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Video: Leeds United fans stage rally and protest march UPDATED
Several hundred noisy but good natured Leeds United fans calling for major changes in team and club management policy took their protests to the streets
Freezing temperatures failed to weaken the determination of the disenchanted fans to make their frustration at the way the club is run echo across the city centre to Elland Road.
They gathered beneath the Black Prince in City Square two hours before kick-off against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday to wave banners proclaiming “Premier League Not Premier Inn” and “Morons” and chants about former Chelsea owner Ken Bates urging him to leave United.
They were there to highlight continuing concerns about United’s failure to achieve Premiership promotion, lack of player purchases despite extensive ground investments, the loss of proven players, reliance on loan players and paying Premiership size ticket prices for Championship football.
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The protest was coordinated by the 3,000 strong Leeds United Supporters Trust chaired by Gary Cooper, 45.
Mr Cooper said: “This is part of our campaign for change we are spearheading for members and fans who have asked us to act for the future of Leeds United.” “There are concerns about just what has been going on over the last year or two, on the pitch and off,” said Cooper.
“We should have a team that will get us into the Premiership and keep us there, “ said Mr Cooper.
“Supporters are concerned about transfer window activities. We have been selling our best talents or allowing our them to leave including our own home grown captain Jonny Howson who represented the future,” he said. “We have been replacing them with loan players, who if Mr Bates is to be believed, cost us a lot of money,”
“The transfer activity and club policy in terms of investment on the pitch does not reflects the ambition fans have and the club tells us it has,”
“We need a sea-change, whether that is a change or ownership or the way that the club deals with supporters remains to be seen. We need a changed business plan and a changed investment policy,” he said. The East Stand was excellent, but did not produce results.
Flanked by police on foot, horses and motorcycles, they waived banners proclaiming “Premier League Not Premier Inn” and chanted anti-Bates comments as they passed through Bishopgate Street, Neville Street, commercial back-streets and Holbeck to the ground.
There they “sung” slogans at barriers raised around the club entrance facing security guards before watching the Whites lose 2-1.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
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Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
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Comments
There are 108 comments to this article
Page 1 of 8
we8csum
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:02 PMI have been thinking for a while is the cancerous old twt that is KB IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROY our club. Its certainly starting to look that way because surely not even the most inept, incompetent fool could actually run our club any worse than its being run now.
FreePint
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:23 PMdaz1988 - Good points, well made. BATES HAS NEVER SAVED OUR CLUB. In 2005 he bought Leeds, who weren’t under serious financial pressure at the time, from the Krasner board who, by all accounts, had simply had enough & were looking to get out. When we came out of administration in 2007 the new owners were so secretive that even Bates stated on numerous occasions that he didn’t know who they were. We may all suspect that Bates was actually the new owner but given his denials then, he cannot expect us to believe now that he saved us back in 2007. As for his surprise overnight purchase of the club in May 2011, again we were not in any financial difficulty so the latest “i saved your club” claim continues to sound rather ridiculous. I once read that if a politician wants to deceive the public, the best thing he can do is tell the biggest lie possible to make himself look good. The bigger the lie better, so that the masses will think it must be true because no one could possibly make up such a ridiculous statement. Bates has come out with the biggest whopper of all time – if he keeps repeating enough times that he saved the club then people will start to believe. As you say daz1988, all that’s required is a bit of simple research to expose the lie. BATES HAS NEVER SAVED OUR CLUB.
daz1988
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:42 PMI respect every LUFC fans right to have an opinion, however I would like to ask you all to help the club. There is a real concern amongst many fans at the way in which the club is being run. I have spent the time to consider all of the evidence which is available. The only conclusion is that Bates did not ever save LUFC, in fact he has done nothing but hinder our progress. He did not pull us out of debt, we did this ourselves through paying a premiuim. In fact he actually deterredblocked better offers for our club in 2005, 2007. To all those LUFC fans who are pro-bates, or are criticising us. Please read the evidence available on line, stop speculating on what you 'think' has occured, and educate yourself on our current situation. If you love LUFC then you owe it to the club to actually consider this evidence, not just what you read in the programme notes. Finally there is a point to the protest, the only way to improve our situation is to apply pressure and obtain media exposure,
OzTyke
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:17 PMLucky Glasgow Rangers! It's a great pity that we aren't in their shoes right now. Rangers fans need to get organised, get some sort of ownership charter going, modelled on Barcelona's structure, like Liverpool fans have been looking to do. The book value of Rangers will now be minus god-knows-what (so can be acquired for next-to-nothing), but of course has a great old stadium, pretty good squad and a massive fan base so a tremendous cash turnover. Crikey, does this remind you of anyone else???! All they need to guard against is that the fans get in first and don't let themselves get hoodwinked by a smoothtalker or a bully, like we did. Bates is a classic CARPETBAGGER. Look up the term, it's a perfect description of what he's done throughout his life, and what's happened to us. MOT
FreePint
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 11:08 PMWell done to LUST for organising the march & to those who took part. Anyone who attended or witnessed it will agree that there was zero trouble & whole thing was conducted in a friendly & lighted hearted spirit. It was reassuring to see that we still have fans who are so passionate about their team that they’ll get up off their back sides & stand up for what they believe in. I’m truly disappointed that there’s even one Leeds fan who would look down their noses & criticise the marchers. It will almost certainly have no effect on the way our club is run, but at least we can say we spoke out."All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke).
FreePint
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:59 PMPending Moderation
Gogol
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:57 PMWell done LUST for last weekend's march!
FreePint
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:49 PMPending Moderation
LeedsBulldog
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:31 PMI See that Rangers have joined the "into administration" gang - dark days ahead for Rangers fans BUT if they need any advice - then us leeds fans are experts at having a no money club - thanks to the snake with a beard!
John44
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:02 PMIn answer to originalkoppite this club was ruined years ago these new protesters are just adding more fuel to the fire. The majority of fans could be classed as nob heads for lining Bates pockets for years. He calls you morons and the like and you still take it. NOB HEADS UNITED.
allanb78
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:32 PMBramleywhite definition of mob according to Collins English Dictionary;; "a riiotous or diorderly crowd of people;rabble".Thank you for youir latest post which confirms this.
brucey333
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:23 PMmr baldeagle4travel Are you really serious, you cant be, you need to wake up to the real world, fact is all leeds fans would accept not geting promotion, not gettting into debt etc, thats all fine and sensible, if and this is the thing you are not getting, WE NEVER HAD TO PAY THE FIFTH DEAREST PRICES IN THE COUNTRY, THE DEAREST PROGRAMMES IN THE COUNTRY ETC ETC, its totaly wrong to exploit the loyalty of its fans and spin them drivel after drivel about how they want promtion then sell all its best players and still expect fans to pay more than man utd to get in, this club is finished unless fools like you seee the truth sir, absolutley finished, we will never , never get promted under the crook bates, he takes our money and spends none of it on the team, name one decent signing, we have made in seven years, go one just one, we have the spending policy of crewe and no disrespect to them, if Bates reduced prices to that of similar clubs who spend nothing, like coventry etc then fine, but its not the case, another 14% increase next season, jesus, what will it take to see fools like you see the truth. Bates dont want promotion as the spotlight would be on his gravy train and unless mugs like you get off it will keep on going.
baldeagle4travel
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:02 PMWellll thank you bramley whites for being a nob head just what the club needs more nob heads with f. all to say of intelligence.
bramley whites
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:31 PMAl al al al al al al pavalan woooo !allanb i bet your in SS arnt you silver spoon club ! you a season ticket holder in west stand with mummy and daddy? I will swear if i want i will swear when i want!!! you wont f u c k i n g stop me i will swear if i want
Scratchingshed68
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:23 PMWho owns the club is irrelevant. What matters to supporters is feeling part of the club and seeing the team moving in the right direction. Name calling is childish. The club should lead by example and refrain from publishing and broadcasting inflammatory comments. Every successful business works on the maxim that the customer is always right. Fewer customers, less profit, not difficult.
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