Josh, you want to back Bates, other than ticket prices? Fine then do so, but how about responding to the points raised by critics instead of trying to deflect with theories about why you think they are mistaken? Now I may not fully understand, but I assure you I have never used your quoted language above.
I think Josh has a chip on his shoulder about coming from West London. He sees that Leeds fans are hostile towards the flash Chelsea lot who come from his area, and indeed cockneys in general, and sees it as an attack on him. I couldn't care less whether Bates were Chelsea, Leeds, scum or Accrington bloody Stanley. He's doing a terrible job, and is wrecking Leeds United, even if he does do the odd thing competently.
I do not take it any way whatsoever as an attack on me and even if I did I believe myself to be very thick skinned. I also excluded you because I don't believe you are like this and said 'a lot of people' because a lot of people do not fully understand what is happening at the club and want excuses to hate him. So they use these type of sentences and I must have seen at least 8-10 people use those exact phrases on this very site (including iqbal but I won't go there). What specific issues do you have with Ken Bates that is not directly related with lack of funding to first team and high ticket prices?
Mostly the repeated deceit. Read 5 of my points on page 4 of this thread. In general, his behaviour is not what one should expect and demand from a chairman of a great football club and it has a direct impact on our club. By way of additional examples, he withdrew the small number of complementary tickets given to the Leeds City Council, slags them off publicly and then wonders why we get no help with reacquiring our real estate. He creates a negative atmosphere and is critical of all and sundry in the press and his programme notes - fellow directors, potential investors, fans and fan representative organizations, present and recently ex-players and others. I think that is plenty for your to answer to if you wish to do so.
He is by no stretch of the imagination as proffessional as someone in that sort of position would be expected to be however all of your points either do not affect leeds united in anyway whatsoever or are based on massive assumptions that you do not actually know the details of.
Thanks for playing Josh. I and many others have pointed out many issues which you have chosen to give one dismissive comment to address. Know one knew of the details of Peter Ridsdale's dealings either did we? There is a smoking gun and a dead body with a bullet wound in a place he could not have placed it but according to you no one is dead and no one shot him, is that it? Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the game on tv yesterday.
Whatever, I personally need proof of something before believing it. If thats your view, fine but I don't know how you come to conclusions based on assumptions
At risk of repeating myself Bates is a cad. He told us we were about to be debt free at the end of 2007 season but ddnt tell us it would be through admin and the start of a worse situation. He demands the sale of the club back to him otherwise he will liquidate it. He didn't then save us and has done nothing good since 2007. We the fans came out in our thousands to pour money in to get us back. All Bates has done since is milk us dry, insult everyone he posibly can, fight people instead of getting them on board, and Plan huge expenditure on projects that will fail and make losses. Bates may lay claim to saving the club in 2005. But history is likely to show that since 2007 he did everything possible to kill the club while feathering his own nest solely
John Charles, Welcome to the board and totally agree with you, Josh tell me what Ken Bates has done that anybody couldnt do? He has put less money into Leeds United football club than I have! Its funny how the administrators wouldnt let anyone else but Bates buy the club (even though other investors offered more)
I haven't read the whole thread but just to add Bates also took us into receivership and GAMBLED with the golden share - We could have been no more thanks to Bates
Ristac, Bates also added to the debts and spent £10 million that went to Offshore companies just before he took us into admin, hes a clever bastard but a criminal!! hes made a very nice life out of doing it and by pulling the wool over peoples eyes,
Thank you YWBK! I expect to spend more time here going forward. Bates supporters just cannot debate fact for fact yet still parrot-back whatever he says.
