Today there are three interviews published with Dundee FC directors Calum Melville and George Knight, and Dee4Life chairman Scott Glenday, all of which make very interesting reading.

After a few weeks which have seen nine players arrive at the club and something like £250,000 spent on transfer fees, Dundee fans are rightly looking forward to the new season with great optimism.

However, we know all too well what can happen when a club spends beyond its means. Dee4Life's representative on the club board, George Knight, talked today with the Evening Telegraph about Calum Melville's arrival, and reassured fans that there's nothing reckless about the latest spending spree.

"Those of us who have been here a while, remember the bad times and we will not let the club go back there. We have a plan that will be followed," said Knight. You can read more here. 

Meanwhile, Mr Melville has been speaking to fans' site Dundee-Mad about his involvement, the club being debt free, buying back Dens Park, youth development plans, and even proposals of marriage and hair styling tips! Click here for the full interview.

And if that's not enough, trust chairman Scott Glenday shared his thoughts on the last few years with the Evening Telegraph and also issued a rallying call to fans.

"The board have taken us from a point where I didn’t think there was a chance of survival, to this," Scott said. "The First Division is not easy and a big, passionate support can be a help to any team, so, hopefully, the fans will get right behind Dundee. We have a passionate hard core support, but it can be bigger and we need those who have drifted away over the past few seasons to come back."

Read more from Scott's interview here.

Paul Hocking, Barry Smith and Greg Balmer, otherwise known as Team DD3, are attempting to cycle over 300 miles from London to Paris over 4 days.

They are doing this in September to raise money for Armitstead Child Development Centre. Based in Kings Cross Hospital Dundee, Armitstead looks after local children with varying levels of disability. 

Although NHS funded, this funding generally only covers the running costs. Many of the children who attend Armitstead require some form of additional specialist equipment to enhance the quality of their life, and to fund this equipment Armitstead rely on donations. 

Paul, Barry and Greg are looking to raise as much money as possible to help bridge the funding gap and provide the required specialist equipment for the children. They have set a minimum target of £3750 and would love to raise in excess of £4000 for the centre. 

“Armitstead has personally touched many of our lives and the centre provides an invaluable support to local disabled children and their families. Needless to say the staff and children will be delighted with any donation you can make,” said Paul. 

Our picture shows gifts being handed over to the team to help with their fundraising. Bobby Cox is handing over a signed football to Paul, whilst Barry is receiving a donation from ArabTrust’s Christopher Bennison.

When you take your sons or daughters along to Dens next season, it might be because they’ve been begging you to get them a season ticket all summer – or it might be because you’ve told them they’re Dees whether they like it or not!

But for some kids, a season ticket at Dens is something they could only dream of...until now!

Dundee FC have launched an innovative “Dee4Kids” scheme this year to help provide free season tickets to children from underprivileged backgrounds. All you need to do is tick the “Dee4Kids” box on your application and donate £18 when buying your season ticket. Dundee FC will match this pound-for-pound to fulfil a local child’s dream of watching their heroes all next season.

Dee4Life are proud to support this scheme – we hope you will too!

The timetable for the gig at Deja Vu on 4th July has been announced (see below). A great day is in prospect, and we (Dee4Life, DSA and Development Club) would urge fans to support the event, the proceeds of which will go to the Dundee FC's Youth Development programme.

Tickets priced £10 are available in advance from Dundee Direct to guarantee your place, or on the door on the day. Please note, tickets can be purchased by cash only, and a strictly over 18 policy will be applied at the venue.

The June 2009 issue of Supporters Direct magazine is now available to download FREE.

It features a special report on the effect of football's financial troubles, as well as articles on Livingston supporters' plans for a Community Club, Gretna's return to Raydale Park and Clydebank's appearance in the Junior Cup Final.

You can download the latest issue, as well as all back-issues, in pdf format by clicking here.

If you have trouble accessing the online version, drop us a line and we'll ask SD to send you a paper copy.

Hot on the heels of Diversity's success on Britain's Got Talent, Dundee's own Pro Style Crew, recent winners of Tay's Got Talent have been added to the InDEEpendence Day line-up. This terrific act will add variety and exuberance to the show.

With recent additions Baby Jane andDiva addingglamour to the event, the final line-up will see 12 acts giving their best for the Club's Youth Development.

In another coup,Wave 102 D.J.Charlie Duthie will co-host the event with Cohn O'Dea and our very own Bobby Brady.

The finalised line-up will be: RINGER, MAFIA,THE SNAPPIN' TURTLES, THE BENTHAMS, SUNSTORM, BABY JANE, THE OUTSIDERS, MR. SPIDER, THE FINAL STAND, DIVA, REVOLVER and PRO STYLE CREW.

Attending a packed conference of representatives from trusts across the country on Saturday, Henry McLeish spoke to delegates about his role as chairman of the recently announced SFA Review into Scottish football.

Joking that “compared with Gordon Brown’s problems, I’ve got a tougher job I think!” the former Scottish First Minister stated that he would hold talks with all stakeholders in the game including fans, and fielded questions from the floor as well as offering to review any suggestions sent in by fans via the SFA website or indeed sent directly via Supporters Direct.

Dee4Life secretary Fraser MacDonald and board member Bill Brewster got the chance to meet Mr McLeish (pictured) as well as William Gaillard, who is advisor to UEFA president Michel Platini. M. Gaillard spoke of UEFA’s formal recognition of supporters as stakeholders in football, and their ongoing funding of a European supporters’ trust movement. “We are committed to the idea that supporters should be owners and stakeholders in their clubs,” said M. Gaillard. “You can count on our support.”

A full day’s discussions on four major topics identified the following as key areas to be progressed by the Trust movement in the coming year:

Ownership

• Representation by right, not by invitation
• Models of ownership (eg outright, majority, licensed, partnership etc.)
• Partnership and collaboration (openness, degrees of trust)
• Governance, supervision and scrutiny (including continuity planning)

Community

• Ensure equitable funding for community projects
• Identify who has responsibility for community best practice
• Football needs a clear vision on community involvement in Scotland
• Authorities to take lead role in sharing expertise and knowledge among clubs and promoting partnership with government, local authorities and other clubs

Regulation

• Fans’ representation on boards of clubs
• Rethink of ownership structures
• Raise awareness of trusts among fans
• Organise events between club directors and trusts

Structure

• Desire for a supporters place on the SFA council
• Reform of SFA to be more representative of clubs
• Clear desire for a pyramid structure (in some form)
• Better marketing of football

The day also proved extremely useful in building contacts with other Trusts, and Fraser and Bill have taken actions to progress on a number of topics with help from trusts representing Ayr United, Hearts, Falkirk and our neighbours at ArabTrust.

Tickets are now on sale for InDEEpendence Day at the club shop priced at £10.

In addition, if your 'local' participates in Dee Promotions and is visited by Alison McQueen, it may be possible to order your tickets there.

Tickets will be on sale at the venue on the day, but you may wish to buy early to secure your entry.

As for the gig itself, 10 acts have been confirmed, with the possibility of a couple of additions in the next week or so. A timetable of the day's events will be advertised in the coming weeks.

A great day is in prospect, and we (Dee4Life, DSA and Development Club) would urge fans to support the event, the proceeds of which will go to the Dundee FC's Youth Development programme.

Please note, tickets can be purchased by cash only, and a strictly over 18 policy will be applied at the venue.

You’re probably taking a digital camera on holiday this summer, but wouldn’t you like the traditional set of holiday prints to show off to your friends and family?

Well you can get 20 FREE prints just by signing up to Snapfish. And what’s more, if you open an account via the link on the Easyfundraising website, you’ll raise £2 for Dee4Life as well.

There’s no commitment, nothing to pay, just visit the Easyfundraising website, make sure you’re logged in and have selected Dee4Life as your chosen good cause, and then click on the link to the Snapfish offer. You can find the link here, or simply search for “Snapfish” on at http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/.

Remember, there are lots of ways to raise funds for Dee4Life simply by shopping online. Raise £8 by taking out a 14 day trial with LoveFilm. Raise £2 by buying a ticket for the National Lottery. You can even raise a whopping £45 if you switch to Vodafone. Just click on the banner above to find out more about these and hundreds of other money-raising offers as well as full terms and conditions.

When Dee4Life started Club Dundee, it was seen as a way of giving back a little something to those members who generously donated to the Trust each month by standing order. 

Since then, it’s evolved into a members’ scheme in itself, offering weekly match highlights and exclusive interviews, electronic versions of the matchday programme, entry to the Penman Lounge pre-match, prize draws and more – in fact, it’s a vital source of income for Dundee FC and is seen as a key way to improve the club’s online offering to fans around the world. 

But above all, Club Dundee remains what it was in the beginning – a way for fans to help fund the next generation of stars who will grace the Dens Park turf. For just £10 a month – less than the price of a pint a week – members can help contribute towards Dundee FC’s youth development programme...and get a whole host of benefits in return.

Just ask Shug Cassidy! Shug was the winner of April’s Club Dundee prize draw – all members are entered free of charge every month – and won a money-can’t-buy prize of boardroom hospitality for two for the recent match against Partick Thistle. 

“It was a great day out and the scoreline certainly helped. Anyone else who wins this next season will be in for a treat,” Shug told Dee4Life’s Robin Grimmond. “Thanks again for your help and if you can pass on my thanks to Scott and George as they made us feel very welcome on the day.”

Shug and his father are pictured above enjoying their day out at Dens.

While Eric Paton enjoys his summer holidays, Trust Chairman Scott Glenday writes about the season ticket “pound for pound” initiative in the Captain’s Log column of this month’s DeeZine.

Click here to register for a free copy of this new electronic newsletter from Dundee FC and MediaCo.

Supporters Direct have confirmed that former First Minister Henry McLeish, who has been appointed by the SFA to carry out a review of Scottish football, will join delegates at the afternoon session of their 7th annual Scottish conference in Stirling on 6th June.

Mr McLeish will outline the scope of the review and discuss how this will be carried out. Speakers from across the UK and Europe will also join in the various workshop sessions taking place, including representatives from Hamburg FC and Schalke FC, as well as Falkirk FC and other trusts in Scotland.

William Gaillard, Advisor to the UEFA President, has kindly agreed to speak at the opening session of the 7th Annual Supporters Direct in Scotland Conference being held at the University of Stirling on Saturday 6th June.

Mr Gaillard previously spoke at the event in 2006 where he outlined UEFA's commitment to the wider football family across Europe and discussed the organisation's social as well as sporting responsibilities.

Dee4Life representatives will join board members from 60 supporters' trusts across the country to discuss and debate some key issues in Scottish football and is particularly relevant this year in light of the launch of the SFA Review.

Dee4Life have discussed the speculation in the press with various Board members at Dens and, without going into specifics, we can assure fans that we have no immediate concerns.

Assurances from within Dens that this will affect neither the player pool budget nor the Board’s determination to drive the Club onwards and upwards can only be good news.

Dundee fans have a lot to look forward to next season, the Trust doesn't see any of the recent publicity making any difference to our chances of promotion next season and are confident that come August we’ll have a formidable team up to the task, not only assembled on Dens Park but also off it.

The Trust has great belief in the Board of Directors at our Football Club, we are happy to continue to give them our full support and we are very grateful to them for the courage and leadership they continue to demonstrate.

With the season over, Dee4Life’s BBC Predictor mini league has ended closer than the SPL itself, with a tie for first place!

 Position    Name                     Points

90.           graemedfc              201

92.           DeeScribe               201

550.         metallicpenfold         186

653.         bruceb99                185

743.         ro55day                  184 

If the winners could please get in touch via the "Contact Us" link with their details and the login/password for their predictor ID to verify their identity, we’ve got a prize for you!