What is the story with Leeds?

gosplan

So their attendance seems to be consistently high. Their average is even 10k plus per week more than the majority of the championship clubs?

What's their problem then?

How come they're never really close to making it count?

Do they still have financial obligations hanging over then or something?

Lamper.sffc

gosplan wrote: »

So their attendance seems to be consistently high. Their average is even 10k plus per week more than the majority of the championship clubs?

What's their problem then?

How come they're never really close to making it count?

Do they still have financial obligations hanging over then or something?

Ken Bates. (gone now though)

Thread;)

Dozen Wicked Words

Success isn't decided by attendance. Wouldn't have a clue what percentage of their income is through the gate, but think it's probably a lot less important these days.

G.K.

T'was Ken Bates. Now he's gone and we have a competent manager in, I'd like to thing we could start climbing. However the squad/team's a good 4-5 players away from being promotion standard imo.

Neil3030

Can anyone give a tl:dr on exactly what Bates did to shag things up for Leeds?

JokerD

Football is all about money these days, the richer the owner you've got, success usually follows in some capacity. We spent £1m on a transfer fee this close season for the first time since we signed Richard Cresswell 7 years ago. When you've got teams just getting promoted and spending more money than you then it's worrying. I seen Bournemouth signed a striker for around £2.5m which is more than all our signings combined;
Noel Hunt....free
Mat Smith....free
Luke Murphy...believed to be around £1m
Scott Wootton...also believed tt be around £1m.

That's not to say a free transfer can't be as good as a big money signing, that would be a ridiculous comment, just a point to show money comparisons.

Even though relegated teams don't always flourish in the championship, they all still get parachute payments. Blackburn probably spent more on Jordan Rhodes that we've done in years.

The new owners it seems are willing to sell a majority share in us if the right investor comes along, we're openly looking for investment. The owners have done a lot of good but as it stands we're unsure of the funds available. They've put down a sort of 3 year plan for promotion and their investment will be spread out seemingly.

It wasn't so long ago that we were well ahead of Norwich in League One and since then look what they've done and on the way signed 4 of our players, including two captains.

Fortunately we've got some great youngsters coming through but unless promotion comes soon then they'll probably be off with the lure of the Prem.
It's money, money, money. It is possible to have a good season without spending a fortune but the top teams last season haven't been shy in the transfer department throughout the years.
Cardiff....spent plenty
Hull...spent plenty
Watford...utilised the loan system massively
Brighton...spent plenty
Palace...possibly the smallest budget at a guess
Leicester...spent plenty

It's my opinion that you need to strike while the iron is hot in the championship. It's very hard to build a side as the vultures will be in for them. You're left with a rebuilding scenario. It's possible to get a great season without spending a fortune but a big squad helps especially with players that have been there and done it. I would never lose hope just because someone has spent more money than us because it's 11v11 at any game, the fact is you can be left behind when trying to rebuild and we've had to do that. Also it's not a coincidence that the big championship spenders are up there, just like the Prem and probably most divisions.

quarryman

gosplan wrote: »

So their attendance seems to be consistently high. Their average is even 10k plus per week more than the majority of the championship clubs?

Higher than a few of the Premier League ones too.

We'll be back, Bates has just delayed our inevitable return...

oldyouth

It's family business OP, move along now.............

Lamper.sffc

This might help explain a bit too

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xukom8_who-owns-leeds-united-bbc-full-programme_news

Would like to see Leeds back in the top division.

Used to enjoy their games v Utd from a fans rivilary point of view

StephenHendry

i think we have a great chance of getting promoted. we've made a decent start this season, we just need to avoid going on our usual bad run which has happened in the last 3 seasons. still think brian mcdermott will need another season to get us back up, im always optimistic of our chances

greendom

Was the problem created more by Risdale/O'Leary than Bates? Bates may have some blame to be laid at his door, but surely the majority belongs to the former regime ?

Did Bates not help stop Leeds going out of existence altogether though?

slingerz

would be great to see leads back in the prem again as theyre a big side and always create a good atomsphere at the games. they would definitely add more than some of the teams that are up there

Zaph

greendom wrote: »

Was the problem created more by Risdale/O'Leary than Bates? Bates may have some blame to be laid at his door, but surely the majority belongs to the former regime ?

Deleted User wrote: »

Did Bates not help stop Leeds going out of existence altogether though?

Ridsdale got Leeds to the point where they needed Bates to bail the club out (O'Leary just asked for the players, Ridsdale was the person signing the cheques who could have said no). So while Bates deserves credit for saving the club, the problem is that he later viewed it as his own personal ATM. A case in point is the transfer of Fabian Delph to Aston Villa. The fee was generally believed to be £6m up front, with add-ons possibly taking it up to £8m. This money was supposedly to be used to buy back Thorp Arch, Leeds' training ground which was sold by a previous regime when the club was in serious need of cash. Unsurprisingly, this plan never came to fruition, but it was interesting that not long afterwards Ken Bates' apartment in Monaco got a multi-million pound facelift. Probably just a coincidence...

Zaph

Zaph wrote: »

Ridsdale got Leeds to the point where they needed Bates to bail the club out (O'Leary just asked for the players, Ridsdale was the person signing the cheques who could have said no). So while Bates deserves credit for saving the club, the problem is that he later viewed it as his own personal ATM. A case in point is the transfer of Fabian Delph to Aston Villa. The fee was generally believed to be £6m up front, with add-ons possibly taking it up to £8m. This money was supposedly to be used to buy back Thorp Arch, Leeds' training ground which was sold by a previous regime when the club was in serious need of cash. Unsurprisingly, this plan never came to fruition, but it was interesting that not long afterwards Ken Bates' apartment in Monaco got a multi-million pound facelift. Probably just a coincidence...

Fair enough he was corrupt but the fact reminds you probably wouldn't have a club to support now if he didn't do what he did.

Zaph

Deleted User wrote: »

Fair enough he was corrupt but the fact reminds you probably wouldn't have a club to support now if he didn't do what he did.

I think every Leeds fan accepts this, and is grateful for what he did. However his vision for the club never matched his actions, and when the club's best players were being sold off and replaced with journeymen and loanees season after season, the goodwill he built up for himself in the early days was never going to last. It was hard to see the club ever progressing as long as he stayed in charge, and ultimately that's what every owner should want for his club. Bates apparently didn't.

G.K.

Zaph has nailed it.

punk77

Zaph wrote: »

Ridsdale got Leeds to the point where they needed Bates to bail the club out (O'Leary just asked for the players, Ridsdale was the person signing the cheques who could have said no). So while Bates deserves credit for saving the club, the problem is that he later viewed it as his own personal ATM. A case in point is the transfer of Fabian Delph to Aston Villa. The fee was generally believed to be £6m up front, with add-ons possibly taking it up to £8m. This money was supposedly to be used to buy back Thorp Arch, Leeds' training ground which was sold by a previous regime when the club was in serious need of cash. Unsurprisingly, this plan never came to fruition, but it was interesting that not long afterwards Ken Bates' apartment in Monaco got a multi-million pound facelift. Probably just a coincidence...

But sure in Bates' own words he never, ever, even took a wage out of the club :pac:

punk77

Deleted User wrote: »

Did Bates not help stop Leeds going out of existence altogether though?

There were other options at the time but Bates told bigger and better lies. Anyway, what would we fans know. Afterall, we're all just 'morons' (according to Ken).

I'm not saying any of you are morons at all, I quite like Leeds but I don't think it is far to really have a go at Bates when he literally saved you from going in to history. He was corrupt yeah but Jesus who isn't in football these days.

punk77

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not saying any of you are morons at all, I quite like Leeds but I don't think it is far to really have a go at Bates when he literally saved you from going in to history. He was corrupt yeah but Jesus who isn't in football these days.

Unless you're, in fact, Ken Bates then I didn't say you called us 'morons'. Bates DID.
Also, unless you're a Leeds fan and, over the last 8yrs have suffered under the burden of Bates' regime, then I don't expect you to understand how we have every right to have a go at the man.
BTW, there are plenty of Leeds fans who would agree with your view. I'm not one of them.