Times Online - Sport
Leeds owe big debt to Blackwell
By Rick Broadbent
ALAN SMITH’S mobile phone bleeped and he clicked a button to view the text message.
“Happy new year,” it read. “Will you come back on loan?” The Manchester United forward grinned and thumbed his response. “You never know,” he typed. And then he returned to concentrate on the title and the Champions League, while Leeds United busied themselves with fighting fires and administration.
Kevin Blackwell’s cheeky text evinced the gallows humour that has helped him to perform an unheralded triumph at Elland Road. The subtext to his message was Smith’s love of Leeds. Where legions of supporters have turned on their former demigod for leaving football’s Titanic, Blackwell cut to the truth. “If Smithy hadn’t gone, there’d have been no club to support,” the Leeds manager said. “That six million kept us alive through the summer.
“He [Smith] becomes a Judas because he sacrificed himself for the club, but Manchester United paid the biggest money and it was cash. I know Smithy is only really bothered about Leeds.”
This is what Leeds have become — a cadaverous relic living a hand-to-mouth existence. Today they play Cardiff City in the Coca-Cola Championship, in a poignant reminder of the grand folly. Three years ago this month they lost to the same opponents in the FA Cup while leading the Premiership and entered the maelstrom. It has been a cautionary tale of money-squandering, fish-renting and blood-letting, and Blackwell is the poor soul who has had to fashion a team from the detritus.
“Twenty-seven players have gone since the end of last season,” Blackwell said. “In June I sat in this office and looked at that board. I had two players, Gary Kelly and Michael Duberry. Doncaster Rovers have the record for having 30 debutants the year they went bust and the fireman and the cat played. We’ve already had 23. The amount of players who’ve turned up to training with suitcases because they were living out of hotels — it was like a bloody coach station.”
Simon Walton’s last day at school was on a Friday. Two days later, the 16-year-old centre half made his debut in the Leeds midfield in a friendly against Valencia. Eight others made their debuts in the first league match of the season, two having signed the previous day to ensure that Blackwell had a full complement on the substitutes’ bench, and onlookers spoke ominously of another Sheffield Wednesday.
However, Blackwell believes that even if Leeds go into administration and are docked ten points, the club will survive. It has been a thankless task, with two aborted takeover bids spearheaded by men intent on replacing him with Iain Dowie, the Crystal Palace manager. “This is not about me, it’s about Leeds, but anyone coming in won’t face the mess I inherited,” Blackwell said.
Nevertheless, he said that there can be no long-term plan: “We are surviving and the full extent of the financial mess is only now coming home to roost. Everyone said the debt was £100 million, but I think it was more like £120 million. Black holes have appeared left, right and centre. One Monday, James Milner was the new face of Leeds, on the Thursday a bill came out of nowhere and on Friday he went to Newcastle [United].” The lack of resources means that Blackwell has been to a match every night this week and will watch another tomorrow. “There are no scouts left,” he said.
Yet, he said, he is enjoying life more now than when the staff would spend every second Friday awaiting news from the City. “They either gave us a thumbs-up or denied us another extension [to pay their creditors],” he said. “It went on for three months until the City said no and Trevor Birch [the club’s former chief executive] had to pull a rabbit from the hat [by finding a buyer] or face devastation.”
Leeds had become a melting pot of bitterness, regret and pride. Last month, Sean Gregan and his pregnant wife were abused by fans after a defeat by Leicester City. Most fans have remained loyal, though, and recognise the job Blackwell has done.
“When I came here we were a rudderless ship with no sails, meandering from crisis to crisis,” he said. “I can’t ever see anyone imploding like we’ve done, but we’re coping. We’re two points off the top half.”
It may not sound much and the finances mean that meltdown is only ever a bill away, but three years after Leeds topped the Premiership, coping represents a significant achievement.
Leeds owe big debt to Blackwell
By Rick Broadbent
ALAN SMITH’S mobile phone bleeped and he clicked a button to view the text message.
“Happy new year,” it read. “Will you come back on loan?” The Manchester United forward grinned and thumbed his response. “You never know,” he typed. And then he returned to concentrate on the title and the Champions League, while Leeds United busied themselves with fighting fires and administration.
Kevin Blackwell’s cheeky text evinced the gallows humour that has helped him to perform an unheralded triumph at Elland Road. The subtext to his message was Smith’s love of Leeds. Where legions of supporters have turned on their former demigod for leaving football’s Titanic, Blackwell cut to the truth. “If Smithy hadn’t gone, there’d have been no club to support,” the Leeds manager said. “That six million kept us alive through the summer.
“He [Smith] becomes a Judas because he sacrificed himself for the club, but Manchester United paid the biggest money and it was cash. I know Smithy is only really bothered about Leeds.”
This is what Leeds have become — a cadaverous relic living a hand-to-mouth existence. Today they play Cardiff City in the Coca-Cola Championship, in a poignant reminder of the grand folly. Three years ago this month they lost to the same opponents in the FA Cup while leading the Premiership and entered the maelstrom. It has been a cautionary tale of money-squandering, fish-renting and blood-letting, and Blackwell is the poor soul who has had to fashion a team from the detritus.
“Twenty-seven players have gone since the end of last season,” Blackwell said. “In June I sat in this office and looked at that board. I had two players, Gary Kelly and Michael Duberry. Doncaster Rovers have the record for having 30 debutants the year they went bust and the fireman and the cat played. We’ve already had 23. The amount of players who’ve turned up to training with suitcases because they were living out of hotels — it was like a bloody coach station.”
Simon Walton’s last day at school was on a Friday. Two days later, the 16-year-old centre half made his debut in the Leeds midfield in a friendly against Valencia. Eight others made their debuts in the first league match of the season, two having signed the previous day to ensure that Blackwell had a full complement on the substitutes’ bench, and onlookers spoke ominously of another Sheffield Wednesday.
However, Blackwell believes that even if Leeds go into administration and are docked ten points, the club will survive. It has been a thankless task, with two aborted takeover bids spearheaded by men intent on replacing him with Iain Dowie, the Crystal Palace manager. “This is not about me, it’s about Leeds, but anyone coming in won’t face the mess I inherited,” Blackwell said.
Nevertheless, he said that there can be no long-term plan: “We are surviving and the full extent of the financial mess is only now coming home to roost. Everyone said the debt was £100 million, but I think it was more like £120 million. Black holes have appeared left, right and centre. One Monday, James Milner was the new face of Leeds, on the Thursday a bill came out of nowhere and on Friday he went to Newcastle [United].” The lack of resources means that Blackwell has been to a match every night this week and will watch another tomorrow. “There are no scouts left,” he said.
Yet, he said, he is enjoying life more now than when the staff would spend every second Friday awaiting news from the City. “They either gave us a thumbs-up or denied us another extension [to pay their creditors],” he said. “It went on for three months until the City said no and Trevor Birch [the club’s former chief executive] had to pull a rabbit from the hat [by finding a buyer] or face devastation.”
Leeds had become a melting pot of bitterness, regret and pride. Last month, Sean Gregan and his pregnant wife were abused by fans after a defeat by Leicester City. Most fans have remained loyal, though, and recognise the job Blackwell has done.
“When I came here we were a rudderless ship with no sails, meandering from crisis to crisis,” he said. “I can’t ever see anyone imploding like we’ve done, but we’re coping. We’re two points off the top half.”
It may not sound much and the finances mean that meltdown is only ever a bill away, but three years after Leeds topped the Premiership, coping represents a significant achievement.