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Should you or I stay away from Elland Road?

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posted on 4/9/12

......... I'm not biting, Horsforth!

posted on 4/9/12

gelderd any excuse

posted on 4/9/12

Why ever not Champers?

posted on 4/9/12

I've already been burned trying the solo WUM thing on other teams boards mate so it's all peace and love from here on in!

Take it you're in the against Grayson corner though? I can only say he has impressed me so far, improved the team mentality from the depressing 'play for the draw' era of Leek Lark. Spent well too, all the new signings making a positive impression. That Clayton lad can play

Seriously though, I know your fans seem to have been less than impressed with his moves in the loan market and have been warning us for a while. Fact is though, now clubs know we have the Rhodes cash, getting a decent player at a fair price is nigh on impossible so a quick fix loan is our only realistic option.

I don't think he was backed well at Leeds, Bates certainly isn't in the same league as Dean Hoyle as a chairman or a person, and I do believe that if he had the resources things would be a lot different. So far he has spent wisely on good players and the future looks as bright as it has for a long time for us.

posted on 4/9/12

i sincerley hope he is gone very soon, although im losing patience with this T/O....but i will be back at ER as soon as he is, and hopefully the cloud will be removed over it as atmospheres have been poor for a while due to all the negativity!

Did i mention we are in recession too? and friends getting married half way across the world AND a missus who wants holidays....Bates has given me an easy decision this year re: ER....away trips only!

posted on 4/9/12

tuscany, you say Bates will take us back into admin if we boycott?
Surely that is his is worst nightmare as he wont sell a massive asset worth millions

posted on 4/9/12

RSL, I didn;t say that, I said it is a possibility..... and if nobody goes to games what choice will he have? sell up? - yes, but who wants to buy a club with no fans? - if I was an investor, it apears, I'm not saying it is, but it appears, when Leeds fans are not happy, they sulk and don;t go to games..... what garentees do any investors have if they bought the club from Bates, assuming a mass boycott takes place and ER only gets say 5 thousand fans per home game, that the Leeds fans wouldn't do it again if we didn;t like something they implimented?

not at all saying this is at all likley, but try and look at it from a person's angle who is spending 50 million quid on a business..... it looks as though it's main customers are sulkers, only interested in success...

posted on 4/9/12

tuscany, Leeds United are a massive football club with a massive fan base.
Potential new owners will surely have the brains to work out the fans are only boycotting to get Bates Out.
A mass boycott will only force Bates to take action, that is selling up and indeed lower his demands.
Players cant be sold forever.
Leeds United are rather unique, a big city, only one club and a fan base built up all over the country and beyond due to success in the 60s 70s and 90s

posted on 4/9/12

yes I agree RSL, I really do.... but your are assuming they will realise it is only Bates... and even if they do, would they then think they'll have to walk on egg shells to keep the fans there? - also, again you are assuming they will realise.... rich people spending 50 million (or whatever) don't assume the fans will be back, they don;t assume anything.... thats the reason they have the funds int he first place... to spend 50 million quid, you need garentees RSL....

posted on 4/9/12

Firstly it won't be £50 million if Bates becomes a forced seller.
As for the fan base, even with Bates doing his absolute worst to put the fans off attending ER many are still attending.
Potential at ER is more than at any other in England for the reasons I have stated.

posted on 4/9/12

RSL, - Bates hasn't put any of his own money into club for a start..... makes no odds to him mate, plus he's 80, and he's enough of his own money.

no fans turn up, meaning no income...... he'll sell the better players to replace the shortfalll, we'll get relegated again, and more than likley go into admin.....

RSL, come on eh?

posted on 4/9/12

I repeat the worst nightmare for Bates is admin.
Yes selling players (have we any left to sell?)
will bring relegation even less fans and admin, once again worst nightmare for Bates.

Bates is at ER for cash, he can't scare me as IMO things can't get any worse than Bates and all he brings.

posted on 4/9/12

We were down and out with a crook that said if he doesn't buy us he will liquidate us 5 years ago. Leeds fans dug deep.

Everyone can read fora and see that a chairman with the fans at heart would have 28000 guaranteed if prices were comparable to our closest geographical rival, HUDDERSFIELD and Barnsley

Get him out and the only way to do that is to starve him of his money and then treat the fans respectfully

posted on 4/9/12

I'll never boycott a game.

Like Tusc said, boardroom politics and the actual football shouldn't really mix. He's old, under pressure and will eventually leave.

The people that are responsible for this whole situation are the Football League and FA, who should never have let this man get another football club, especially through his dodgy offshore accounts and the fact that his last club nearly went into admin and that he put Leeds into admin and then was allowed to buy it back.

The fit and proper tests at the FA are shocking.

posted on 4/9/12

What about those people who have now been priced out?

Football was always a working man's game. Now it's a middle class and upper class game.

"I'm alright Jack and screw the poor guy, he's just insignificant anyway"

When you have to decide food and clothes for your kids v watching football, then you may realise how lucky you currently are, and that there are 10,000 out there who wish they were as lucky as you

posted on 4/9/12

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here as we are dealing with a [fill in your own adjective] chairman who marches to his own beat.

I think it is completely uncalled for to categorize people based on whether they choose to go or not.

Everyone has a reason for their choice, which some may not agree with but that is their decision to make.

For me, if you think KB is good for Leeds United, then it is a no brainer and you should continue going.

If you think he is not good for the club, then what can you do to change it? Clearly some feel that the only thing they can do is not buy tickets/spend money that goes to the club.

I personally feel the only way he will go, short of a ridiculous purchase price, is if the club can not continue generating cash.

Given the most recent financing activities, it feels like we are approaching that point, which may result in his departure. Going into admin would not be an option as I believe it would have severe adverse consequences for him and others.

posted on 4/9/12

"and if nobody goes to games what choice will he have? sell up? - yes, but who wants to buy a club with no fans? - if I was an investor, it apears, I'm not saying it is, but it appears, when Leeds fans are not happy, they sulk and don;t go to games"

This seems to assume any buyers would be from a different planet.

Attendances during 3 years in the third division and the slightest clue about what has been going on for the past 7 years and any pottential buyer would know that they are getting a fantastic fanbase that would come flooding back in when they see responsible ownership.

They would also most likely talk to a fan group to get the inside scoop (oh maybe someone has already done that, eh?).

posted on 5/9/12

JLA, you'd think so, but I can't see a buyer yet can you?

posted on 5/9/12

tuscany, when Bates is forced to sell by fan pressure at a fair price then we will see if there are any buyers

posted on 5/9/12

RSL, I just hope you are right....

I just think you are wasting 8 years of your life by not going to ER because of Bates, when you hit those pilry gates mate, don't have any regrets

posted on 5/9/12

never said it was 8 years
As for Bates,dont you thinking knowing the way he is that he is demanding too much from potential new owners.
A struggling club minus of thousands of fans leaves Bates in a much weaker bargaining position.
Never said it would not be painful short term but long term surely its worth it an more

posted on 5/9/12

RSL, honestly I hope your right...

posted on 5/9/12

it will not happen unfortunately until gates drop significantly I would guess

posted on 5/9/12

true RSL, I just worry that it will do us more harm than good.....

posted on 5/9/12

RSL...................can't you give up on this till after we see what happens at the end of this week
All this boycott carp might not be necessary if things go the way we hope.
My personal thoughts on boycotting are well known btw.
Hi Tusc

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