Leeds United miss wages payment to players
Yorkshire Evening Post 28/3/14
by Phil Hay
Leeds United have missed payment of wages to their players, the Yorkshire Evening Post has learned.
General staff at Elland Road received their salaries for March as expected this morning but the playing squad at Leeds were not paid as scheduled.
The worrying development comes after a week of arguments between club owner Gulf Finance House and prospective buyer Massimo Cellino over who should fund this month’s wage bill.
The Professional Footballers’ Association, the players union, had been in touch with the squad at Leeds in the past 48 hours amid fears that the wage bill would not be met.
United’s players are now expected to receive part payment today with the remainder of the money arriving after Cellino’s appeal against the Football League’s decision to reject his takeover is heard next week.
Gordon Taylor, the PFA’s chief executive, told the YEP: “The club are meeting the players this morning to try and reassure everyone.
“They’re talking about part payment today with with the rest of the wages paid subject to how the appeal’s process goes.
“Whilst you’re never happy to see this situation, we’re hopeful of seeing the situation resolved.”
Taylor said the PFA had a benevolent fund which had been used in the past to temporarily pay the wages of players at clubs in financial crisis but he said: “That’s a last resort. It’s a recourse for us to use but we’re not at that stage yet.”
by Phil Hay
Leeds United have missed payment of wages to their players, the Yorkshire Evening Post has learned.
General staff at Elland Road received their salaries for March as expected this morning but the playing squad at Leeds were not paid as scheduled.
The worrying development comes after a week of arguments between club owner Gulf Finance House and prospective buyer Massimo Cellino over who should fund this month’s wage bill.
The Professional Footballers’ Association, the players union, had been in touch with the squad at Leeds in the past 48 hours amid fears that the wage bill would not be met.
United’s players are now expected to receive part payment today with the remainder of the money arriving after Cellino’s appeal against the Football League’s decision to reject his takeover is heard next week.
Gordon Taylor, the PFA’s chief executive, told the YEP: “The club are meeting the players this morning to try and reassure everyone.
“They’re talking about part payment today with with the rest of the wages paid subject to how the appeal’s process goes.
“Whilst you’re never happy to see this situation, we’re hopeful of seeing the situation resolved.”
Taylor said the PFA had a benevolent fund which had been used in the past to temporarily pay the wages of players at clubs in financial crisis but he said: “That’s a last resort. It’s a recourse for us to use but we’re not at that stage yet.”
