Ken Bates tries to worm his way back into Elland Road

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Scratching Shed 23/11/13
Like the jilted-ex who just won’t go away, Ken Bates was in Leeds yesterday attempting to win back favour at Elland Road and worm his way back into the club’s ownership structure.
The news was revealed by Paul Hunt at a regional member’s club meeting at Elland Road who assured those present the largely despised ex-Chairman was quickly shown the door:
“Take mine and David [Haigh's] word for it” Hunt is quoted as saying “he’ll never be back involved at Leeds United Football Club.”
During his 8 years at Elland Road, Ken Bates was a controversial figure whose regime saw The Whites relegated to League One before leaving the club back where he started, never delivering on the Premier League promise he made on his arrival.
Claiming to have “saved” the club twice (the first time from an administration he later put us in, and the second time from himself presumably), the outspoken ex-Chairman, a master of manipulation and divide and conquer rule, polarised the Leeds United fanbase, sparked many a heated protest and created an atmosphere of division at Elland Road seldom conducive to success. All this while selling our best players to fund pointless vanity projects, like cream-cladding the side of Elland Road’s East Stand and adding loads of executive boxes no one used.
Ousted by GFH Capital following their successful takeover just over a year ago today, Ken Bates was expecting to retain a role at the club as a self-appointed, life-long President – an honorary position which had previously been filled by Lord Harewood, angering fans who felt the role should be filled by someone the fans respect and admire.
But Ken Bates’ time as President of the club was short-lived after GFH fired Bates for lavish private jet expenses charged to the club, a luxury he enjoyed throughout his time at Elland Road while selling our best players to balance the books.
Elsewhere, Gwyn Williams ‘gardening leave’ has now come to an end, meaning Leeds United have officially parted ways with another stalwart of the Ken Bates regime. Also at the RMC meeting, Brian McDermott confirmed Luciano Becchio wanted to return to Elland Road earlier this year, but was prevented from doing so by Chris Hughton.

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