German investor puts Dunfermline up for sale

Manager James McPake has voiced his frustration at the size of his squad

German football investment group Fussball GmbH has put Dunfermline Athletic up for sale, citing supporter negativity following a poor start to the season and a perceived lack of summer signings.

The Hamburg-based group acquired 30% of the Scottish Championship club in 2020 before agreeing to increase that to 75% the following year.

Dunfermline have since dropped to League 1, returned to the second tier as champions and last season finished sixth after steering clear of relegation despite what the German investors describe as "probably the most injuries sustained at the club in one season in living memory".

Now, having failed to qualify from the League Cup group stage and sitting bottom of the Championship table after two opening defeats, Fussball GmbH announced on the club website that: "We have felt for a while now, probably since the middle of last season, that long-term planning and putting in place the building blocks for future success is not what many are looking for.

"Many seem to prefer an investor who has deep pockets to throw at the first team. We said from the start that we are not this kind of investor and therefore have detected an increasing disappointment in our approach.

"Perhaps, therefore, we are not the right kind of investor in the eyes of many at the club."

Fussball GmbH said it would work with the Pars United fans group and directors to sell its stake and, with "many parties" having already made approaches, believes "there will be no shortage of interest".

Dunfermline have still to sign a senior goalkeeper as back-up to first-choice Deniz Mehmet this summer and, after Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by local rivals Falkirk, manager James McPake admitted his squad was "probably not" big enough to challenge near the top of the table and he had little expectation of further signings.

Expressing disappointment at calls to dismiss the coaching team, Fussball GmbH states that it recognises the need to strengthen the squad "in several areas" and that, after a Monday board meeting, "resources have been made available to the management team to make sensible additions".

However, it stressed: "This season was the year in which we wanted to consolidate the experience in the squad, add young, motivated players from our own youth development and make a few additional key signings.

"Rushing things, or simply spending more money, is not a sustainable model. The knee-jerk reaction to call for more spending is not a model we stand for."

The investment group points out it had succeeded in its ambition to create a dedicated club training facility in Rosyth, establish the club's youth academy and employ top-class professionals to run the club instead of volunteers.