LUST on the Radio
Transcript of the latest interview with Gary Cooper (Chairman of Leeds United Supporters Trust) with Katherine Hannah on West Yorkshire Sport, BBC Radio Leeds 25/07/2012
KH: The Leeds United Supporters Trust has again called on the club to be told what is happening particularly in terms of the takeover. So let's get more from the Leeds United Supporters Trust now and talk to Gary Cooper who represents them, good evening Gary
GC: Evening Katherine
KH: Just again, so many questions and so few answers, what is happening with the takeover what do you know?
GC: Excellent question, one we're asking ourselves of both the club and the prospective new buyers. We would really like to hear something, anything at all, just that acknowledges that the deal is ongoing, that things are moving on. I think what has been really disappointing about this whole deal, and we appreciate the need for confidentiality and appreciate the due process and all the rest of it, but one of the main issues that we've had to deal with over the last few years is the fact that the club has seemingly not been interested in engaging with its fans in a way that we feel it should do. Now we've had this long takeover process and it still feels the same. It would be really nice to just have some acknowledgement, not even on a daily basis, just every couple of weeks let the club say to the fans things are still ongoing stop worrying. (With) the fans there's a frenzy out there at the moment for information and again a long hard suffering close season for the supporters of Leeds United when there really doesn't have to be.
KH: A question that keeps coming round and around, how confident are you that this takeover is ever going to happen? Have you got anything to suggest that it's just not dead in the water?
GC: No we have nothing to suggest that at all. Quite the opposite. Our contact with the buyers have suggested that it's moving ever closer. Of course that sounds obvious, every day that goes by I imagine it would be moving ever closer.
KH: What's holding it up then, that's what I don't understand?
GC: A very good question, our contact with the buyers has told us that as far as they're concerned everything's done at their end. The deal's agreed, the money's there, as far as they're concerned all the paperwork's in place it's just a question now of signing it and we honestly don't know what is holding this up.
KH: The Robert Snodgrass situation is causing so much concern for a lot of fans he is widely expected to become a Premier league player, and likely to go to Norwich. In your view what does his expected possible departure say about the state of things at Elland Road? Because many fans thought that, well, look this takeover, when it goes through will be enough to keep him now it looks as though he's leaving.
GC: I think it speaks absolute volumes Katherine. Robert's been quite vocal in the past he raised his concerns at the end of last season with regards the sale of Johnny Howson, again to Norwich. He raised his concerns with the board last summer and was made certain assurances and promises which certainly didn't come to fruition and a few weeks ago, when we released a players statement, Robert was a player who expressed his desire to let the fans know that he shared our ambition that he wanted to captain Leeds United to and promotion to the Premier League. I feel strongly that Mr. Warnock has done has much as he can to hold on to Robert's services, I know that the incoming buyers wanted to hold on to Robert's services so therefore the deal lies with Robert and the incumbent owners. If the incumbent owners are accepting of a fee and Robert is willing to discuss that with the club that are making the offer then it tells me that Roberts patience has run out and this club is still willing to be a selling club.
KH: Is it a lack of patience on his part though or do we have to accept that his head has been turned by an opportunity to play in the Premier League with former colleagues, so many people are saying that Leeds have turned into a feeder club for Norwich, he's got ambitions as a player so is it a money thing or an ambition thing rather than a lack of takeover happening?
GC: We have close contacts with people connected very closely with Robert Snodgrass and I have to tell you, in my opinion, the money is completely irrelevant, I may be wrong (I’ve been wrong in the past) but that's my opinion. I think what Robert wanted to see was ambition, I think he made that clear, he certainly made it clear to us as a Trust when we communicated the players concerns a month or two back and I don't think that money is an issue. What I fear most of all, and I think would be the sad thing, not for Leeds united, but for Robert and Johnny and Bradley Johnson is I fear that at the end of this season we're going to wave at them as they come down into the championship and Leeds United return to the Premiership. How sad would that be that the club hasn't had the vision to hold onto those players long enough for that to happen. To offer them the same kind of ambitious future that Norwich are obviously offering, and yes Robert's head has been turned of course it has, it's the Premier League.
KH: But in terms of talking about ambition Leeds have signed quite a few players, which in itself is quite unusual over the past few days, I don't wish to be disrespectful to those signings, I haven't seen them play in a Leeds shirt you have to bide your time and see how they get on. But when Leeds are signing ex-Portsmouth players, David Norris signing today, along with Jason Pearce, Jamie Ashdown and Luke Varney, the criticism is that are we becoming a the new Portsmouth in a way? Are those signings enough of a show of ambition to keep the better players like Robert Snodgrass?
GC: Somebody suggested it would be a good idea for Norwich should cut out the middle man and just go straight to Portsmouth in the future. It's almost an ironic take on the situation. I don't want to criticise any of the players that are coming in, I think the players that are coming in are going to improve the squad. But, Katherine, Neil Warnock made it very clear to us at the end of the season, we had a poor end to the season and Neil made it clear the first team needed wholesale changes. What my concern is that are the players we are bringing in going to provide that quality and change that's needed in the first team? Yes, they improve the squad but it's the first team that are lacking not the squad.
KH: Finally then Gary, I follow lots of Leeds supporters on Twitter and as always with anything like this you get varying themes on social media. There a lot of fans who regard the Leeds United Supporters Trust with some scepticism and I'm sure you have seen many tweets and messages saying you don't know anything, this is a load of cobblers. What would you say to reassure them?
GC: There's nothing I can say to reassure some people, Katherine, in all honesty, the Trust comes in for an awful lot of criticism and I think a lot of that is our own fault. We've been the only body connected with Leeds United this close season that have been willing to put our head above the parapet and try and keep the supporters informed as much as we can. The bottom line is this, one day this takeover will go through, one day the full story and the truth will be told. On that day I would very much like to meet and shake the hands of the people who have criticised, not believed and welcome them as members of the Trust to the truth and the new world at Leeds United. I don't want fans divided, I never have done it's not the aim of the Trust to divide fans it's the aim of the trust to bring fans together. I'd like those fans in the future, once the full story's told, to have the decency to come forward and say, “fair enough, we were wrong”.
KH: Always good to talk to you Gary, thank you for coming on the programme this evening.
GC: No problem Katherine, thank you.
KH: All the best now. That's Gary Cooper, who represents the Leeds United Supporters Trust.
KH: The Leeds United Supporters Trust has again called on the club to be told what is happening particularly in terms of the takeover. So let's get more from the Leeds United Supporters Trust now and talk to Gary Cooper who represents them, good evening Gary
GC: Evening Katherine
KH: Just again, so many questions and so few answers, what is happening with the takeover what do you know?
GC: Excellent question, one we're asking ourselves of both the club and the prospective new buyers. We would really like to hear something, anything at all, just that acknowledges that the deal is ongoing, that things are moving on. I think what has been really disappointing about this whole deal, and we appreciate the need for confidentiality and appreciate the due process and all the rest of it, but one of the main issues that we've had to deal with over the last few years is the fact that the club has seemingly not been interested in engaging with its fans in a way that we feel it should do. Now we've had this long takeover process and it still feels the same. It would be really nice to just have some acknowledgement, not even on a daily basis, just every couple of weeks let the club say to the fans things are still ongoing stop worrying. (With) the fans there's a frenzy out there at the moment for information and again a long hard suffering close season for the supporters of Leeds United when there really doesn't have to be.
KH: A question that keeps coming round and around, how confident are you that this takeover is ever going to happen? Have you got anything to suggest that it's just not dead in the water?
GC: No we have nothing to suggest that at all. Quite the opposite. Our contact with the buyers have suggested that it's moving ever closer. Of course that sounds obvious, every day that goes by I imagine it would be moving ever closer.
KH: What's holding it up then, that's what I don't understand?
GC: A very good question, our contact with the buyers has told us that as far as they're concerned everything's done at their end. The deal's agreed, the money's there, as far as they're concerned all the paperwork's in place it's just a question now of signing it and we honestly don't know what is holding this up.
KH: The Robert Snodgrass situation is causing so much concern for a lot of fans he is widely expected to become a Premier league player, and likely to go to Norwich. In your view what does his expected possible departure say about the state of things at Elland Road? Because many fans thought that, well, look this takeover, when it goes through will be enough to keep him now it looks as though he's leaving.
GC: I think it speaks absolute volumes Katherine. Robert's been quite vocal in the past he raised his concerns at the end of last season with regards the sale of Johnny Howson, again to Norwich. He raised his concerns with the board last summer and was made certain assurances and promises which certainly didn't come to fruition and a few weeks ago, when we released a players statement, Robert was a player who expressed his desire to let the fans know that he shared our ambition that he wanted to captain Leeds United to and promotion to the Premier League. I feel strongly that Mr. Warnock has done has much as he can to hold on to Robert's services, I know that the incoming buyers wanted to hold on to Robert's services so therefore the deal lies with Robert and the incumbent owners. If the incumbent owners are accepting of a fee and Robert is willing to discuss that with the club that are making the offer then it tells me that Roberts patience has run out and this club is still willing to be a selling club.
KH: Is it a lack of patience on his part though or do we have to accept that his head has been turned by an opportunity to play in the Premier League with former colleagues, so many people are saying that Leeds have turned into a feeder club for Norwich, he's got ambitions as a player so is it a money thing or an ambition thing rather than a lack of takeover happening?
GC: We have close contacts with people connected very closely with Robert Snodgrass and I have to tell you, in my opinion, the money is completely irrelevant, I may be wrong (I’ve been wrong in the past) but that's my opinion. I think what Robert wanted to see was ambition, I think he made that clear, he certainly made it clear to us as a Trust when we communicated the players concerns a month or two back and I don't think that money is an issue. What I fear most of all, and I think would be the sad thing, not for Leeds united, but for Robert and Johnny and Bradley Johnson is I fear that at the end of this season we're going to wave at them as they come down into the championship and Leeds United return to the Premiership. How sad would that be that the club hasn't had the vision to hold onto those players long enough for that to happen. To offer them the same kind of ambitious future that Norwich are obviously offering, and yes Robert's head has been turned of course it has, it's the Premier League.
KH: But in terms of talking about ambition Leeds have signed quite a few players, which in itself is quite unusual over the past few days, I don't wish to be disrespectful to those signings, I haven't seen them play in a Leeds shirt you have to bide your time and see how they get on. But when Leeds are signing ex-Portsmouth players, David Norris signing today, along with Jason Pearce, Jamie Ashdown and Luke Varney, the criticism is that are we becoming a the new Portsmouth in a way? Are those signings enough of a show of ambition to keep the better players like Robert Snodgrass?
GC: Somebody suggested it would be a good idea for Norwich should cut out the middle man and just go straight to Portsmouth in the future. It's almost an ironic take on the situation. I don't want to criticise any of the players that are coming in, I think the players that are coming in are going to improve the squad. But, Katherine, Neil Warnock made it very clear to us at the end of the season, we had a poor end to the season and Neil made it clear the first team needed wholesale changes. What my concern is that are the players we are bringing in going to provide that quality and change that's needed in the first team? Yes, they improve the squad but it's the first team that are lacking not the squad.
KH: Finally then Gary, I follow lots of Leeds supporters on Twitter and as always with anything like this you get varying themes on social media. There a lot of fans who regard the Leeds United Supporters Trust with some scepticism and I'm sure you have seen many tweets and messages saying you don't know anything, this is a load of cobblers. What would you say to reassure them?
GC: There's nothing I can say to reassure some people, Katherine, in all honesty, the Trust comes in for an awful lot of criticism and I think a lot of that is our own fault. We've been the only body connected with Leeds United this close season that have been willing to put our head above the parapet and try and keep the supporters informed as much as we can. The bottom line is this, one day this takeover will go through, one day the full story and the truth will be told. On that day I would very much like to meet and shake the hands of the people who have criticised, not believed and welcome them as members of the Trust to the truth and the new world at Leeds United. I don't want fans divided, I never have done it's not the aim of the Trust to divide fans it's the aim of the trust to bring fans together. I'd like those fans in the future, once the full story's told, to have the decency to come forward and say, “fair enough, we were wrong”.
KH: Always good to talk to you Gary, thank you for coming on the programme this evening.
GC: No problem Katherine, thank you.
KH: All the best now. That's Gary Cooper, who represents the Leeds United Supporters Trust.
