Dundee United owner Mark Ogren rules out merger with Dundee FC
Tuesday 15 January 2019 16:42, UK
Dundee United's owner Mark Ogren says a merger with Dundee FC will not happen under his stewardship.
The American businessman, who purchased a controlling stake in the Scottish Championship club last month, also dismissed a potential groundshare between the near neighbours.
"It's coming from everyone else but not Dundee United," replied Ogren when asked by Sky Sports News about merging the two clubs.
"We're not interested in that, I don't know that group [Dundee's owners] at all. That's not why we invested.
"We've not any discussions whatsoever and don't expect to have any. It's not going to happen under my ownership."
Dundee FC also released a statement on Tuesday dismissing a potential merger.
It read: "At no time has the merging of the Dundee clubs ever been discussed in any of these meetings (with Dundee FC Supporters Society); nor has it ever been contemplated by the owners of the club."
Dundee are understood to be struggling with planning permission for a new 15,000-capacity stadium at Camperdown Park but Ogren doesn't envisage a future groundshare.
"It doesn't make sense for us," he said. "Part of what we bought was this asset - Tannadice is a great facility.
"We toured it yesterday [Monday] and see some opportunities to improve what we have got here. It was a big part of the asset that we purchased so no, we do not plan to share."
Ogren plans to be a "low-profile" owner and while he plans to be in Scotland as much as possible, he will not be at the club on a day-to-day basis.
When asked if he had a message for the Dundee United supporters, Ogren said: "We look at this as an asset of the community.
"We're just the caretakers and we're going to do whatever we can to put this club in a better position than where we left it."
