Leeds United Supporters Trust Statement: GFH and the future of LUFC
Leeds United Supporters Trust 24/3/14
Now that the Football League has made its decision on Massimo Cellino's eligiblity to own Leeds United, the board of LUST feel that answers must come quickly about the future of our club.
Our members, and the wider fan base, are understandably concerned about the course the club will now take. When GFH bought the club the fans were promised long-term stability, but little more than a year later Leeds United is again at the centre of a long-running takeover process that is overshadowing every part of the club.
Since the end of November the news has been dominated by GFH's attempts to sell Leeds United, with the result that we find ourselves in March with no sale, and no evidence of a plan B.
It is time for the people who own and run the club to make substantial and concrete statements about what they are going to do now.
While David Haigh has promised in the press that the club will not go into administration, the letter that Gibson Dunn solicitors sent to the Football League last week warned that delays to Cellino's takeover could cause "potentially irreparable damage to the Club," and the fans need to be told as a matter of urgency what this means.
Leeds United Supporters' Trust also request that GFH urgently explain their stance towards other potential buyers following the rejection of Mr Cellino's bid. Everyone is aware that other bidding interest exists, we believe that GFH now need to either meet with all interested parties to discuss the details of their bid, or give clear reasons to concerned supporters why they will not even consider bids many believe would move the club in the right direction.
Finally, the board of LUST call on the Football League to say what they are going to do to safeguard the future of one of their members. Against the backdrop of mounting debts, and a current owner who appears to only want to engage with one prospective buyer, the Football League has clearly stated it will not accept the application of that buyer. Where does that leave Leeds United? In the spirit of their new financial fair play regulations and given that the Football League will have seen the more recent financial information than anyone else, we hope that they have fully considered their duty of care to Leeds United as a member club. We trust that they will be doing everything within their power to ensure the financial situation at Leeds United is stable and sustainable.
Now that the Football League has made its decision on Massimo Cellino's eligiblity to own Leeds United, the board of LUST feel that answers must come quickly about the future of our club.
Our members, and the wider fan base, are understandably concerned about the course the club will now take. When GFH bought the club the fans were promised long-term stability, but little more than a year later Leeds United is again at the centre of a long-running takeover process that is overshadowing every part of the club.
Since the end of November the news has been dominated by GFH's attempts to sell Leeds United, with the result that we find ourselves in March with no sale, and no evidence of a plan B.
It is time for the people who own and run the club to make substantial and concrete statements about what they are going to do now.
While David Haigh has promised in the press that the club will not go into administration, the letter that Gibson Dunn solicitors sent to the Football League last week warned that delays to Cellino's takeover could cause "potentially irreparable damage to the Club," and the fans need to be told as a matter of urgency what this means.
Leeds United Supporters' Trust also request that GFH urgently explain their stance towards other potential buyers following the rejection of Mr Cellino's bid. Everyone is aware that other bidding interest exists, we believe that GFH now need to either meet with all interested parties to discuss the details of their bid, or give clear reasons to concerned supporters why they will not even consider bids many believe would move the club in the right direction.
Finally, the board of LUST call on the Football League to say what they are going to do to safeguard the future of one of their members. Against the backdrop of mounting debts, and a current owner who appears to only want to engage with one prospective buyer, the Football League has clearly stated it will not accept the application of that buyer. Where does that leave Leeds United? In the spirit of their new financial fair play regulations and given that the Football League will have seen the more recent financial information than anyone else, we hope that they have fully considered their duty of care to Leeds United as a member club. We trust that they will be doing everything within their power to ensure the financial situation at Leeds United is stable and sustainable.
