On 16/02/2012 11:37, Michael ALCOCK wrote:
Anyone read this?
http://waccoe.com/index.php?showtopic=227357
especially the outtake from the radio broadcast any LOTL want to comment
on the misuse of personal data?
Betty
KB: It does. And interestingly of course, Doncaster is one of these
people who have carried out a very interesting experiment, if you like.
They’re relying on Willie McKay now bringing in all these so-called top
players at minimum salaries and putting them in the shop window to do a
deal on somewhere else. So far, clearly, being bottom of the league, it
has worked. So it will be interesting to see what team they turn out on
Saurday. But I think Doncaster is a sign of the problem facing this game
and the different methods people are employing to solve their financial
problems, which is now becoming widespread. I’m if you look at Rangers…
RANGERS?!.. how can Rangers go? It’s like Manchester United going into
administration. Then we have Portsmouth. We’ve lost Darlington this
month. Hearts have a big tax bill to pay, which they are trying to sort
out with the HMRC, otherwise they could be going. Notts Forest… these
are the signs that are now coming that weaknesses of clubs relying on
sugar daddies to pay for their business because Notts Forest, you know
what the situation is there, but it now turns out that Mr Doughty who
dropped dead unexpectedly at 54 had put £75million in. The Indians who
are supposed to… who now own Blackburn Rovers, would not appear to be
funding in the same way the lat Jack Walker’s trust did. And so it goes
on… question marks over last night’s opponents Coventry, Bristol City,
Watford… where does it end? We have lots of clubs now in more serious
trouble than people realise. Rangers and Portsmouth are just the tip of
the iceberg. Mind you, as events unfold this spring, the seriousness of
the matter will become more apparent. Leeds United will be making
serious changes in their approach to the playing staff next season. As
I’ve told you repeatedly, our budget this year was £9.5million wage bill
which was one of the highest in the division. However it was £12million
because we backed Simon, in his judgement, which frankly is now proved
not to be the best. And when fans chant “Where has all the money gone?”,
well the answer is £2.5m on wages for a start. Where do you think the
money comes from? Do you think it grows on trees? So those people
prancing up and down, waving their banners, they’ve got no positive
solution to what they perceive as a problem. In fact, all they do is add
to it by deterring potential investors to come into the club. But even
then, they’re not going to come in just to subsidise wages. It will be
interesting to see how LUST with their appeal for funds, it will be
interesting to see how much they have got so far. I wish them luck. At
Chelsea, we tried to raise £15m to buy the ground Stamford Bridge. Took
10 years to make £1.5m. Most of that was from friends of mine. I mean,
the fact of the matter is, there’s a tremendous change taking place in
football below the surface. When Greg Clarke came in as League chairman,
he made a statement which is sort of following up what Lord Triesman
said at the FA at a speech at some convention about the amount of clubs
that are in debt in the Football League. Clarke said, sorry Greg Clarke
said that the chairman said that if the trend wasn’t stopped, the
Football League would be nearly a £1billion in debt in five years time.
You’ve now got people facing up to it. And I point out that we have 29
players, we have one of the biggest squads probably in England, never
mind just the Championship because we supported Simon with what he
wanted until two days before the Birmingham game when we said “No,
enough is enough. What do you want to get another midfield player on
loan for? You’ve already got nine.” So I think that we’ll find out now
who truly loves their club and who professes to. And I know the next
weeks, two weeks are going to examine the credentials at LUST that are
making a lot of noise. Let’s see how much they love the club. But their
chairman, we have been looking at our computer, he’s a season ticket
holder this season. Didn’t come at all last season. His excuse to me,
when I quizzed him nearly a year ago, was family commitments. Well it
may be, but it doesn’t justify or qualify him to speak for the ordinary
fans does it? And the vice-chairman lives in America. He’s come to two
play-off matches. I think ’06, ’08. I may have got the years wrong but
I’ve got the principle right. These are based on our computer which says
“tickets bought in these people’s names”. It’s not just a case of
putting your money where your mouth is, it’s putting your body where
your mouth is and actually turn up for a game. We’re looking for an
evolution, let’s hope it’s an evolution, but with HMRC, the tax man,
having such a ruthless attitude towards football clubs at the moment, it
may turn into a revolution and a bloodbath.
_______________________________________________
Leedslist mailing list
Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist
To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate
