Leeds United Football Club - Plan Is To Get United Back In The Big Time

Plan Is To Get United Back In The Big Time
New Leeds United director David Richmond has revealed that his consortium are extremely confident they can bring back the good times to Elland Road - but is warning it will take time and there may be casualties along the way.
Richmond is part of the six man consortium headed up by new chairman Gerald Krasner that completed the successful takeover of the club on Friday afternoon after eight weeks of negotiations, and he will have a hands on role at the club as the Commercial and Marketing Director.
The new board will outline their plans for United at a 12.00 noon Elland Road press conference today (to be broadcast live on Leedsunited.com), but they have wasted no time in making sure the players and coaching staff are aware of what the future holds, having met with them over the weekend.
Having finally reached a conclusion to the take-over, a massive weight has been lifted off all the members of the consortium.
"It's been unbelievably tense," said Richmond.
"I have been involved in a lot of negotiations for a lot of deals but this has been the hardest I have ever known. The lawyers have been involved and there have been over 100 of them, all described it as the most complex and difficult emotional rollercoaster all of them have ever known.
"To say it's all over, relief is a total understatement. We are all very relieved and happy now."
Richmond explained how the consortium, all of them United supporters, came together.
"We are all clients of Bartfields, Gerald's firm, who have been acting for me on a personal and business basis for the past 15 years, and the rest of the consortium.
"Really it was a conversation that all started as a joke "let's buy Leeds United" and moved to a more serious conversation and then we started discussing how to do it and it gathered momentum and ended with us actually buying the club."
The Yorkshire consortium's plans will be revealed later, but they are confident they will work and the club can move forward, away from the troubles of the past 18 months and once again be a source of pride for the city.
"It's easy to look at something and go right that's the club as it stands today. The club as it stands today clearly doesn't add up, it doesn't add up now and it most probably doesn't in the medium term future, however, we as businessmen believe we have a model that is a little bit different and we are absolutely convinced they will work.
"We have a lot of plans that have been dissected by a many, many people and we believe they will work for the long term betterment of Leeds United.
Success though is something that could take a long time to reach, but the consortium are definitely not just here to make a quick buck - the phrase "asset stripping" doesn't come into it.
Said David: "This is not a short term ride, we have been absolutely slaughtered by the Yorkshire Post, been called asset strippers and everything else. Let us not forget that there are no guarantees in anything you do, things can sometimes can go wrong, however each one of us have put up, between us now we are in for £5m and £5m of personal guarantees, that's £10m in total.
"Not one of us could be classed as a multi-multi millionaire, so it's an awful lot of money, so things can go wrong but we have got our necks on the line if it does go wrong. Our necks are on the line at an enormous level.
"What also has to be borne in mind is that we all live and work in Leeds. I have three children that go to school in Leeds and only a lunatic would go into something with bad intentions.
"We have investigated it thoroughly and we believe that the plan we have come up with is robust and will work. We believe we have a plan that in the medium to long term will get Leeds United back to where it actually belongs."
Richmond did openly admit that some cuts, potentially to the playing squad, are likely as they attempt to bring the running costs at the club into line with what has been a greatly reduced income in recent seasons.
"In the short term there may have to be some cost cuttings because the current costs are out of proportion with the income.
"We hope they do recognise savings have to be made, we will be open and honest and believe in telling people what is going on. Some of the news they may not like but we believe that sensible people will understand that what we are doing is for the long term interest. We will be here for a long time to come."
Richmond, a former Bradford City director, was also clear about his own personal feeling for Leeds United. He insists he has not suddenly become a supporter for convenience sakes, indeed, he has probably been through more highs and lows than most United supporters.
"There is no bandwagon, but let's be honest people are immediately going to say what is David - is he a Leeds fan or a Bradford fan?
"I was also on the board of Bradford City and I also attended every single Bradford City game on a home and away basis. Let me make it clear that Bradford City has a very special place in my heart and always will. However, up until the day we took over Bradford City I was an Elland Road regular. When I say Elland Road regular, for ten seasons in the Second Division I attended every game home and away. That's not what previous chairmen have said when there was nobody there to confirm they went to all the games. I went with a group of people who still go and can confirm that.
"I was at the Shrewsbury game here when there was just 8,300 people in the stadium when the standing areas were closed due to violence. I was at West Bromwich Albion when Leeds got relegated the first game round. So I have been man and boy a Leeds United supporter, obviously when I went to Bradford my focus went and they will always have a special place, but Leeds is my heart, my soul and my first and only true love."
Finally, Richmond cannot wait to get started on his role at Elland Road.
"I am feeling an unbelievable high, I have a sense of purpose and absolute excitement at the thought of starting work here on Monday."

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