Last financial year the fans provided 63% of the clubs income. I think you'll find we mean everything to this club.
When I say fans mean little in modern football, I don't mean if no one turned up to Elland Road it wouldn't hurt Ken Bates, because that would work but the problem fans aren't going to do that, it's alright staging some little protest or chanting Bates Out but I believe the anti bates fans aren't serious enough to boycott games, at least the majority of the "movement" aren't. If even 100 or 200 people boycotted games (but I doubt the number would reach that high) it would mean sh!t all to Ken, when he has another 25,000 giving him cash every week (or if like me a season ticket holder at the start of the season). Let's face it 25-30k Leeds fans aren't going to boycott games and therefore Ken Bates isn't going to be hurt, Bates isn't hurt by chanting his name or standing out by Billy Bremner's statue and waving some signs. If your serious about getting Ken Bates out, boycott the club and him (although tbh you can't hurt Ken Bates without hurting the club). Will you, I highly doubt so. I have yet to be given a good enough reason to boycott my beloved whites.
You lot must be pretty dim - its taking you a long time to get the message. Bates bought the club - you would not exist today if he hadn,t - and can do what he likes just as the owner of any other business can. I personally do not like the man, I think he is uncouth & patronising, but the fact remains that there does not appear to be a queue of people itching to buy him out. I seriously doubt he,s taking a fortune out of his ownership - what football club is an investment today? Those who own the clubs are simply on an ego trip
You're another one who seems to only post anti-Leeds rubbish on here, mainly consisting of Bates praise and 'you're a small club' name-calling. But I'll humour you anyway. Wrong. See point #01 on this article. You're right. Not that it means anything because equally, we, as human beings, can do and say what we like as well. That includes complaining, protesting, boycotting and pursuing other avenues to oust him from the club however possible. Just because someone's the legal owner of something doesn't mean every fan is required to agree with what they do. Can't believe this needs explaining to a mentally competent human being to be honest. If there are people willing to buy out Southampton, Leicester, Hull and Blackburn, there are most certainly people behind the scenes willing to buy out the rough gem of English football. Of course there doesn't appear to be a queue of them. There's no reason for them to go public! I agree. The money is being wasted on his ego project on the East Stand which will cost 80m+ when completed. I doubt he's been taking too much out of the club. But he is nonetheless ruining it and I don't see why I should idly watch and twiddle my thumbs while that happens.
I'd say more of an ego vehicle than a goldmine. He's replicating the unprofitable Chelsea Village at Elland Road at the cost of 80m+ - hardly the sign of a man who's dredging money out of the club. And I never said he'd sell Leeds, just said that in the unlikely event of that happening, I think there would be a few suitors.
Saintsalive, Ken Bates is our Rupert Lowe, you must remember those times... How would you have felt is Lowe was still at St Marys. The Chinese consortium that bought baadif, wanted to buy us first, but Bates refused to sell. We are a huge club with bigger potential then most. We are one of only a small handful of clubs that have won the league since the 90's, not many can say that...
A very fair point ellandback - and you Leeds fans can be assured I am NOT anti Leeds - I have a great deal of respect for your club & its history. However, the question remains the same - who is desperate to buy him out? he is clearly a very unpleasant person with no affinity or love of Leeds - I think he is nasty enough to hang on just to spite those who hate him
I would suggest some people on this forum, have two or three usernames and have used this to increase the pro Bates vote to 10 people. There is likely to be only about 20 people in the whole Leeds support that would vote for Bates, and they don't all use this forum.
Not wumming but I think with Ken Bates at Leeds you will never achieve anything. You need to get rid of him to have a chance of getting back to the prem Where did the Schmeichel and Gradel money go. Whey haven't you replaced Beckford from the year before He is taking you for a ride and insulting you lot and the players along the way. You lot get called morons and no matter what you think about Kasper he didn't deserve to be treated how he was by Bates. That is only going to put people off signing for you
It's always concerning when an opposition fan sees what is happening at your club, before some of your own supporters do. I don't know what you do to make them see the truth, perhaps just hope that when the facts are put in front of them, they apologise for their own ignorance.
We didn't need to replace Beckford, the whole media and Leeds fanbase was buzzing on how Grayson was going to replace him and it just led to panic buying of players we didn't need, our best players in the championship were with us in League One, Gradel (recently departed), Snodgrass, Becchio, Howson ect our panic buys have done nothing for us, like Lloyd Sam, Billy Paynter, Fede Bessome, all a waste of wages (although I wouldn't of minded Gary Hooper) considering what we expected of them. We'll replace Gradel like we replaced Beckford not by panic buying player we don't need who spend the entire season on the bench but by promoting players within. There are players within the squad who can replace Gradel with like Nunez, Sam and Aidy White. The way I see it Grayson is damned if he does and he is damned if he doesn't. If he buys players and they end up spending the season on the bench while one someone already in the squad replaces him, he will be criticised, if he doesn't buy and our current players flop or get injured he will be criticised. Fans seem to have quick memoires, remember what Leeds were before Grayson. A league one team with 2nd grade players like Douglas, Prutton, Kandol playing week in week out with our best players on the bench like Snodgrass and Howson and play off misery year after year. It's like Arsenal fans and Wenger, do they remember what Arsenal was like before Wenger. Grayson has the money and was willing to spend it as well so you can't blame Bates for lack of Transfer. Kasper's transfer to Leicester was a good deal, £1m for a 1 year contract player who was replaced by a equal or better goalkeeper for 200k. Gradel was sold on transfer deadline day at his request to return to France where he grew up, Grayson didn't have enough time to make proper use of the money.
I find it hard to believe 13 Leeds fans on this forum believe he is doing a decent job - Can't help but feel that some of those 13 were supporters from other clubs drifting in and placing a vote.
I remember when Bates came out with such arrogance claiming if Leeds want a player, they get that player, any one who went else where they didnt want in the first palce. So why did 3 players agree to us then go elsewhere? COME ON KEN, remember if you want a player you get that player! right? Bullsh*t!!!
I didnt mind having him in as chairman in league 1, but i have no confidence in him now taking us forward. I just wish us Leeds fans had more bottle to stop whining and do something about it.
