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Leeds United Supporters Trust plan city centre rally
VOTING WITH THEIR FEET: Leeds United fans leave Elland Road early during Tuesdays defeat by Birmingham City.
A group of Leeds United supporters will stage a rally in the city next weekend to call for a review of the club’s strategy and financial policy in the wake of Simon Grayson’s sacking.
Members of the Leeds United Supporters Trust (LUST) plan to march from Leeds City Square to Elland Road in the hours before the club’s game against Brighton a week tomorrow, stepping up LUST’s ‘Campaign for Change’ in the running of United.
Trust officials met with West Yorkshire Police on Wednesday afternoon while United were in the process of ending Grayson’s three-year reign as manager, and LUST have confirmed the staging of what chairman Gary Cooper described as a “peaceful but important statement about the need for change at Elland Road”.
Plans for a rally were in place before Grayson’s dismissal, and his departure came on a day when Trust president and former Leeds goalkeeper Nigel Martyn voiced his concern about falling crowds at Elland Road.
United’s average home attendance has dropped by almost 4,000 this season and the crowd of 19,628 for Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat to Birmingham City – Grayson’s last game in charge – was the lowest for a league match at Elland Road since February 2010.
Cooper blamed the marked decrease on disillusionment among United’s fanbase, caused by a belief that the club are failing to invest adequately in their playing squad or listen to concerns of supporters who, Cooper said, were growing “increasingly aggrieved and disenchanted”.
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LUST’s chairman told the YEP: “The Trust recently published a vision for change and this march is part of our call for Leeds United to maximise their fanbase and their potential as a football team.
“We’re stressing to everyone that it must be a peaceful march and it will be. This won’t be people turning up to cause trouble.
“We’ve spoken with West Yorkshire Police and they’re happy that it’ll be a gathering of ordinary, honest and long-standing Leeds supporters who want to see a change in the way the club is run.
“In the first instance, we want the club’s board to start listening to the concerns of ordinary fans. We don’t believe that they’re doing so at the moment.
“You can see from the crowds that people are walking away and our members tell us they feel increasingly aggrieved and disenchanted.
“Beyond that we want to see more investment on the pitch, to give us a team with a better future and a better chance of getting promoted.
“The Trust isn’t advocating overspending or getting into debt, and our vision statement made that clear, but we do feel that the club’s income over the years and the profit they’ve made allowed for more to be spent.
“We were making this point before Simon Grayson was sacked and his sacking doesn’t change anything. Many of us were unconvinced about the level backing he had and there are wider issues here.”
United’s chairman and owner, Ken Bates, mounted a staunch defence of the club in the wake of Grayson’s sacking and again dismissed protests and demonstrations against him as the efforts of a “vociferous minority”.
Bates said: “Despite the vociferous minority – it’s the old saying that empty vessels make the most sound – people can see what we’re trying to do. We’re making progress.
“There’s a guy who failed to take over Portsmouth because he didn’t come up with the readies. I met him three months ago at the request of somebody else who said he was interested in investing in Leeds. They come through the door every week of the month.
“People say ‘spend, spend’ but why should anyone spend? Why would anyone want to invest in a club where there’s a vociferous minority making bad vibes? Do me a favour, don’t need it.
“All these people who claim they have contacts and money, including the Leeds United Supporters Trust – well, they can put their money where their mouth is.”
But ex-England international and LUST president Martyn, who earned widespread popularity as a Leeds player between 1996 and 2003, also admitted to worries about falling attendances at Elland Road.
“Don’t forget this is Leeds United we’re talking about,” Martyn said. “The biggest club outside the Premiership with a massive potential fanbase. The club have to recognise that potential.
“When I played, it was in front of 39,000 every week and Elland Road was white-hot with atmosphere. It’s a cliché but you really did think the supporters were worth a goal head-start.
“Those supporters should be encouraged to return. You have to build on your fanbase if you want success.”
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LUST’s membership has grown to around 2,500 since the organisation was revamped in 2009, ranking it among the larger supporters trusts in England. Next weekend’s march is due to start at 1.15pm, ahead of a 3pm kick-off against Brighton.
Cooper said: “The issue here isn’t about Ken Bates. It’s about campaigning for a better future for Leeds and pushing for a vision that gives our team a better chance of success.
“Ken Bates tells us that we don’t understand, that he’s run football clubs in the past, and we accept that. But some of us have followed Leeds for 30, 40 or 50 years and we think we understand Leeds United.
“On Tuesday we saw a crowd of under 20,000. In League One the average was as high as 27,000.
“As far as investing more in players who can give us that extra push goes, and keeping our better players, draw those fans back in and there’s more revenue for you.
“Money generated from the fanbase is a vital source of income for a football club like ours and you can’t maximise that when fans feel alienated. I believe that many of us do and it’s time for things to change.”
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Comments
There are 43 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
noord888
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 07:09 PMAs a supporter for the last 48 years through thick and thin the latest sequence of events beggar belief.Unfortunately we have only been for some time a selling club. Larry was only a puppet doing the best he could with limited resources. It is a well known fact that you have to speculate to accumulate. In the PL you would obviously generate more money from TV, advertising and increased receipts from gates, therefore being able to attract quality players and pay high wages. I still remember the cockneys comments in 1984.Why should we have him ripping the heart out of our club from the inside just to meet his own greedy needs.If the cockney had any aspirations for getting into the PL ( which I very much doubt) he is going to have to spend money. He has had 7 years to do this and we are still waiting.ENOUGH IS ENOUGH THE COCKNEY OUT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER
whiteknight1959
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 04:43 PMall your doing is harming your team nothing else... This so caled trust how many of you is there seen your web site not much writen on it . look to me like a few kids who no idea where elland road is .....
allanb78
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 02:10 PM31isrodger I don't normally resort to exchangihg insults on this site but since you have decided to descend to that level I feel compelled to respond in kind.You suggest I grow a pair, may I suggest that you in turn rescusitate a few of your apparently dormant brain cells It's clear that have no interest in reasoned balanced debate. Your opinion of other people's views is shaped by an inherent hatred of K.Bates which limits your ability to see the whole message.So take a deep breath and read on. In my earlier post I professed no allegiance to the Chairman nor did I attack him,my main point was to indicate the probable repercussion to this proposed demo.I don't know your age,possibly you are too young to have experienced the general hostility of the media (particularly the southern section) toward our cl;ub.Be sure that if any trouble occurs during this demonstration it will be seized upon by the vultures and published in the most derogatory way So If you wish to see L.U.dragged through the mud and reviled by all those who always hated us then by all means carry on with the futile action
PeterV
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 12:47 PMIf I were a potential investor I really would be put off investing in the club if there were personal attacks on me in the city of Leeds. Boycotting Elland Road is the only effective means of protest.
steveoz
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 11:21 AMhahaha put all their braincells together you wouldnt have enough to make a plant
white rainbow
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 09:47 AMThe ONLY thing that Bates will understand is an EMPTY Elland Road on match day.
buckstonewhites16
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 06:29 AMDemonstrations raise awareness - I hope it is positive awareness! Hurting Bates in the pocket is the only thing he will listen to! No season ticket renewals - no programmes - no pies - no beer - no nothing! Strangle his finances and he will change his tune! Will it hurt Leeds? Probably but isn't that happening anyway? "Honest Ken" has to go - his greed is strangling the club and his shameful lies and bombastic comments are making us the laughing stock of English football! No more cash - no more Bates! Let's be united again! MOT
gingerstreak
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:51 PMGuys, IF you have read the blog i mentioned previously then you are FULLY aware of what Bates is about - Face it - YOU ARE ALL OUT OF YOUR DEPTH OF YOU DONT ALL STICK TOGETHER - This guy has taken on the British Government and WON !!! - I initially thought Bates was ultimately Leeds's saviour - But he is anyhing but... He has a track record of buying Bankrupt companies and tying them up in confusing paperwork - Sound familiar,,, It should be.... LUFC is just the latest 'Cash Cow' - Dont really think Bates would pass the 'Fit and Proper' test to the Human Race, let alone Football Club Ownership... Keep it real - Defiance in MASS to the end.. MOT LUFC Forever
Sick of Kens lies
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:37 PM@29, I have been posting on here for a while now, and trust me there aren't many Bates lovers on here - bar originalkoppite (Bates) and a couple of other nutters (probably Harvey and Lorimer).
Sick of Kens lies
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:34 PMYeah OzTyke that about sums it up with Bates. The problem with lying is, especially when you are a compulsive liar as Bates is, is that you have to have a very good memory, otherwise you get caught out.. Unlucky Ken, you're memory is not what is used to be - must be your age. Funny that quote from OzTyke, as i remember reading both of those statements from Bates, yet they don't make sense do they ?
OzTyke
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:30 PMJanuary 7: While denying Leeds United manager Simon Grayson is under pressure, chairman Ken Bates takes the opportunity to explain why the club is running smoothly. "The reason why Leeds are successful financially is that we do our budgets. I add up all the income, deduct all the expenditure, use it as a credit balance, take off a sum for contingencies and then say to the manager, 'That's how much we have to spend, wages and transfer fees'." February 1: Sacks Grayson: "We are over 30 percent over budget on players wages. What I don't understand is why we are where we are with what we have spent." Liar, liar, your incontinence pants are on fire!
Takeover2011
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:23 PMLUST definitely agree with your planned protest. We have to unite and show the football world we r not happy with bates. Yes peaceful protest and the thought of 50k fans outside the ground shouting with no atmosphere inside would be great. Any northern Ireland fans flying over next sat?
isrodger
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:18 PMTo allanb78 ... Grow some ... Aarhus will see bates to spread his cancer throughout club... U probably love our club like I do... OUR club not a incontinent parasites! Love Leeds hate bates
scarcroftwhites
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:58 PMThis is a total waste of time and will not have any impact. Like it or not, Bates owns the club and can run it however he sees fit. Leeds fans have choice, get behind the team or or stop going to the matches and deprive Bates of your gate money.
GeorgeAD
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 10:04 PMI dont normally post here, but quite frankly I'm amused by some of the pro-Bates, anti-Grayson comments on this site. This man has literally bled our club dry, failed to invest and treats our fan base, the foundation of this fine football club, with contempt. Grayson on the other hand had to work with a tiny budget, reliant on loan signings and free transfers to get by, before being sacked and slandered a day later by Bates and his cabal. I am glad that LUST are taking a stand, and kudos to Nigel Martyn for getting involved. Lorimer on the other hand and some of the Bates stooges on here should be ashamed of themselves.
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