Dundee fans mock Giovanni Di Stefano as club blanks ex-director and convicted fraudster’s online approach

Dundee are refusing to engage with former director Giovanni di Stefano after he claimed to be in talks with Dee chief Tim Keyes about a return.

Last week the convicted fraudster said he was “potentially the comeback king of Dundee Football Club” in a video shared on X.

And on Wednesday he posted a picture of a filled-in contact form for Texas-based Keyes’ finance firm – spelling his own surname incorrectly – before declaring he was “in talks” with the US businessman, who runs the Dark Blues with managing director John Nelms.

But Dee officials won’t be drawn on the rants of the 69-year-old who famously brought Fabrizio Ravanelli to the City of Discovery.

Di Stefano was recently released after a decade in prison for offences including deception, fraud and money laundering.

Two years ago a Sky docuseries revealed his victims included a woman in America who lost her travel business as a result of a Di Stefano-led scam and a disabled man seeking damages for the loss of an arm.

‘No chance’

More than two decades have passed since the SFA, after another previous conviction emerged, refused to accept Di Stefano as a “fit and proper person”.

His recent posts on social media have been met with a range of responses, including anger, swear words, incredulity and some mocking.

Dee fan Joseph Keenan wrote: “You’re no welcome back anywhere sunshine.”

Di Stefano responded: “I like sunshine.”

@Rossmackenzie_365 said: “Dear Giovanni, f*** off again.”

The former director replied: “Dear Ross, I will in Dundee direction.”

@Ian_DFC wrote: “Jeezy peeps man.”

@NouCampyFTW said: “No chance you’ll get anywhere near @DundeeFC unless it’s pay at the gate.”

Another Dark Blues supporter added: “A comeback that would be as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit.”

@Tayzurri1 said: “Don’t want you. Don’t need you.”

No legal qualifications

Unsurprisingly, Dundee United fans waded in.

@TrusTusJones said: “Looking forward to this Gio. Remember bring the monopoly money.”

@kaiserbrown wrote: “Welcome back to Dundee Giovanni”

From August 2003, Di Stefano spent six months as a director at Dundee, leaving in the wake of the SFA’s fit-and-proper decision and the club entering administration.

He’d been known as the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ for representing high-profile figures such as Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Di Stefano was also linked to Serbian warlord Arkan, road rage killer Kenneth Noye and slain gangland boss John ‘Goldfinger’ Palmer.

It later transpired he had no legal qualifications.

In an interview with The Courier in 2022, Di Stefano insisted he had “no regrets” over joining the board at Dundee and claimed he would have saved the club from administration if he’d had his way.