Radrizzani Exclusive Pt 3: Leeds United will find a crest '˜everybody will like'

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Leeds abandoned a plan to adopt a badge depicting the famous Leeds salute within seven hours of publicising it last month, bowing to pressure to abandon an unpopular design which attracted worldwide ridicule.

The club want to change their existing shield crest before the start of next season, in time for the celebration of their centenary in 2019.

Radrizzani, United’s owner and chairman, told the YEP he had picked the Leeds salute design from a choice of two alternatives, the other based on the white Yorkshire rose.

The criticism of it, however, will see season-ticket holders and club members given the chance to vote on a number of different options submitted by fans.

Radrizzani said: “We’ve shown we are here for the fans, here to listen to them. We could not ignore the feedback so we took back the project and are discussing with the fans the options. We will come back with something everybody will like.”

The Italian defended the Leeds salute design, saying he believed it was “a symbol that uniquely represents Leeds United fans.”

“For me it was not a bad one,” he said. “I opted for this because at the time I believed that symbol uniquely represents Leeds United fans. There is nothing else that represents the fans with a symbol that only they know, symbolising their passion and their belonging.

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“In my opinion this was the best way to enter the new centenary: a legacy with the past with our historical salute but with a modern design that can embrace the new generation.

“But we did a mistake. We should have communicated more this transition and the meaning. We let them (the fans) think assumptions. I heard it said that this logo is a commercial exploitation of the salute and we shouldn’t use it for that. No-one ever thought about that – actually the opposite.

“We thought the salute embraced only Leeds fans and people who know what it is, nobody else. My idea was the opposite of exploitation.”

Leeds plan to decide on a new badge before the end of this month.

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