Massimo Cellino resigns as Leeds president but vows to return after ban
Guardian 23/1/15
James Riach
Massimo Cellino has formally resigned as Leeds United president after being disqualified by the Football League, insisting he will return to his position in April “in good health and good spirits”.
He has been barred as Leeds’ owner under the league’s owners’ and directors’ test following a first-grade conviction in his native Italy for import tax evasion on a boat, and must not act as a “relevant person” at the Championship club until 10 April.
The former Cagliari owner’s lawyers have been in discussions with the league in recent days, with the confirmation of his temporary resignation on Friday coming after an appeal against his disqualification was rejected earlier in the week.
In the absence of Cellino, Andrew Umbers has been named as Leeds’ new chairman and is a director who played an important role in the sale of United from Ken Bates to Gulf Finance House Capital in 2012 through the firm Eurofin.
Cellino said: “It is with great sadness and frustration that I have to take this step, however I abide by the Football League’s decision to temporarily disqualify me from this great football club and will return in April in good health and good spirits. I have done my best for a club and fans that I hold close to my heart and it is now financially much stronger than it has been for a long time. It will continue to thrive and I am sincerely looking forward to returning very soon.”
It remains to be seen how the league will enforce the ban on Cellino, who has run Leeds from top to bottom since his company, Eleonora Sport, bought a controlling 75% stake from GFHC last year, working alongside the sporting director, Nicola Salerno, to bring in new players and sacking three managers along the way.
Cellino cooked the team’s pre-match meal of pasta on Tuesday night before their victory over Bournemouth, a first win in eight attempts that ended a poor run that has resulted in the club falling within touching distance of the Championship’s bottom three.
A professional conduct committee – chaired by Tim Kerr QC and including the League chairman, Greg Clarke – convened last week to hear Cellino’s appeal against his disqualification in December but upheld the decision.
Cellino’s tax conviction in Italy relates to a boat, the Nelie, and a failure to pay import duty in 2012. A judge in Cagliari described the 58-year-old’s “elusive intent” in a court document seen by the Guardian, and the league regarded Cellino’s actions as “dishonest” having read the full written reasons into the case, meaning he fell foul of the owners’ and directors’ test.
Cellino’s conviction becomes spent in the British legal system in March and he will be able to return in April. However, the league is investigating a potential further misconduct charge against him for failing to disclose the relevant court document when it first came available, with further sanctions likely.
Regarding Umbers’ appointment as chairman, Cellino added: “Andrew has personally worked tirelessly with me in restructuring the football club from May 2014 and shares the same goals, strategy and insights that I do in bringing Leeds United back from its financial abyss to make it the strong entity that its fans, players and city need it to be and to which these foundations are now in place.”
James Riach
Massimo Cellino has formally resigned as Leeds United president after being disqualified by the Football League, insisting he will return to his position in April “in good health and good spirits”.
He has been barred as Leeds’ owner under the league’s owners’ and directors’ test following a first-grade conviction in his native Italy for import tax evasion on a boat, and must not act as a “relevant person” at the Championship club until 10 April.
The former Cagliari owner’s lawyers have been in discussions with the league in recent days, with the confirmation of his temporary resignation on Friday coming after an appeal against his disqualification was rejected earlier in the week.
In the absence of Cellino, Andrew Umbers has been named as Leeds’ new chairman and is a director who played an important role in the sale of United from Ken Bates to Gulf Finance House Capital in 2012 through the firm Eurofin.
Cellino said: “It is with great sadness and frustration that I have to take this step, however I abide by the Football League’s decision to temporarily disqualify me from this great football club and will return in April in good health and good spirits. I have done my best for a club and fans that I hold close to my heart and it is now financially much stronger than it has been for a long time. It will continue to thrive and I am sincerely looking forward to returning very soon.”
It remains to be seen how the league will enforce the ban on Cellino, who has run Leeds from top to bottom since his company, Eleonora Sport, bought a controlling 75% stake from GFHC last year, working alongside the sporting director, Nicola Salerno, to bring in new players and sacking three managers along the way.
Cellino cooked the team’s pre-match meal of pasta on Tuesday night before their victory over Bournemouth, a first win in eight attempts that ended a poor run that has resulted in the club falling within touching distance of the Championship’s bottom three.
A professional conduct committee – chaired by Tim Kerr QC and including the League chairman, Greg Clarke – convened last week to hear Cellino’s appeal against his disqualification in December but upheld the decision.
Cellino’s tax conviction in Italy relates to a boat, the Nelie, and a failure to pay import duty in 2012. A judge in Cagliari described the 58-year-old’s “elusive intent” in a court document seen by the Guardian, and the league regarded Cellino’s actions as “dishonest” having read the full written reasons into the case, meaning he fell foul of the owners’ and directors’ test.
Cellino’s conviction becomes spent in the British legal system in March and he will be able to return in April. However, the league is investigating a potential further misconduct charge against him for failing to disclose the relevant court document when it first came available, with further sanctions likely.
Regarding Umbers’ appointment as chairman, Cellino added: “Andrew has personally worked tirelessly with me in restructuring the football club from May 2014 and shares the same goals, strategy and insights that I do in bringing Leeds United back from its financial abyss to make it the strong entity that its fans, players and city need it to be and to which these foundations are now in place.”
