Bristol City owner calls for Leeds United points deduction over spying tactics

BRISTOL CITY owner Steve Lansdown believes punishing Championship rivals Leeds United with a points deduction is the only solution that would make sense over the spygate saga.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa admitted last weekend to sending a member of his footballing staff to a Derby County training session to gain information ahead of last Friday night's Championship clash at Elland Road.

The matter is now being investigated by both the FA and the EFL with Leeds having since made a formal apology to Derby with Whites owner Andrea Radrizzani meeting Derby owner Mel Morris face to face.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds also said they would be working with Bielsa and his staff to remind them of the integrity and honesty which are the foundations that Leeds United is built on.

Bielsa then opted to hold a lengthy press conference on Wednesday to explain his actions and argue that he would gain little from the findings of one training session given his meticulous research and planning on every opponent.

The Whites head coach also admitted that his coaching staff had watched training sessions of all of their opponents before playing them this season.

But Bristol City owner Lansdown told BBC Points West that he felt a punishment was necessary over the spygate issue and that docking points would be the appropriate action.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bristol City's chief operating officer Mark Ashton is also on the EFL's board.

"The only thing that makes sense if I'm honest is a points deduction," said Lansdown.

"They ought to seriously consider it but I don't think that will happen as I don't think the EFL will be strong enough to do something like that.

"A fine would go someway towards showing it's not acceptable. Whatever happens we mustn't condone it."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lansdown added: "If he'd asked to send someone to watch our training we would have said no. And every other football club would say no. So why does he think it's acceptable to do it?

"However great a coach he is, it's the wrong thing to do. Poking around and skulking around a training ground is not part of the game."