Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United Football Club - Statement: Standstill/Press Speculation Leeds United plc today released the following statement to the Stock Exchange: Re - Financial restructuring standstill agreement and press speculation The Directors of Leeds United note this mornings press coverage regarding Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa. The Directors reconfirm that they are in continuing, constructive discussions with a number of parties regarding proposals to purchase the Company's business and assets or to inject funds. However, none of these interested parties' proposals contemplates an offer for the Company's shares. In addition they confirm that, to date, the Company has not received any satisfactory evidence from Sheikh Al Khalifa that funds exist to fulfil any proposal currently under discussion between him and the Company. The Directors further confirm that they are continuing discussions with the Company's principal finance creditors with a view to exten...

ESPNSoccernet.com: England: Leeds' future in the balance Talks continue on Leeds takeover Leeds United this morning confirmed 'continuing, constructive discussions' are taking place over the future of the debt-ridden club. In a statement to the Stock Exchange Leeds United PLC claims a number of parties are discussing proposals to buy the company's business or inject funds into the Elland Road outfit. Leeds are thought to be around £80million in debt and are currently second bottom of the Premiership. The statement read: 'Further to its announcement on December 4, 2003, the board of Leeds United confirms that it is in continuing, constructive discussions with a number of parties regarding proposals to purchase the company's business and assets or to inject funds. 'However none of the interested parties' proposals contemplates an offer for the company's shares.' Leeds chief executive and acting chairman Trevor Birch has until Januar...

Sport  By Steve Tongue 14 December 2003 Give him his due, Trevor Birch is always up for a challenge. This is a man who, bearing the burden of being Bill Shankly's last-ever signing, tried to break into a Liverpool forward-line of Keegan, Toshack and Heighway, with David Fairclough as the regular supersub; then, having lost that battle, had to replace Ian Rush at Chester ("After most games the manager used to come in and lament, 'If only Rushy was still here', which taught me about man-management"); was a 16-year-old school-leaver who took a degree at 23; then jacked in a partnership with an accountancy firm to return to the crazy world of professional football, where the numbers never quite seem to add up. As managing director of Chelsea (estimated debts £98m), he performed such wonders of juggling that not a player had to be sold, and administration was avoided. Just the man then, after being rewarded for his achievements with constructive dismissal (Manchester...