Leeds United fans protest against Ken Bates as Elland Road takeover saga drags on
Sky 19/9/12
By Adam Battensby
A section of Leeds United supporters have urged owner Ken Bates to "do the decent thing" and sell the club.
An estimated 300 fans staged a sustained protest against chairman Bates both before and during their 3-2 Championship defeat to Yorkshire rivals Hull City.
Many supporters have become increasingly concerned over the apparent lack of investment in the club with little news coming out of Elland Road regarding a possible takeover.
The club announced in June they had entered an exclusivity period with potential investors but the situation remains unresolved with Leeds only releasing a statement to confirm that the exclusivity period had ended but talks remain on going.
Bates used his programme notes ahead of the Hull City clash to refer to the prospects of a takeover and said: "The current situation is that as I write, the appropriate documents have not been finalised between the lawyers."
But that did little to appease the protesters who gathered outside the entrance to the chairman's new executive box in the East Stand, waving banners and chanting against him.
Cooper said: "The protest is simply a message to Mr Bates; if you cannot or are unwilling to match our ambition for the club then do the decent thing and sell to those who are."
He added: "The takeover saga has continued for over 100 days and patience is running out."
There have been numerous similar protests organised by Leeds fans in the past year, including the 'pen4ken' campaign that originated on Twitter. Hundreds of pens were sent to Elland Road addressed to Bates to assist him in the signing of the necessary documents to complete the takeover.
By Adam Battensby
A section of Leeds United supporters have urged owner Ken Bates to "do the decent thing" and sell the club.
An estimated 300 fans staged a sustained protest against chairman Bates both before and during their 3-2 Championship defeat to Yorkshire rivals Hull City.
Many supporters have become increasingly concerned over the apparent lack of investment in the club with little news coming out of Elland Road regarding a possible takeover.
The club announced in June they had entered an exclusivity period with potential investors but the situation remains unresolved with Leeds only releasing a statement to confirm that the exclusivity period had ended but talks remain on going.
Bates used his programme notes ahead of the Hull City clash to refer to the prospects of a takeover and said: "The current situation is that as I write, the appropriate documents have not been finalised between the lawyers."
But that did little to appease the protesters who gathered outside the entrance to the chairman's new executive box in the East Stand, waving banners and chanting against him.
"The protest is simply a message to Mr Bates; if you cannot or are unwilling to match our ambition for the club then do the decent thing and sell to those who are"Gary Cooper, chairman of the Leeds United Supporter's Trust (LUST) said the fans want to show the current owner they are not happy with the way the club is being run and they want ambitious change.
Gary Cooper of LUST Quotes of the week
Cooper said: "The protest is simply a message to Mr Bates; if you cannot or are unwilling to match our ambition for the club then do the decent thing and sell to those who are."
He added: "The takeover saga has continued for over 100 days and patience is running out."
There have been numerous similar protests organised by Leeds fans in the past year, including the 'pen4ken' campaign that originated on Twitter. Hundreds of pens were sent to Elland Road addressed to Bates to assist him in the signing of the necessary documents to complete the takeover.
