The Leeds United Supporters’ Trust issued a statement today in response to our beloved chairman’s latest comments about the organisation on Yorkshire Radio.
Bates told Yorkshire Radio “Those people prancing up and down, waving their banners, they’ve got no positive solution to what they perceive as a problem. [The lack of funds available to the club] In fact, all they do is add to it by deterring potential investors to come into the club. But even then, they’re not going to come in just to subsidise wages”.
“And I know the next weeks, two weeks are going to examine the credentials at LUST that are making a lot of noise. Let’s see how much they love the club. But their chairman, we have been looking at our computer, he’s a season ticket holder this season. Didn’t come at all last season. His excuse to me, when I quizzed him nearly a year ago, was family commitments. Well it may be, but it doesn’t justify or qualify him to speak for the ordinary fans does it? And the vice-chairman lives in America. “
But today the Trust moved to correct the inaccuracies perpetrated by Bates. ”The Trust regrets the Chairman’s references to members of its board in his latest interview on Yorkshire Radio (15/2/12). Firstly, our board member residing in America is not the vice-chair, who was in fact born and raised in Yorkshire and lives in Leeds. Secondly, to answer the remarks about the Trust Chairman’s attendance at Elland Road, Gary has shared ticket purchasing duties with members of his family in recent seasons, and like many Leeds fans his purchasing record is not an accurate reflection of his attendance record”
“These inaccurate and personal attacks serve no constructive purpose in our opinion. The broadcast of personal data is of particular concern, and the Trust will be taking legal advice about possible breaches of the Data Protection Act. The L.U.S.T. board is made up of a diverse group of individuals who give up their free time to help the Trust achieve its aim of supporting a successful Leeds United. The board is elected by the Trust membership on a three year cycle, and is answerable only to its own members. The board will continue to work to find ways of ensuring that Leeds United fans’ voices are heard, irrespective of their nationality, location, or ability to attend matches”.
The next stage in L.U.S.T.’s campaign is organise a ‘Seven Minutes for Seven Years’ protest at the Southampton game on 3rd March 2012, which will be shown live on Sky Sports. To express their concerns, but without adversely affecting the team’s performance, dissatisfied Leeds fans are to be asked to stay outside the ground until seven minutes after the game begins - one minute for every year of Ken Bates’ chairmanship.
In the meantime, I’ll give Bates my personal positive solution to what I perceive as a problem. As we’ve made a profit of £9 million in the transfer market in the last few years (after receiving amounts over £1 million for Delph, Schmeichel and now Howson) you can put this money back into the playing squad rather than in dubious property schemes around a stadium you claim that you don’t own.
And instead of blaming LUST for discouraging potential investors you can engage in honest and open discussion with the next credible would-be partner who comes along, rather than putting them off through the opaque web of companies through which you maintain control of the club. Rather than question everybody else’s commitment to the club it’s time to demonstrate that you have the interests of Leeds United at heart and you’re not just in it to squeeze every penny you can from the rest of us.