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Leeds United: Whites will make Premier return, but they must be patient - Hilaire
Former Leeds United winger Vince Hilaire will always have a wry smile on his face when supporters mention his playing association with several ‘crisis clubs’, past and present.
Hilaire, who spent a brief spell at Elland Road in the late 1980s, currently combines work as a radio pundit alongside match-day hospitality duties at former club Portsmouth and to say it’s been tin-hat time on the south coast for the past few years is putting it mildly.
United’s next opponents were docked 10 Championship points last Friday after entering administration for a second time in two years, as a means of avoiding liquidation.
Debts of £4m had made the club’s predicament so dire they were even threatened with having the gas and electric supplies cut off with the financially-crippled Fratton Park club also unable to afford to travel up to Barnsley for last Saturday’s game until £2m in their accounts was unfrozen after administration was granted.
The most troubled of times with a familiar face to United fans in new Pompey administrator Trevor Birch – who spent a spell as chief executive and acting chairman at Elland Road before overseeing the club’s takeover by the Gerald Krasner consortium in the spring of 2004 – handed the financial fire-fighting ‘Red Adair’ brief.
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Clearly not one to mince his words, Birch this week described the situation at the cash-stricken club, issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs on January 3, as “crazy”, with Hilaire, along with a host of others involved with Pompey, having seen it all before.
Hilaire’s former clubs of Crystal Palace, Luton Town, Pompey, United and Exeter City all have ‘previous’ in the administration stakes, with behind-the-scenes problems at the teams closest to his heart having occurred sporadically, much to his chagrin.
United last dined at the top-flight table in 2004 and while many hanker – nay demand – a return to the club’s rightful place in the Premiership in double-quick time, Hilaire does offer a world of warning, particularly in the shape of his own contemporary experiences of the goings-on at Portsmouth.
And while confident that Leeds will return to their natural place of residency in the not-too-distant future, for the time being, he feels a little bit of patience may have to be employed.
Hilaire said: “What I’d say to Leeds fans – and take it from someone who in football has recently been called Jonah because all of my clubs apart from Stoke City have either gone into liquidation or receivership – is that every time they get frustrated about maybe thinking they are a couple of signings away and ‘Why doesn’t he (the chairman) put his hand in his pocket and help the manager’, is just remember the bad old days and what happens when you overstretch yourself.
“Because, trust me, covering most of Portsmouth games now, I look back and they were in the cup final a few years ago (losing to Chelsea in 2010) and won the cup in 2008 and they are now in dire straits.
“I’d say to Leeds fans that it will happen (a Premiership return), the club is too big for it not to happen. They have just got to have a bit of patience.
“I know it’s difficult as it’s often said Leeds belong in the top flight. Leeds obviously do, but not at the expense of the football club.
“It’s so hard for Leeds fans looking at teams in the Premiership and thinking: ‘How are they there when you look at the size of our club and our support – and they are in the Premiership?’
“But you have got to use examples and for me, West Bromwich Albion are a great one. They manage their books to their effect where they didn’t mind being a yo-yo club going up and down. But they have got to the stage now where they are steady and know what it takes to stay in the division.
“Leeds are far bigger than West Brom. But while I may hate saying this as a football man, West Brom have accepted the fact that the books have got to be balanced.
“The thing is with Leeds is that once they get back up there, I’m sure they will stay there. Because they have got the resources and the support. But if you run before you walk, it can be a recipe for disaster. Have a look at Portsmouth.”
Truth be told, Pompey are in a pretty desperate state ahead of Saturday’s clash with United, with boss Michael Appleton down to his last 13 senior players – two of them being keepers – with a key forward in Dave Kitson being suspended.
Hilaire feels if anyone can empathise with what Pompey, another proud club with a raucous fanbase are currently going through, it’s their weekend opponents.
Hilaire added: “I’m sure Leeds fans will identify with the Portsmouth situation. In a minor way, I think it’s exactly mirrored what happened with Leeds. I think it all traces back to when you are doing well, you just get carried away and particularly fans don’t look at the big picture.
“I would say with Leeds, it started going downhill from being in the semi-finals of the Champions League and with Portsmouth, it went wrong from when they got to Wembley and in Europe.”
Offering his take on Saturday’s encounter, he added: “I’m hoping for a draw, but I’m sticking my hat with Leeds under Neil Warnock getting into the play-offs this season.
“He’s got a midas touch and while being an expert on getting teams promoted, he also has the boost of being at the biggest club he’s been at.
“But Pompey will be up for Saturday and Leeds will have to be on their toes. I do think Pompey have got one of the best young coaches around (Michael Appleton). But unfortunately, he’s got to deal with all this off the field stuff as well.
“I’m hoping the fans get together on Saturday and that Leeds fans will have every sympathy with the Pompey fans as they have stuff in common. Sometimes as fans you think the stuff happening to your club is unique. But it’s not.”
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Comments
There are 7 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
willie bell
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 05:34 PMwell said yorkshire lad.
The peacock
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:53 PMSame old storey Vince I had better subbuteo players thn you mate so don't try and talk to us fans lik Norhern planks we do allreet by our sens. The only stable thing about Leeds United is the fans REMEMBER WE PAID YOUR WAGES. For decades we all at some point have investered in the club always paying top dollar to watch our team.We had no say in the running of it or do you think we would have let that slime ball risedale nearly cripple us and go into administration? We have come from watching qulity legends to nothing better than old 3rd division standards at best.. Grayson got us playing a bit but lost his squad down to Bates cashing in again, we have no say just turn up and watch the loan players pretend they are giving us all they have got. After so many years out of footballs top flight and selling our captain even the die hard fence sitters showed that they've had enough of Bates and the board and for once showed their anger and believe me it made a difference. We know you have to manage the finances but you lose your best players and gates go down that's bad business. We only needed to add quality to the squad and we could be up there with West ham. I thought the Portsmouth fans were awesome in the prem always vocal and supportive but like LEEDS THEY HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH BAD MANAGEMENT. in real terms Vince you were an extra in the big theatre that is Leeds United now take your little bit job and advise with you TAXI for another has been!
steven742
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 01:16 PMwayne - i'm with you on that, one i was questioning that in january! but i think it had something to do with frozen bank accounts
waynel
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 12:37 PMI don't really have any sympathy for Portsmouth. The first time they went into administration I did but twice is inexcusable. They had plenty of time to sell off players in January to clear their debts but chose not to. Also I'm sure that a week's worth of Kanu and Kitson's wages would have paid the leccy bill had they chosen to sell them. Bristol City had to sell Maynard to pay the bills so why should Portsmouth be any different? Just my thoughts....rant over!
Lorimerisatwat
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:47 AMwell said Yorkshire Lad
backforgood0113
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:18 AMVery good reading, I fully support what's been said, we Leeds fans can get carried away at times, time for Neil to wave his magic wind, Leeds 2-0 against the pommy.
Yorkshire Lad
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:14 AMWhat a load of nonsense from Hilaire. He is saying to us LU fans to be patient. What is the level of patience that we show ? Is it one year or two, or three ?? We have been waiting for almost 8 years ! Not only have we been patient, Hilaire, we have seen our great club go into administration and relegated to Div 3. So, Hilaire, don't patronise me, your not a Eddie Gray ( LU thru and thru ) so, we don't want to hear a Pompey giving us advice, save it for your club, they need it.
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