The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Pars fans urged to ease burden
Century Club has already given more than £1m to Pars
A prominent Dunfermline fans’ group has urged the club’s supporters to rally around by making a monthly pledge towards the Pars.
The Century Club Lifeline has already transferred more than £1 million to the Fife outfit since Dunfermline came out of administration in 2013.
After the SFA and SPFL announced last Friday all football was being suspended until further notice due to the spread of Covid-19, the group has made a plea for additional members, who would pay £20 per month, in a bid to ease any financial strain on the Championship side.
A statement read: “News that the football season has been suspended until further notice is, clearly, hugely concerning.
“This is likely to be particularly worrying for our club as a fan-owned organisation.
“With no income from gate money or hospitality income coming in it will clearly cause financial pressures for our club the longer this period of inactivity continues. This brings back into prime focus the need for Centenary Club Lifeline.
“The Lifeline has played an important role in the club’s revival since the administration in 2013.
“Since that time the Lifeline has amazingly provided the Pars with funding of more than £1m.
“Perhaps not surprisingly as the club returned to stability in recent years we have seen a steady trickle of members resignations from the Lifeline often for good reason, but sometimes because members think their contributions are no longer required but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“It’s obviously early days yet in this current crisis, but it looks as if the Lifeline members may have to step up to the plate once again to help the club through this period of uncertainty.
“The Lifeline committee would be very grateful and, indeed, humbled if our fans could once again consider signing up to the Lifeline, if possible, or, if already an existing member, increase their contribution by taking out an extra membership.”
Pars chairman Ross McArthur concedes he simply does not know how the club is going to be affected, with so much uncertainly surrounding the remaining games of the season.
He said: “Football in general is facing an unparalleled challenge.
“The current season has been suspended, and there is considerable uncertainty.
“Everyone associated with our club, of course, is incredibly disappointed, but this measure had to take place.
“Now is not the time for me to discuss the potential implications of what this all might mean for our football club, because being frank I don’t yet know, until we obtain more certainty over the coming week or so.
“All I can say is that it will create another challenge that we have to overcome.
“DAFC is a real family club, and the protection of the most vulnerable people in both our community and country, is much more important than football.
“We ask that everyone stays safe, remains vigilant and follows the medical advice to combat the spread of the virus.
“This will help the potential threat of the virus to pass quickly but is likely to be a fact of life for the next couple of months.”