Pars United

02/04/13: The Way Ahead for Dunfermline Athletic Football Club

PICTURES FROM PRESS CONFERENCE
Last week the board of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club Ltd took the decision to enter into a voluntary administration arrangement. Since then, a number of parties have been working tirelessly to unite all Pars fans behind clear leadership and a new vision to rebuild our club.

On Monday 1st April 2013, a highly significant and productive meeting took place at East End Park which was successful in unifying a number of parties and individuals behind one new collective group, to be named PARS UNITED. For complete transparency, the meeting included a number of individuals prepared to make risk capital available including club sponsors, representatives from the Purvis Group, former directors, The Pars Community, The Pars Supporters Trust, The Centenary Club and Pars Alive. A number of other groups have been notified of the meeting, prior to the details being announced publicly.

PARS UNITED will therefore be an inclusive group of all Pars Supporters, existing solely to secure Dunfermline Athletic Football Club, in its current form, and work towards a more sustainable future. Together we stand; divided we fall.

All Parties agreed that PARS UNITED will be focused on bringing greater community ownership and fan governance and representation to the club. A road map to achieving this will be created over the coming weeks, which will be inclusive of all supporters groups. However, with the very future of our beloved football club at stake, it is entirely correct that the short term strategy must be to firstly ensure the survival of DAFC. With that in mind, the various parties attending the meeting have agreed to contribute a sum of money to fund the cost of administration, which in itself, will provide the club with a chance of survival until the end of the season.

Nonetheless, PARS UNITED need every supporter to "dig deep" and help the club in any way that they can. Further statements will be issued in the next couple of days regarding Saturday's game against Hamilton, along with a concise summary of how fans can donate or assist the club.

Please can we urge all Pars fans to attend the game this coming Saturday and encourage as many friends and family along with them, as we need a bumper crowd at our last three home games. We need to get behind our fine crop of young players to increase our chances of retaining our league status. Since arriving at our Club, Jim Jefferies has been a tower of strength and all Pars fans are eternally grateful for the dignified and professional manner that he continues to conduct himself. PARS UNITED would also like to put on record our sincere thanks to all of the club staff for their endeavours and continued support, at this difficult time.

PARS UNITED has created a small strategy and leadership group who will organise and facilitate the actions required in the short, medium and long term to ensure the survival of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club. The group contains Bob Garmory, Jim Leishman, Ross McArthur, Kip McBay, Craig McWhirter and Margaret Ross. In addition, this nominated group will now be the liaison point with the Club administrators, PKF, to ensure an effective communication process. In turn this will allow the strategy group to be able to keep supporters up to date, on an informed basis. This is a planning group, but will be supported by a larger group of Pars supporters to make sure various work streams such as match arrangements, fundraising, operational matters, football activities, financials and marketing are carried out efficiently, based on a considerable array of skills and relevant knowledge.

Funding the club's return to financial solvency and stability will not be easy. It will require the support of the administrator, the Scottish football authorities and all fans of the club. In particular, it will inevitably require financial commitments from many individual and corporate Pars supporters. PARS UNITED are prepared to make that commitment and we are confident that we will be joined by our fellow Pars Supporters in their thousands.

Together, we can rebuild the reputation of Dunfermline Athletic and regain a position of prominence in Scottish football. On behalf of all Pars supporters, PARS UNITED would like to thank the many fans of other clubs in Scotland who have offered their support and good wishes in these difficult days. It is very much appreciated.

ParsTV Coverage of Press Conference