Leeds United Supporters’ Trust has described as ‘unacceptable’ comments by club chairman Ken Bates describing a section of the club’s supporters as ‘morons’ in his programme notes after they had called for more investment in the playing budget.
Leeds United Supporters’ Trust has described as ‘unacceptable’ comments by club chairman Ken Bates describing a section of the club’s supporters as ‘morons’ in his programme notes after they had called for more investment in the playing budget.
Meanwhile, questions about the club’s ownership structure remain unanswered. It was only the result of parliamentary pressure that it was learnt that Bates had taken a 70 per cent controlling interest in Leeds in May from a group of offshore trusts that had run the club since 2007. He continues to claim that he did not know the people behind these trusts despite being chairman during that period.
Bates originally bought Leeds in 2005 before Forward Sports Fund – made up of three offshore trusts – took the club out of administration in 2007 and appointed Bates chairman. Bates says the matter is closed since purchasing FSF via his own offshore company Outro Ltd. for an undisclosed sum. He also argues fans would not care if a Saddam Hussein-type figure owned the club as long as the team was winning.
Conservative MP Damian Collins argues that it is wrong to say that fans don’t care who owns a club because it is the fans who are let down along with local businesses and the community if a club goes into administration. If the identity of a club owner is unknown one does not know if they are involved in another club and a fit and proper person test cannot be applied.
Bates has made it clear that he is not going anywhere soon and the Monte Carlo-based tax exile is probably not too bothered by the protests in Leeds.