Dear members,
I spoke with DFC General manager Greg Fenton last week to discuss several issues that members have raised with us. I have summarised these, and Greg’s responses, below.
As we outlined in our recent partnership proposal, we want to work with the club to resolve issues as well as raising them. Our proposed next steps are outlined in italics.
Tannoy system
Several members were concerned that the South Enclosure tannoy system that has been inaudible for several seasons is now a bigger issue given the need for VAR updates.
Answer – the club invested in the SE tannoy in the summer and are monitoring the situation to test for its effectiveness.
We have received mixed feedback from the Motherwell game, with some fans reporting an improvement and others noting no change. We have offered to liaise with the company that DFC use to see what further options there are to improve the tannoy system and to potentially fund any improvement.
Ticketing
As we shared with you at the start of the month, we have been discussing this longstanding complaint of fans with the club, have proposed temporary solutions and have offered to support the introduction of eTicketing.
Answer – the club felt the new collection booth worked well in reducing club shop queues prior to the Motherwell match and are considering additional resources that would make it quicker and more convenient for fans to purchase and collect tickets.
Our offer of support remains in place and we are happy to explore any other ideas members might have.
Condition of South Enlosure seats
Dee4Life directors and members reported finding broken and dirty seats upon arriving at the Motherwell match.
Answer – all seats were cleaned in the days prior to the opening match of the season and stained and/or broken ones have now been removed, with replacements in place for the Hearts game. Seats in the areas worst affected by bird droppings are covered until 1pm pre-match.
As the club only has covers for a fraction of the total number of seats we are looking at whether we can fund more.
General stadium maintenance
Members expressed disappointment at finding old signs, bottles, cones and general debris upon arriving at the ground last week.
Answer – the club would appreciate any support to help clean up articles that litter the ground.
Earlier in the summer we helped connect the club with tradespeople willing to help out with stadium maintenance and we are liaising with individuals and other groups to see what further assistance we might collectively provide.
In addition, we were also asked to contact the club by a member regarding concerns about disabled access following on from the new parking restrictions introduced by the local authority. We thank DFC Disability Access officer Declan Gall for providing a speedy response confirming that disabled parking places for supporters are available on Provost Road and North Isla Street.
Any members who would like to provide their own feedback or raise any issues they’d like raised with the club then please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing contact@dee4life.com.
Regards,
Kenny Valentine,
Dee4Life Director