| There was no confirmation from Dens Park, but it was understood a board meeting to discuss handing over the day to day running to an administrator was taking place this afternoon. At one stage, a Press conference, presumably to follow that meeting, was called, but it was then cancelled and no reason given.
Not expected to attend any meetings at Dens was director Giovanni di Stefano, who has publicly stated his opposition to administration. He was in London today and is expected to return home to Italy tonight to watch his son play football for his school team,
In the absence of di Stefano and any of the seven-figure sum he had been expected to invest to safeguard Dundee’s future, the way would appear clear for remaining directors Peter Marr, his brother Jimmy and Jim Connor to vote to have an administrator appointed.
That process is unlikely to be completed before Monday or Tuesday, but, by next week, the club, with debts in excess of £13 million, will be in administration.
Meanwhile, Dundee have angrily denied acting clandestinely in asking for any money that comes from the SPL to be paid to Deanside Ltd, a company which, on paper, is owned by Celtic and Scotland keeper Rab Douglas, who is also Peter Marr’s son-in-law.
Had they received any money for defender Zura Khizanishvili, it would have been paid into the Deanside bank account, but the club stressed this has become normal practice with all monies received via the SPL.
“For the last year, we have been in dispute with our former manager Ivano Bonetti. He is due money from us, but agreement on how much has not been reached,” said spokesman Niall Scott. “In that time, Ivano has instructed his lawyers to have any money paid to us from the SPL arrested. That is not a criticism of him, it is a statement of fact.
“We could not afford for that to happen and, therefore, the money has gone into another account. This has been done with the knowledge of the SPL and when the matter was raised by Rangers at the Khizanishvili tribunal last Friday, the SPL found in our favour. We are extremely unhappy at any suggestion that we have been doing something untoward.”
The club are also furious at another report claiming they informed Gavin Rae and Lee Wilkie of their financial plight prior to them playing against Holland on Wednesday. An SFA official was contacted during the 6-0 defeat and the two were warned after the final whistle they could face questions at the after-match Press conference about the Dens financial crisis. |
