Tag: Keith Winter

Chairman's Updates, society updates

Dee4Life – Monthly Update

Dear members,

Another season is upon us, and we look forward to seeing the Championship flag raised at Dens Park on Saturday. On behalf of the Dee4Life board, I would like to wish Tony Docherty and his players and staff all the best of the Premiership campaign ahead.

With a bumper crowd expected for the Motherwell match, we hope not to see any repeat of the lengthy queues at the club shop and turnstiles that have been a regular feature over the past year. This is the issue that members have contacted us about most frequently and we appreciate that work, family, and other commitments mean fans are often unable to purchase and collect tickets in advance or to turn up some time ahead of kick off.

A queue outside the Dundee Direct shop prior to the Inverness game.
A queue outside the Dundee Direct shop prior to the Inverness game.

Our Chair Keith Winter met with John Nelms last week and once again raised the possibility of introducing eticketing and/or a cash gate. The Trust previously offered to financially support the introduction of eticketing and this remains in place. Positive talks took place with the club on this matter but it appears that current contractual arrangements prevented it from being implemented for this season. On implementing a cash gate there remain some issues to address also, though this will again be followed up.

We appreciate some fans remain frustrated about this option being available in the away end and, when Keith raised this point, he was told that this only happens with clubs who cannot operate any online arrangement. We will continue to explore this issue and willing to help fund a short-term solution for season 2023/24 as it is one of our priorities to make it simpler and more appealing for supporters to attend games.

Dundee fans in the Bobby Cox Stand during a game last season.
Dens Park could see a bumper crowd this weekend. Image: Derek Gerrard Photography.

In our recent proposal to the club we outlined ways we can fulfil our key objectives and hope that the club fully engage with us in taking matters forward. I want to thank all of you who took the time to share feedback on the proposal, the vast majority of which was positive.

All our efforts with the club are geared towards fans receiving the information we believe they deserve. In line with our proposal, we would like a Q&A to take place where supporters’ representatives can ask questions relating to the proposed new stadium development and other matters of concern and interest to Dundee fans. The club expressed a willingness to hold such a forum earlier this year and we hope to bring you news on this shortly.

Grant Hill,

Vice Chair

Chairman's Updates

Dee4Life June news – proposal update

Dear Members,

I had my first meeting with Dundee FC Managing Director John Nelms as Dee4Life Chair last week and the proposal we submitted to the club in May was the main subject of discussion.

While there is alignment in some areas there remains a significant distance between the two parties in others and further talks aimed at reaching a formal agreement will be necessary.

We believe the Trust’s proposal – which members can read in its entirety here – is fair and has the potential to help our club prosper. While outlying several ways we can help Dundee’s development, it asks for nothing beyond what Dee4Life is legally entitled to as per the club’s Articles of Association and as outlined in its customer charter.

A huge amount of time and work has gone into rebuilding Dee4Life’s relationship with the club, the objective of which has been to create a vehicle for supporters’ views to be heard and respected at boardroom level whilst agreeing areas of activity the Trust can take in support of the club.

While that relationship has undoubtedly improved, we are fully aware that the most substantive concerns of Dundee supporters remain unanswered. We are giving diplomacy every chance to succeed and have been guided by legal advice throughout but if this path does not lead to the type of engagement we have sought then we anticipate consulting our members over alternative options.

We are keen to hear the views of as many of our members as possible about the proposal and efforts to have fan representation to the board reinstated so invite you to send feedback to contact@dee4life.com.
The more members we have, the more representative of the club’s support we are and the more influential the fans’ voice can be. Please encourage other Dark Blues to sign up.

Regards,
Keith Winter, Chair

Keith Winter, Dee4Life chair
Trust Update

New Dee4Life Chair appointed

Dear members,

I am delighted to tell you that Keith Winter has been appointed Dee4Life Chair.

Keith brings with him a wealth of professional experience having held senior positions in local authorities north and south of the border. Before retiring last year, Keith held the position of Executive Director of Enterprise and Environment at Fife Council.

His field of expertise is town planning and economic development and he holds non-executive directorships and other voluntary positions with a number of organisations.

New Dee4Life Chair Keith Winter.

Keith (above) impressed my fellow Dee4Life directors and I with his passion for Dundee and his desire to ensure that the voices of his fellow fans are heard by the club board.

Keith, who has followed Dundee since 1969 and is a member of the Invergowrie Dark Blues, said: “After discussions with representatives of the Trust, I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to fulfil the role of Chair particularly given my long association as a fan of The Dee.

“I hope to bring some of my experience from other roles and organisations engaged in partnership working. I will seek to achieve goals and common objectives, whilst representing the Trust in its purposes, engagement with, and support for Dundee Football Club and its supporters.”

Keith’s appointment was approved by the Dee4Life board at our meeting on Monday 1 May.

Minutes from this meeting will be available online shortly and further updates from the Trust will be shared at the conclusion of the season.

Keith takes on the role from Norrie Price who has stepped down but remains an active board member.

Regards,

Grant Hill (Vice-Chair)