Taken from the end of Yorkshire Radio’s interview with Leeds United’s current owner Ken Bates today…
Ben Fry: Chairman, can we finish with an update on the investment? Is there anything you can tell us?
Ken Bates: Well I’d like to Ben but as I’ve said before the confidentiality agreement, which seems to be a bit one-sided, it makes it difficult to say anything. Of course the stuff that’s coming out now from the Gulf, some from GFH itself but a lot more from the fringe and the press and the media out there, is a little bit confusing. The real problem is, I think their lawyers – because this is pretty straightforward deal by anybody’s standards, and I’ve done 100s of deals in my time – and I don’t know what the delay is. The problem to me is they appear to be making complications when there’s no need to do so. I understand the *inaudible* is 171 pages long. I don’t know what they’ve put in it and they’re moving at a very slow rate. And I question whether they realise that they’re not acting in their clients’ best interests. I know GFH want to complete a deal and we are happy to do a deal with them but when last minute extra things are slipped in, it makes things difficult because you think that’s not in the heads of terms so why is it in? They can’t give you an answer and I think, as is the case with lawyers, they do act on their own initiative rather than just following up their clients’ instructions. I did a deal on another matter last week – nothing to do with Leeds United – and the whole thing was reduced to one sheet of paper once we knew what we were doing and that was it. It went to the lawyers, the sheet came back two days later and it had been signed. By GFH’s standard’s this isn’t a very big deal and I don’t know what the delay is. All I can say to the fans is… don’t blame me!
The inaudible is “share purchase” is 171 pages long.
You’ve just got to admire Ben Fry’s penetrating interview style. He’s never afraid to ask the probing question, and let’s face it there’s nothing the Chairman loves more than being probed and penetrated.
BATES’ LEGACY: – A penniless and talentless football club – Eight years of waste, under achievement, incompetance, lies and humiliation.
I’m sure everyone’s got their own horror stories, but here’s my top (bottom) five moments from 2005: -
19/02/05 Wigan 3 Leeds 0
05/04/05 Leeds 0 Sheff Utd 4
24/09/05 Leeds 0 Ipswich 2
13/09/05 Sheff Wed 1 Leeds 0
01/11/05 Crewe 1 Leeds 0
Here’s six of the best (worst) moments from 2006: -
21/05/06 Leeds 0 Watord 3 (Play-Off Final)
13/09/06 Leeds 0 Sunderland 3
14/10/06 Leeds 0 Stoke 4
21/10/06 Luton 5 Leeds 1
31/10/06 Preston 4 Leeds 1
18/11/06 Leeds 0 Southampton 3
Here’s my top (bottom) five moments from 2007: -
03/03/07 Leeds 2 Sheff Wed 3
06/05/07 Derby 2 Leeds 0 (goodbye Championship)
13/11/07 Leeds 1 Bury 2 (JPT North QF)
20/11/07 Leeds 0 Hereford 1 (FAC 1st Rnd Replay)
25/11/07 Cheltenham 1 Leeds 0
Here’s my super (sh*t) seven moments from 2008: -
19/01/08 Leeds 0 Doncaster 1
11/03/08 Leeds 1 Cheltenham 2
15/04/08 Huddersfield 1 Leeds 0
25/05/08 Leeds 0 Doncaster 1 (Play-Off final)
08/10/08 Rotherham 4 Leeds 2 (JPT)
15/11/08 Leeds 1 Huddersfield 2
30/11/08 Histon 1 Leeds 0 (FA Cup 2nd Rnd)
Here’s my top (bottom) five moments from 2009: -
10/01/09 Leeds 0 Carlisle 2
31/01/09 Walsall 1 Leeds 0
14/02/09 Huddersfield 1 Leeds 0
17/02/09 Hereford 2 Leeds 0 (We’re sh*t & we’re sick of it)
14/05/09 Leeds 1 Millwall 2 aggregate (Play-Off Semi)
Here’s my super (sh*t) seven moments from 2010: -
26/01/10 Swindon 3 Leeds 0 (Billy Paynter scores twice!)
16/02/10 Leeds 1 Walsall 2
22/03/10 Leeds 0 Millwall 2
03/04/10 Leeds 0 Swindon 3 (Billy Paynter scores twice – again!)
14/09/10 Barnsley 5 Leeds 2
28/09/10 Leeds 4 Preston 6 (chubby Jon Parkin scores 4!)
25/10/10 Leeds 0 Cardiff 4
Here’s my super (sh*t) seven moments from 2011: -
26/02/11 Swansea 3 Leeds 0
19/03/11 Sheff Utd 2 Leeds 0
06/08/11 Southampton 3 Leeds 1 (opening day misery)
20/09/11 Leeds 0 Man Utd Reserves 3 (Lge Cup)
02/11/11 Leeds 0 Blackpool 5
26/11/11 Leeds 1 Barnsley 2
31/12/11 Barnsley 4 Leeds 1
Here’s my top (bottom) five moments from 2012: -
31/01/12 Leeds 1 Birmingham 4 (Zigic scores 4)
20/03/12 Leeds 3 Notts Forest 7 (McClearey scores 4!)
31/03/12 Leeds 0 Watford 2
09/04/12 Leeds 0 Derby 2
10/11/12 Leeds 1 Watford 6
Parasite Bates hasn’t saved our club – he’s destroyed it. He may be leaving soon, with his pockets stuffed with millions, but hopefully he won’t live long to enjoy it.