'We can never go back with what's happened, we must learn our lessons from what's happened, and we must see that we can place the club absolutely at the forefront of youth in
Dundee, in education in Dundee, and actually change the perception of this club. I actually
feel there is a novel document through in some of the lounges, about Dundee being the
community club, Davie Moyes actually used a phrase at Everton, where he said Everton were
the peoples club, well if ever there was a peoples club, this is it here, and we can really take
that forward. It won't be entirely altruistic, because as we are placing the club at the forefront
in business, at the forefront of youth and education, we will get big businesses, and small
businesses to come with us, because they can see what we are doing.'
'By way of explaining some of that, for instance we are launching, or making an announcement very shortly, about a partnership we have with Dundee University. We have
signed, and there has been some concerns about the future of the club, and we are obviously
here to answer questions on this, but just so you know how we are planning things, we have
signed a deal with Dundee University, where we will be secure, using their facilities, and
striking up a new partnership with their Sports Science Department until the end of 2013. We
have signed that deal already, and that is going to show that Dundee University logo
alongside the Dundee FC badge, proudly, in many different areas, and that's going to help us
attract many different businesses to us, because it is going to be a very serious partnership,
and the University is going to be using it across Scotland and further afield to say that here is
a good reason to come to Dundee University, look at this serious tie-up we have with a
professional football Club, and similarly with us.
'We are also working right now on an initiative with Dundee College, where we will be
endorsing courses, and the brightest and the best will be working with Dundee FC during
their courses. We will benefit from it, and they will benefit from it, and we will actually be
endorsing it, some of the hardest things for Universities and Colleges to do at the moment, is
to get work experience, and valid work experience. We are currently out there just now. And
it takes a little bit of time, building up serious partnerships across the education sector, and as
I say, we have various meetings coming up with council departments, and with the Scottish
Executive about taking Dundee forward.
'We also in the coming days have through Steve Martin, looking at making Dens and indeed Dundee FC a hub for businesses from the north-east of Scotland and this has been part of a
scheme with the Scottish Government, they are funding it, and it is going to be here. This
might sound a bit boring, it is not talking about Scottish International midfielders, but these
are all going to be the bricks in laying down the foundation for a club that's really vibrant,
and really dynamic, on the business side as well the football side, and clearly one benefits the
other.