Latest news with #Nelms
The Courier
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Courier
JIM SPENCE: I'm worried for future of Dundee FC as stadium exasperation grows
I'm worried for the future of Dundee FC. The owners, and perhaps the city council, could be doing much more to allay concerns that the club's safety is guaranteed, irrespective of what happens with the proposed new stadium at Camperdown Park. If the American owners called time and pulled the plug on their ownership of the club, who could or would step into the breach to save it? Managing Director John Nelms is exasperated with road planning authorities and the council over the hold ups to the project, and the war of words is becoming increasingly tetchy. But hoping to pressure planners in any public spat is inevitably doomed to failure. Nelms and the US-based Tim Keyes have owned the Dens Park club for 12 years and feel that its future can best be secured with the Camperdown project which will bring steady revenues in. Some critics have asked how much of the income will actually go directly to the football club as opposed to Dark Blue Property Holdings, the company behind the projects, which is owned by Keyes and Nelms. I'd ask a different question – if the Americans walked away from their long-term investment in Dundee FC who, if anyone, would step in to rescue the club? Six Scottish Premiership clubs are now American-owned. I suspect that's because owning a club is now too rich for the kind of local business folk who once did. I know of no one locally who would invest at Dens or probably any other Scottish club. Other than the ego trip and the fact that most owners have spare wealth, it's difficult to see why anyone would want to put hard earned cash into football. Previous owners at Dundee FC like Peter and Jimmy Marr found that their grand ambitions came at a heavy personal cost. I had a coffee with Peter last year and the money he told me he and his brother lost in their attempt to restore the dark blue glory years made my eyes water. Dens Park could undoubtedly be refurbished allowing the team to continue there. It would however require substantial investment in bringing the tired main stand and the Dens Road enclosure up to levels acceptable in the modern game. And it doesn't address the issue of how Dundee – in administration twice, in 2003 and 2010 – increase the revenue which the owners feel is needed to operate a top-flight football club. The way they reckon they can do that is by going ahead with a new stadium at Camperdown, where their plans for a crematorium, hotel and residential development will assist in generating revenue to help with the development of the football operation. As The Courier has previously revealed, the club looked at five other potential new stadium sites before choosing Camperdown. Those included the former gasworks earmarked for the Eden Project, two sites at Caird Park including where the Regional Performance Centre now stands, and at Drumgeith and also the land next to St John's High School. None met the criteria the club felt was required to incorporate all the desired elements. But what happens if the development doesn't get the go ahead? What is the future for Dundee FC? Before they bought the stadium from previous owner John Bennett, Dundee were paying almost half a million pounds a year in rental and energy costs. They may now be saving on the rent, but any money spent on maintaining Dens in its current dilapidated state is throwing good money after bad in trying to meet present day building standards. There doesn't appear to be any quick resolution in the pipeline on the stadium. But an affirmation from those involved that the club is safe, come what may, would help quell any understandable lingering fears for the future of a hugely important city institution.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish Premiership club 'increasingly alarmed' by new stadium delays as costs hit £3.5m 'and counting'
Decision awaited on planning application submitted 18 months ago Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Dundee managing director John Nelms has described the on-going hold-ups to gain approval for a long-held plan to build a new stadium on the outskirts of the city as 'curious'. Nelms has responded after what was reported as the latest setback to hit the project earmarked for land in the Camperdown area, about three miles from the club's present site at Dens Park. A persistent issue has been concerns surrounding access off the bypass at times of high traffic density, such as before and after games. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Earlier this week Transport Scotland rejected a revised junction proposal from the club's planning consultants. It has now been as long as 18 months since a planning in principle application was submitted for the 12,500-capacity complex. The club are still awaiting a decision from Dundee City Council. The proposed new Dundee FC stadium site at Camperdown Park. | SNS Group In an update published on Dundee's official website on Friday, Nelms calculated the cost to Dark Blues Property Holdings, the club's ownership group, as £3.5 million 'and counting'. He stressed he was 'encouraged' by Dundee City Council chief executive Greg Colgan agreeing to meet having had no contact from Robin Presswood, the council's executive director of city development, since the application was submitted in February 2024. Presswood, he noted, is expected to attend the meeting, although it isn't stated when this meeting will take place. Nelms and business partner, Dundee chairman Tim Keyes, bought the land in 2017. Nelms claims they were encouraged to do so by council figures over other areas under consideration, including the site which is now earmarked for the £130 million Eden Project development. He said it was 'ironic' that this was deemed unsuitable due to traffic demands. The planned new stadium would, Nelms estimated, bring as much as £150m investment to a city that doesn't have its economic challenges to seek. He complained about the "apparent indifference by certain council officers" to the wider benefits. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He also said it was 'curious' that Transport Scotland uploaded a consultation response based on out-of-date information which he added 'we are informed…was requested of them by our Dundee City Council Officers'. Dundee managing director John Nelms. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) | SNS Group He added: 'This failure to present both sides of the correspondence in public has understandably contributed to a negative media narrative, which is unhelpful and harmful to the public perception of such a high profile and complex planning application. It is merely the latest in a series of inexplicable procedural anomalies, which are becoming increasingly commonplace.' He cited a Draft Management Traffic plan that was submitted to the council on 5 March. 'The response from DCC [Roads], dated 4 April, was not sent to the applicant until 24 July, along with another response from Police Scotland, dated 30 May. Why the delay in reporting such vital information to us?' he asked. 'It is our dear hope that our misgivings prove to be unfounded,' Nelms continued. 'That our assigned senior council officers are shown to have acted with the utmost professionalism and good faith. That ultimately our supporters will be able to see our vision become their reality.' However, the club are 'increasingly alarmed' by unhelpful procedural developments. 'The outcome of this process will, of course, have future ramifications for all fans, irrespective of the colour of their scarves,' he added. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
STV News
5 days ago
- Business
- STV News
Dundee FC slam 'unhelpful procedural developments' amid new stadium plans limbo
Dundee Football Club has revealed they are 'frustrated' as the planning application process for their proposed new stadium is still ongoing. Managing director John Nelms revealed the Dees have racked up a £3.5m bill before the Camperdown Stadium Development Project has even been green lit. In April of this year, the club stated that talks with Transport Scotland over a suitable entrance were holding up the move. However, in the most recent statement, Nelms accused the national transport agency for Scotland of uploading a consultation response based on 'out-of-date information.' The managing director says this is just the most recent in 'a series of inexplicable procedural anomalies' that have hit the huge project. Dundee City Council was accused by the dark blues of 'unexpected delays' to vital responses. Nelms states that a Draft Traffic Management Plan was submitted on March 5, however, Dundee FC did not receive a response from the local authority until July 24. The plan was also submitted to Transport Scotland who didn't provide a response until August 8. The managing director says the club has been 'increasingly alarmed by unhelpful procedural developments' which are blocking the construction of 'an ambitious multi-use stadium and event campus.' Nelms said: 'We will continue the fight – though we had never intended or foreseen it being thus – to show our ambition for the City of Dundee and our commitment to a prosperous future for Dundee Football Club, its fans and, indeed, its rivals. 'The outcome of this process will, of course, have future ramifications for all fans, irrespective of the colour of their scarves. 'We now urge the most senior elected figures within Dundee City Council, together with Scottish Government and Holyrood parliamentarians to pay close attention as we approach a critical juncture of this long-running process.' Dundee City Council and Transport Scotland have been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Steven Pressley played for Rangers and Celtic and that takes bottle but only one thing can quell Dundee fans' revolt
'Elvis' isn't even in the building yet and his appointment has left the Dundee fans all shook up. It is fair to say Steven Pressley 's appointment as head coach has gone down like a lead balloon on the dark blue side of Tayside. They were perhaps looking for a so-called name who could excite the Dark Blue faithful. Someone they could get behind after the sacking of Tony Docherty. Pressley went through the full interview process and managing director John Nelms believes that he is the right man. Nelms went on the club's YouTube channel to explain the reason why he believes Pressley is perfect to coach the Dundee first-team. Dundee have decided to move away from the traditional managerial set-up. They have reshaped their footballing department with a new technical manager in David Longwell and a head coach, with Gordon Strachan working as a technical director above them. It is clear that the recruitment will be moved away from the manager. Nelms made it clear that they want to keep the conveyor belt of homegrown talent flowing through from the academy that has brought the likes of Lyall Cameron, Fin Robertson and Josh Mulligan through in recent seasons. A key asset for the head coach is developing players, both young and more experienced. Dundee want to do that while also winning games and competing in the top half of the Premiership. Nelms explained how Pressley has spent the last few years developing young players for Premier League Brentford, so has all the skills from that role and he has previous managerial experience. So why has Pressley's appointment been met with such resistance? Is it because he hasn't managed for more than six years since he left Carlisle United? Is it because his managerial record prior to that had been somewhat indifferent after spells at Falkirk, Coventry City, Fleetwood and Pafos? Could it be the fact that he is an ex-Dundee United player? Certainly, Nelms' last appointment when he brought in ex-United player Jim McIntyre as their manager proved a massive own goal, on and off the park. Or is it the Strachan factor? Where it is maybe perceived that the technical director has brought in another one of his friends or colleagues he has previously worked with. The old pals' act. It didn't really work when Mark McGhee came in although it is fair to say Tony Docherty was successful in his first season. Whatever the reason or reasons, it has left Pressley behind the eight ball before he even gets started. He is ready to cut short his silver wedding anniversary to start work early. It is the love of the Dundee fans he now has to try and win over. The one thing Elvis has shown throughout his career that he has never been scared of a challenge. He has played first-team football for Rangers and then later in his career went on to play for Celtic. It takes a bit of bottle and steel to do that but he did it with some distinction. Even at Hearts, he was a massive influence and one of the few who, as a player, was willing to stand up to the madcap ways of former owner Vladimir Romanov. The former Scotland star is also a good communicator and has always been a leader throughout his footballing career. A lot of his former players have also come out in support of him, claiming he is also a very good coach, even guys like James Maddison have spoken highly of him in the past. Pressley now has to put all this together and into practice at Dundee. The bottom line is results. If he wins games then that is all that matters. It doesn't matter if he is Steven Pressley or Pep Guardiola. Results on the pitch are all that matter! If Dundee win games and are successful then it will be more 'Can't help falling in love' for the Dundee fans towards Pressley. If he doesn't then it will be a case of Elvis has left the Dens Park building.
The Courier
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee manager search latest as wait for new Dens boss explained
Dundee are hoping to unveil their new managerial appointment next week as the club's recruitment process for Tony Docherty's successor takes a leap forward. The Dark Blues sacked Docherty last Monday before welcoming applications and sifting through candidates. Talks have begun with those on managing director John Nelms's long list before that is whittled down to a short list and further interviews will take place. Nelms is meeting with potential managers across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The hope at Dens Park is there will be a new man to announce by the end of next week. However, it could well go beyond that. Dundee chief Nelms is determined to cover all the bases in the search for Docherty's replacement. There is precedent for this situation. Three of the past four years have now seen the Dark Blues recruit a new manager for the season ahead. The timescales of previous chases suggest there will still be some time before a new man is in place. Following relegation from the Premiership and the sacking of Mark McGhee on May 14, Gary Bowyer was appointed on June 8 – over three weeks later. Amid that saw talks with Shaun Maloney break down while former Blackburn manager Steve Kean was also among the final candidates in 2022. After winning the Championship, Bowyer was sacked on May 10. The search for his successor saw talks with Callum Davidson collapse before Tony Docherty became the new man at the helm. His appointment came on May 29, just less than three weeks after Bowyer's departure. Taking three weeks as the average time line for a Dundee manager recruitment process, that would see a new boss announced around June 9. The club hope the process can be completed before then. Shaun Maloney very quickly became the frontrunner for the job and remains very much in contention. The Dark Blues, though, insist there is no favoured candidate as Nelms meets with a number of potential managers over the coming days. The long list features at least 10 names, possibly more, and will be whittled down over the coming days. Showing interest in the job have been former Dundee midfielders Temuri Ketsbaia and Charlie Adam while ex-Dundee United boss Robbie Neilson revealed he is 'definitely' interested in the role. Ayr United boss Scott Brown and St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson also feature high in the bookmakers runners and riders.
