The Dundee United Business Club (DUBC) have sought to clarify their position amid a row with the club over historic memorabilia stored at Tannadice.
United sporting director Tony Asghar released a statement earlier this week in which he criticised ‘disrupters’ for spreading ‘rumours and allegations’ about his conduct amongst the Tangerines support.
Asghar described as ‘unfounded and false’ a social media suggestion that he had snubbed a table of Dundee United legends at Walter Smith’s memorial service at Ibrox.
But he also rubbished rumours that former players had been told by the club to take back memorabilia – such as football shirts and caps – that had been loaned to the club for display at Tannadice.
The DUBC are the overseers of said memorabilia, some of which HAS been returned to former players like Paul Sturrock, Paul Hegarty and David Narey, albeit not at the club’s insistence.
And in a statement, the Business Club have moved to explain their side of the story.
It said: “With regards to the donated items mentioned, in particular Scotland shirts owned by ex-players, we would like to clarify D.U.B.C.’s position on this matter.
“When renovation work was being undertaken (at Tannadice) over two years ago, DUBC was approached by a club employee and were handed these items over for safe-keeping and possible use in future displays.
“Recently DUBC were approached by the ex-players (all United Legends) to ascertain the whereabouts of these items.
“It was confirmed to them that they were held securely by DUBC within Tannadice and, shortly thereafter, a request was then received from them to DUBC to return these items to the individuals concerned.
“A satisfactory handover of the aforementioned items took place following the recent Dundee United/Aberdeen game.
“We are more than satisfied we acted appropriately and in accordance with the legends’ wishes.”
The Business Club also responded to claims by United’s sporting director that members, having been offered access to Tannadice in certain time slots to complete an inventory of museum items, informed the club that none of the offered slots were suitable.
They said: “DUBC offered to attend any day Monday to Friday from 10.00 am onwards during daylight hours during to undertake this task.
“The inventory work actually commenced on Wednesday 20th October in the presence of the Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) and the following Monday 25th October without the SLO, when we spent five hours each day voluntarily compiling an inventory of items retained within the football club premises.
‘Finalise the inventory’
“We then requested access from 10.00 am on Monday, November 1, which was denied by the SLO, the reason given was that the safety officer and the head of events and conferencing were not in the stadium that day.
“Discussions continued with the SLO culminating in an offer by him to take our keys in order for him alone to conduct and finalise the inventory.
“This was considered by our executive and deemed inappropriate given his complete lack of knowledge of all the items and also the enormity of the task.
“We countered the SLO’s request with the suggestion that DUBC, would, with the agreement of the SLO, attend and remove our items and those of others under our control.
“We received an acknowledgement of this proposal but to date no formal response.”
