It's been a while, and it's not good news that brings back DUFC News.
It broke last night that United are asking all staff to take a 20% cut in wages.
There was a lengthy interview with Chairman Mark Ogren in the Courier - https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/1687423/dundee-united-mark-ogren-interview-cost-cutting-finances-money/
I was pleased to see that he set a red line at redundancies. We all know that it won't be the playing staff who are made redundant, and hopefully that's a commitment to our non-playing staff that will be kept. I saw Peterhead last night let go 29 members of staff.
There's no doubt we're in a dreadful state financially and it's not going to get any better soon. Ogren is right though that football needs to find a collective voice and start applying pressure on the Scottish Government to start allowing fans back into games, or alternatively give financial assistance to our ailing clubs.
As far as I'm concerned, for all of us, it's a battle for survival now.
I do look at the deal that Ogren offered the fans in the summer and wonder just how naive it was - for every game we miss (after the first two games), we get a 1/19th discount on our season ticket. It's starting to look like we won't be back at Tannadice until the Spring at the earliest, and that's going to cripple the club. I think this deal loses us something like £75,000 every game just from season ticket holders. Maybe Ogren is a Trump voter and believed what he was saying, who knows.
My view was that my season ticket purchase this season was more of a donation to the club than anything else. My intention would be to purchase a season ticket in full next season regardless, but I appreciate that others won't be able to do so.
I'm concerned, but understanding. This was always on the cards once furlough expired. It's now a time for fans across Scotland to rally round to support their clubs in what is a horrible, horrible time.
Best of luck to everyone.
DUFC News
posted on 29/10/20
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 42 seconds ago
No fans are allowed, which is a nonsense.
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Has it been confirmed that Ross county are getting some fans in?
posted on 29/10/20
Think Celtic ended up with about the toughest draw they could have.
posted on 29/10/20
comment by An s&m Lauders (U9757)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 42 seconds ago
No fans are allowed, which is a nonsense.
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Has it been confirmed that Ross county are getting some fans in?
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Don't think it's been confirmed yet. think they're looking for around 1000 to get in because they're likely to go into tier 1?
posted on 29/10/20
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 22 minutes ago
No fans are allowed, which is a nonsense.
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It rea!!y is mate and your football like ours witnesses empty grounds weekly anyway, so lots of room.
posted on 29/10/20
I just can’t see how they allow in any fans anywhere when at the same time they are saying that cases are increasing everywhere and are spreading even among the regions with the lowest infection rates.
How does that sit alongside locking a huge percentage of the population into likely Tier 4, practically cancelling family gatherings at Christmas, telling students to isolate twice on leaving at Christmas and returning after.?
And all this when they’ve been saying that there was too much of a risk at a time when it supposedly wasn’t as bad as this time is going to be and they never once acknowledged that a single test event was acceptable?
Doesn’t make sense.
But clubs will undoubtedly not survive this and I include most premier clubs in that if this continues into next season.
posted on 29/10/20
comment by Gingernuts (U2992)
posted 9 minutes ago
I just can’t see how they allow in any fans anywhere when at the same time they are saying that cases are increasing everywhere and are spreading even among the regions with the lowest infection rates.
How does that sit alongside locking a huge percentage of the population into likely Tier 4, practically cancelling family gatherings at Christmas, telling students to isolate twice on leaving at Christmas and returning after.?
And all this when they’ve been saying that there was too much of a risk at a time when it supposedly wasn’t as bad as this time is going to be and they never once acknowledged that a single test event was acceptable?
Doesn’t make sense.
But clubs will undoubtedly not survive this and I include most premier clubs in that if this continues into next season.
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Fair comment Ging.
I am eternally conflicted between lockdown and keep living a life, tbh.
posted on 29/10/20
I see it being reported that some players are not happy about the 20% wage cut. Well they can be released and free to negotiate a better deal elsewhere.
Transfer Windows should be abolished on the back of this. Many years ago Berwick Rangers were in some financial trouble. United signed Martin Neil from them and that money was extremely helpful to them at that time.
Seemingly the new players signed as in Edwards and Fuchs won't be getting the cut applied to them. Surely has to be across the board with no exceptions.
posted on 29/10/20
Peterhead can’t have 29 employees to let go, surely?
posted on 29/10/20
cuts have to be across the board. Would be ridiculous if it didn't apply to everyone.
posted on 31/10/20
I see Mike Jackson got the bullet from Tranmere this evening. I wonder if he will be employed on a part-time basis by DUFC as a scout? Given the amount of time they worked together, if given the remit of players required he would know what Mellon wants.