Jim McLean and three cronies have just taken over control of Dundee United at an EGM. This is an awful move.

McLean resigned as chairman 18 months ago after punching a BBC reporter on telly. It has come out in the last few weeks that in the fortnight before he resigned/cracked up he paid out £150,000 to bring in unheard of foriegn trialists to the club. He made the then manager pick these guys when it was clear they were all hopeless. (None signed up).

McLean was the best manager Dundee Utd ever had, doing a Fergie like job on them getting them a Premiership title, a Uefa final, wins in Barcelona and Monaco and others. He was a hard bastard who ruled with an iron will and bore no criticism. He had an interesting philosophy of bringing thro and blooding very young players (Big Dunc and Christian Dailly playing in the same team as 16 year olds, with a 17 year old Alan McLaren and 17 year old Paddy Connolly). When big clubs came in and made big money offers he took the cash and upped the wages of all the remaining players. He did have the inclination to drop players who crossed him and just leave them to rot.

His group of 4 own 54% of the shares and today voted themselves to be the board. Their toal share of the vote being 55%. The current board are horrified at what is happening and put up a spirited defence, but in true football directorship tradition none of the 4 had the balls to turn up at the EGM, they vote by proxy to avoid having to answer unanswerable questions.

McLean says he has no intention of staying long, he's only done the deal so he can then sell his shares on (not sure what that's all about). A man who has done so much for a club and now is using it to make himself quite a few bob.

Maybe Douglas Hall should give him a ring for some tactical advice

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002

Answers

AP

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002

...... perhaps he's intending to sell his DUFC shares, and then acquire DH's shareholding at NUFC.

Should fit right in!

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002