Former Leeds chairman Ken Bates critical of GFH over Haigh
Football League World 28/6/14
BY SAM TODD
Former Leeds United chairman Ken Bates criticised former majority owners Gulf Finance House (GFH) last night over their treatment of the Championship club’s ex-managing director David Haigh.
Haigh, who in April resigned from his Elland Road post following Massimo Cellino’s purchase of a 75% stake, is currently being held in Dubai after allegations, which he denies, of financial irregularities whilst working for GFH.
According to the BBC, the 36-year-old travelled to the United Arab Emirates last month to discuss the possibility of a new job with GFH, but was arrested on arrival and has been remanded in custody ever since while authorities decide whether to press charges.
Bates, who previously described GFH in glowing terms via the Yorkshire Evening Post during the December 2012 takeover, says that evidence Haigh claims to have concerning “wrongdoing” at the Yorkshire outfit is the reason for the imprisonment, and was now scathing about the group he sold the club to.
“I can only say my dealings with Gulf Finance House, particularly Salem Patel, but more importantly Hisham (Alrayes), who is his CEO, I found totally untrustworthy, totally unreliable, and totally liars,” the one-time Chelsea owner was quoted by The City Talking as telling Yorkshire Radio.
The 82-year-old added: “Apparently, a couple of days after he was arrested, a lawyer acting on behalf of GFH, saw Haigh and told him that they intended to make sure he was found guilty, and they intended to keep him locked up for a very long time,”
“And the reason for that is, as Haigh has told me a number of times over the last few months, he has serious evidence, of serious and continuing wrongdoing on behalf of GFH and GFH Capital.
“He can’t get to his apartment or anything; they’ve confiscated his laptop and this that and the other. It means of course that they have been able to get their hands on the damning evidence, hopefully from their point of view, to destroy it or eliminate it.”
BY SAM TODD
Former Leeds United chairman Ken Bates criticised former majority owners Gulf Finance House (GFH) last night over their treatment of the Championship club’s ex-managing director David Haigh.
Haigh, who in April resigned from his Elland Road post following Massimo Cellino’s purchase of a 75% stake, is currently being held in Dubai after allegations, which he denies, of financial irregularities whilst working for GFH.
According to the BBC, the 36-year-old travelled to the United Arab Emirates last month to discuss the possibility of a new job with GFH, but was arrested on arrival and has been remanded in custody ever since while authorities decide whether to press charges.
Bates, who previously described GFH in glowing terms via the Yorkshire Evening Post during the December 2012 takeover, says that evidence Haigh claims to have concerning “wrongdoing” at the Yorkshire outfit is the reason for the imprisonment, and was now scathing about the group he sold the club to.
“I can only say my dealings with Gulf Finance House, particularly Salem Patel, but more importantly Hisham (Alrayes), who is his CEO, I found totally untrustworthy, totally unreliable, and totally liars,” the one-time Chelsea owner was quoted by The City Talking as telling Yorkshire Radio.
The 82-year-old added: “Apparently, a couple of days after he was arrested, a lawyer acting on behalf of GFH, saw Haigh and told him that they intended to make sure he was found guilty, and they intended to keep him locked up for a very long time,”
“And the reason for that is, as Haigh has told me a number of times over the last few months, he has serious evidence, of serious and continuing wrongdoing on behalf of GFH and GFH Capital.
“He can’t get to his apartment or anything; they’ve confiscated his laptop and this that and the other. It means of course that they have been able to get their hands on the damning evidence, hopefully from their point of view, to destroy it or eliminate it.”