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Plastics or Protest Fans

Over the last couple of years there's been a few people who reckon that some of our fans are 'plastic's. This is because when we were first relegated many fans decided not to attend. When we went down to L1 we actually got a few more back as l1 turned out to be good craic and it was like football should be.

This season the fans expectations have been blighted by Bates/Harvey and it looks like a complete lack of ambition by the club, who it looks like cannot hope for the promised land again this season. fans are upset and protests against Bates are taking hold, and the worse our results get the more protests will happen.

We now see many fans not turning up anymore, and plenty of ST holders wishing they had not renewed, and also people like me who have refused to go to ER again until either bates leaves or he shows us that he has ambition and wants us in the prem. So am I a plastic, and are the new stayaways plastics too. Or are we protesters against this rip-off regime and just had enough.

"If you want prem football then pay prem prices" .... Well we've tried that for over 7-years and promises mean nothing to Bates, only cash, our fooking cash

comment by Batty (U4664)

posted on 23/9/11

I think it's a combination of the carp economy
and Bates soiling the club that has dropped attendances. Plastics? Morons? Skint? Any
way you look at it, Bates is the cause. Either
the high prices and economy are keeping you
away or hatred for what Bates is doing is causing
you to stop going.

I fall into the 'moron' category.

posted on 23/9/11

Major issue for me is the ticket prices, i go every week with 3 other guys that really don't mind paying the price as money is no issue, but then i look at things a bit defferent, for one i don't have money to burn and if the prices were lower surley there would be more fans attending therefore more food and shirt sales too, a good point they make is, if anyone went to Derby County at the start of the 04/05 season (after been relegated) there was 30,000 there, therefore elland road becomes an expensive ground to run with only 30k max every week, if and it is an if, we are renting, we are not 'living within out means' , therefore we need to generate more income some other way, which Bates is trying to do i guess, still, we should be able to compete for decent players.

posted on 23/9/11

And I fell into the sea a lot a lot a years back!..

Not good because I ain't the best swimmer, but found myself washed up on the shores of a strange land!..

I wish I could bloody swim, I'd be back a year ago if I could!.

Mind you, me being plastic I suppose I could float back!.

posted on 23/9/11

Anyone of experience of business at a senior level would initially have sympathy with Bates' approach. There’s a lot of clubs that are led by people who behave more like fans than businessmen and it always ends in tears - that might even have happened to us in the past, I could not possibly comment

So the initial stance of financial probity rang a chord with me, I did not have any problem at all with it. And I had some great times in our first season in L1, too.

But there comes a point when cred is exhausted and you stop believing. I reached that point over a period that started when we sold Delph and which has continued to now.

Initially the Delph sale was just a slight crack in the facade, the earthquake occurred when we failed to do anything to try to cement promotion last January, even though every fan knew certain things needed fixing. Its got worse still since - I won't detail my reasons. For me the general concerns are:
1. judging on actions not words, we have not looked like an organisation bent on maximising the chances of footballing success
2. the PR going with this has been appalling, in numerous ways I don't want to detail

I won't pay to support this, and thats not just words. I have taken specific actions to reduce to a negligible level any of my cash heading to Leeds current ownership. I can still get to away games under this approach.

What will this result in? Well, I think I read Bates was at Chelsea 20+ years, so I don't expect him to disappear sometime soon. With me its a point of principle, I won't support something financially if I don't understand the motivation and direction of those leading it.

Just possibly it might have an effect on Bates if enough people feel the same and act the same, thats up to others, I am just doing what feels best to me.

What about the concern if people don't pay, the club and team will suffer? Well, two answers: first, we've paid "premiership prices" for a while now and what good has that done? Second, if it does, so be it. Leeds will survive as a footballing franchise, come what may, I am certain of that.

For the avoidance of doubt, I think Bates has done nothing wrong, he is perfectly entitled to run the club he owns like this. That’s his choice to make. I wouldn’t run it as he has, if I were in his position, and as a humble fan I won’t support the club financially while I perceive what I perceive. That’s MY choice to make. Others can make their own decisions.

and no I don't think I am a plastic, btw. Nor is the OP. And I respect others who will continue to shell out to support their club. Thats their choice to make.

posted on 23/9/11

Stay aways are heros in my book but I think everyone should do what they think is best.
Slowly but surely more are on side.
Clearly Bates is destroying this club.

posted on 23/9/11

Revies Super Leeds

Can one of us be allowed to opt out of being a hero of yours?

Shame you are not one of your own heroes, you went to the Manchester United game didn't you?

comment by Batty (U4664)

posted on 23/9/11

Well said 2020. I agree with you.

I liked Bates during the -15 season. We were all p#@^ed off at the authorities and other clubs at that point. Bates had a lot of cred. Sadly, he has done everything to erode that away. Leaving only a percentage of fans believing he is working in the
best interests of the club.

Bates for me though, comes at football as a property developer first. A loudmouth ego wanting to be heard,
second. And somewhere down the line, concerned
about the team. But, a long way down the line.

People defend him as a businessman. And his right to
run the club as a business as he sees fit. I don't believe that argument applies to football. If he ran Ford Motors the way he runs Leeds, the cars would've got progressively worse over his time. Resulting in
a large loss of sales as people would say "stuff Ford.
I'm buying a Toyota." Consumers aren't loyal like football fans. They can go buy something else.

As football fans, for the most part, we have one club.
Good, bad or indifferent. We can't go support Liverpool
based on our dislike of Bates product. We have no choice in that. So, fans show their displeasure in
Bates product by reducing expenditure in the club
or outright staying away. And some go on as if nothing is wrong.

Bates is responsible for his own undoing. Hopefully,
his time is almost up.

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