Chairman Offers Takeover Update

Scratching Shed 22/9/12
On the back of rubbishing “pub rumours” earning credibility over the four months in which the club has previously only offered 3 statements on its site and a mention in Bates’ programme notes, Leeds’ chairman has offered an update on the takeover:

We’re well advanced with discussions.
There’s a number of finer points to be resolved, but we’re making good progress. We had four of the top people over here for a big meeting on Friday and they are at our game on Saturday.

Bates also said that the Forest game would be interesting because Forest’s Kuwaiti owner would be joined by four Bahrainis, so one would infer all the potential buyers are indeed Bahraini.
Bates, who recently insisted that football fans want everything now, that in the real world it’s not like that, and that business deals take a long time to conclude, conceded:

The negotiation for investment has gone on too long and I think we all know that.

Finally iluminating fans on the reasons for the confidentiality clause which seems to be by now a quarter of a year old at least, Bates said:

The investors have problems because the confidentiality clause we signed was very important to them because they are a banking institution.
Not only can speculation affect their share price, they are also governed by heavy banking regulations.
They also have interests across the Gulf, Asia, and Africa.

Mr Bates also stressed the importance, given the circumstances, of supporting the team:

I think it’s particularly important that if players are having a bad match – in the eyes of the fans – that they support them rather than get on their backs because they’ll only make it worse. As they say, a home crowd is worth a goal and I think it’s about time that fans – especially the Kop – remember that.

He also mentioned loan players “that some people in the crowd don’t like” (Oh, Kenneth, don’t make me quote you on “expensive” loan players who can’t be bothered performing) and how we beat some top teams (with players now no longer at the club, I genuinely don’t know what his point was).
Bates criticised L.U.S.T. for damaging the reputation of the club, and it is interesting on this topic that The Scratching Shed was asked to offer a Leeds fan view of the upcoming match for a Forest blog, receiving a question about “how bad” things had got under Bates, and I received a reply to my submission that included the words “I wouldn’t wish Ken Bates on anyone.” It seems L.U.S.T. aren’t the only ones with a toxic reputation?
Bates also criticised fans on Twitter and forums for giving him personal abuse “which is quite disgraceful.” I wonder how Melvyn Levi is recovering from his harrassment at the hands of Kenneth Bates?
Bates also ranted against the “ignorant, illiterate minority” offering inaccurate updates, and labelled over 8,000 concerned followers of L.U.S.T. “silly”. PR genius he ain’t!
“The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.”