Dumbarton Football Club’s long-standing ownership issues have ‘normalised struggle’ - according to the club’s supporters’ trust.
At their AGM last week, members of the Sons Supporters’ Trust heard further details on the behind the scenes issues impacting the Castle Road side - with the company that owns the club no longer having any registered directors on Companies House.
The Sons were bought by Cognitive Capital in May 2021, an investment group headed by Norwegian businessman Henning Kristoffersen.
At the time, the group said they had ambitions to transition to full-time football and make the Sons “a stable Championship club.”
They also said they aimed to revive controversial multi-million pound plans for a new stadium at Young’s Farm, near Renton, that had been rejected by West Dunbartonshire Council in 2018.
However, that statement is the only communication fans have had from the owners, whilst on the pitch the Sons were relegated to the fourth tier for the first time in 13 years.
The club’s previous owners, Brabco 736 Ltd, had been working on the Young’s Farm proposals for almost a decade when they were finally rejected by planners.
Now Kristoffersen has resigned as a director of Cognitive Capital, whilst the club’s owners aren’t represented on the board of the club.
And Sonstrust board member Dave Carson outlined the stark reality of the situation facing the club to members.
He said: “I was reading a book about the demise of sport in Yorkshire. It makes reference to a situation where Sheffield United were taken over by a businessman with great plans.
“It ended in tears and Sheffield United were almost taken into the abyss.
“There was a quote which resonated with me.
“It was that their owner had ‘mistaken a historic and respected football club for a development opportunity’.
“I thought. That was Brabco. That is Cognitive Capital. That is Dumbarton FC.
“The club is based in an iconic location. I did tours at Dumbarton Library of the 150th anniversary exhibition, and so many visitors were impressed by the photograph of the Rock and football ground.
“It’s iconic. But it’s also been a curse on this club in my opinion.
“It has become a magnet for people who I don’t think represent the interests and the future I want to see for this football club.
“The ownership situation of the club has normalised struggle and continued cashflow issues.
“It’s left the three-person board of the football club, in my opinion, effectively managing decline.
“That’s not a criticism of them. It’s the reality I see before me.”
Dave continued by detailing meetings he had been involved in with Cognitive Capital’s Kristoffersen.
He continued: “Trying to follow the movements on Companies House has been a massive game of hide and seek.
“Sonstrust chair David Brownlee, myself and the Sonstrust representative on the board, Stephanie Park, sat twice on Zoom calls with Henning Kristoffersen.
“Within 10 minutes we could tell that this was going nowhere.
“His big idea for the club was the crest.
“He wanted to take the badge and put it on trainers.
“He reckoned that they would sell worldwide to a youth market.
“That’s the kind of person we were dealing with.”
However Carson reserved praise for those supporting the club during its time of need.
He added: “I’ve got to say that the elected representatives have been absolutely excellent. The Trust has managed to get that message through to them about the passion we all feel.
“It was the people themselves who set up the club. Now we’re protecting it 150 years later.
“Stevie Farrell sat next to me the other week for a meet the manager session.
“In the context of what I’ve just said, what Stevie and his team have managed this season is almost heroic.
“Do I think Cognitive Capital is capable of taking Dumbarton Football Club to where we want to be?
“I simply do not.”
Mr Kristoffersen was contacted for comment but did not respond before we went to press.
