Since the glory days of the early 1970s and early 1990s, Leeds United have been a side of something of a football rollercoaster ride.
Such have been the ups-n-downs that the Whites have suffered, many fans have not screamed to go faster and would, indeed, have been excused for asking to get off.
Mismanagement, wrong choices and a propensity to attract ersatz owners have seen the proud West Yorkshire club stumble around like a punch-drunk boxer being battered from pillar to post. Onlookers have pleaded with the authorities to step in and stop the battering, but to no avail.
It appears that the Whites are now under a more even keel, and fans are seeing the sails once again raised proudly on the Good Ship Leeds United as calmer waters edge closer under Andrea Radrizzani. It wasn’t the same in days of former owner Ken Bates.
Bates was confirmed as the new owner of Leeds United on 21 January 2005, with sources saying he’d paid £10million for control of the club. On 4 May 2007 United were placed into administration, starting for the first time in their history in England’s third-tier competition with a -15 point penalty to their name.
Bates bought back the club from threatened liquidation after agreeing a deal to repay one pence in the pound of the club’s then debt of around £35million. Since the Bates days, Leeds United have been through the wringer with GFH Capital and Massimo Cellino before landing at the feet of Radrizzani.
However, reporter Adam Pope presents the following news, that the old Leeds United AFC will be liquidated “in about 6 months” with what he says are “circa £11.5m of creditors left unpaid.”
More than 10 years after Leeds United AFC went into administration in the Ken Bates era at #lufc , Companies House documents reveal that the “old” company will be finally liquidated in about 6 months with circa £11.5m of creditors left unpaid. pic.twitter.com/9Tu2EyOpv3
— Adam Pope (@apopey) September 25, 2018
News of this announcement by Pope has not gone unseen by Leeds United fans. Here’s what some of them are saying in response to what BBC Radio Leeds’ Pope has tweeted:
Just think if it was around the end of October….
Bonfire night would be a whole new experience… pic.twitter.com/KBVJFKHEI0
— Dave Reynolds (@_Dave_R) September 25, 2018
As somebody who runs a small company it’s a disgraceful thing to do. Bates in a nutshell
— Dirty Leeds Scum (@DirtyLeedsFC) September 25, 2018
Ken Bates should be banned for life from all football who agrees with me?
— keith farrow (@keithfarrow6) September 25, 2018
Correct, there was a further payment to creditors that kicked in if we got promoted back to the premiership within so many years. As we didn’t get promoted no payment due so the Liquidation can be finalised
— James Woodhead (@jwwoodhead1984) September 25, 2018
Outrageous !
The amount of small companies shafted in that time .
How come the people involved arnt banned from football /business ???— Viva King Billy worlds greatest No 4 (@Stewartbielsa) September 25, 2018
With all the qualities of a butcher’s hook, Ken Bates is a watchword for all that was bad in the game. We should hope that he is always treated with the disdain and opprobrium he uniquely deserves. A blood-sucking leech of an owner if ever there was one. Good riddance. #MOT #ALAW
— adrien herbert (@adrien274) September 25, 2018
It would be interesting to learn how many small companies went bust or struggled financially, as a result of not being paid what they were owed.
— Sean (@seankuk) September 25, 2018
