Those who donât know Steveâs name from the business world may well know him from the world of football, because that is the other passion in his life. He owns Guiseley Football Club and has always been a Leeds United fan. He failed a trial there aged 14 and it broke his heart, he says, but itâs fair to say he bounced back. In fact, he has tried to buy the club more than once, and his name has been in the ownership frame for the last ten years. âI am a lifelong fan. I used to play truant from school to go watch them train. âWhen the club hit the buffers in 2003 I had a plan with three other businessmen to acquire it in a deal that would have cost £5m, or so we thought. âBut it turned out to be a lot more money than that, and I just didnât have the financial firepower.â This year he again went into negotiations, this time with the aim of buying a 51 per cent stake in the club. Steve is the kind of man who, if he likes the product, really does want to buy the company. He travelled to Dubai for talks and the legal work got under way, though negotiations eventually stalled. He said: âAny deal you do with Leeds United is played out in the spotlight. I could buy a controlling share, that isnât the problem, itâs the money that would need to be spent after that to make the club the success I know it can be. âIt has been underfunded for so long, it would need £40-£50m. I would be mad keen to get involved but my family would not be happy if I put that amount of money into the club. I wouldnât, it is just too risky. âYou have to have nerve to do what I have done, but the risk has always been calculated. My headmaster wrote on my final school report that he struggled to imagine what I would do with my life, but that my one saving grace was that I was a born leader. I have never followed anybody, that is just how I am.â http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co....-coalface-to-change-leeds-s-skyline-1-6045631
He's said it himself, he hasn't got the nerve, so stop ****ing going on about it Parkin or show us the ****ing money.
Fair comment I'd say. No big secret or surprise to any of us that an investment of that size is required. It will come sooner or later. In the meantime, were going in right direction with a great manager. Anyone hear Shearers comment after last weeks Harper testimonial when asked what would it take to make curent Newcastle side as good as on he was in. His reply "about 150M". Like it or not, football is unfortunately about money now and it's ruining it. Take yourselves TC. Not slagging but wally supporters can never hope for anything more than at best a mid table finish or stave off relegation in last game of season and maybe the odd lucky cup run. Thats it, in a time of obscene wealth at the top and other clubs having to operate on pennies
Eire - the other problem is the Parachute payments which are now a ridiculous £23M per relegated club - to put that into perspective, that is only £1M less than Leeds' entire turnover last season
Personally lads, I'm torn between getting back to the Pl and competing with scum twice a year. I miss the days of sitting in my local on matchday with Liverpool and scum mates having the crack. That's one side of me. The other one is the one that actually enjoys the level playing field of the Championship where anyone is capable of putting together a run and getting into a playoff spot, think the wallies even went on a run last season if Im not mistaken. I think it's probably the dream of pl football I enjoy rather than the harsh reality when we finally get there if we dont have a moneybags with us. Agree completely with the parachute payments being totally out of proportion
