptable. Supporters are slowly getting priced out of games, and it is essential that ticket prices be reviewed if the club is to maintain and improve attendance numbers.

These decisions made by John Nelms and Gordon Strachan do not seem to provide any stability for the club going forward. With the issues addressed in this letter it is hard for supporters to see where our future lies. The managerial appointment process also requires scrutiny. Past appointments, such as Mark McGhee and Jim McIntyre, alongside the recent appointment of Steven Pressley raise questions about the criteria that candidates have to meet. The club took its time in appointing Pressley suggesting a long process and list of candidates. Pressley was stated to be the outstanding candidate although his track record suggests the opposite. He has also since stated he wasn’t even considering the job until called upon and has also made many questionable and uninspiring statements to the media since his appointment. Supporters question how a candidate with a lack of recent experience or success proved to be the preferred choice. Some clarification of the process for selecting a manager is needed in order to restore trust.

With no current sign of improvement at the club, both in the footballing department and fan relations, supporters demand change. The club should provide clear, informative updates and demonstrate accountability. Supporters request that John Nelms, Gordon Strachan, and Steven Pressley consider stepping down to preserve their dignity and respect the fans’ connection to the club. Slowly the enjoyment of supporting Dundee FC is being ripped away from the fans and change is needed.

Sincerely,

Dundee FC Supporters