http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/come-on-leeds-united-it-s-good-to-talk-1-4404613
By Gary Walker
Published on Friday 30 March 2012 14:46
Why should, I was asked this week, Leeds United owner Ken Bates get involved
in any dialogue with the Leeds United Supporters' Trust?
I suggested as much in last week's On The Edge because I felt there was a
greater chance of the Elland Road club moving forward if everyone, from top
to bottom, was pulling in the same direction - something new boss Neil
Warnock sees as pivotal to achieving promotion.
LUST, said the person posing the question, was a new organisation which most
fans had never heard of; it had no money to buy Mr Bates out; was made up
of, in his words, troublemakers - I thought we didn't know who these people
were - and was, therefore, pointless.
I disagreed, naturally, because it's not all about how long you've been
around or how much money you've got. LUST is an independent voice and in a
democracy that counts for something - especially if you have 5,200 members
and are the fifth-largest supporters' trust in the country.
Personally, I think Mr Bates owes LUST that opportunity after his public
criticism of the group and, in particular, its leaders. I also think it's
about time the divide and rule approach he seems to adopt to dealing with
United's long-suffering supporters is binned off.
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It started with the decision to essentially de-recognise the ever-popular
and long-standing supporters' club, which existed to buy match tickets for
its members and as a social focal point for like-minded people, in favour of
"official" regional members' clubs.
The supporters' club's failing was, it seemed, the fact it failed to
contribute anything directly into the club - individual kit sponsorships of
players down the years was not, apparently, enough.
And the fact that those members bought thousands of tickets to matches, home
and away, and helped provide the loud and proud vocal backing that had seen
the team and club through many hard times was, also, not enough.
At a stroke hundreds of ordinary, hard-working individuals, who had put
themselves out time and again and worked all hours voluntarily for the
benefit of fellow Whites fans, often without reward or recognition, saw
their years of loyalty dismissed.
They were second-class citizens so far as their club was concerned. You get
what you pay for, eh Ken?
Not satisfied with that, Mr Bates used his programme notes to attack and
vilify individuals and branches within the LUSC.
It's his club, of course, and he can do what he wants with it. Fine, simply
change the way the ticket system operates, get supporters' club branches to
switch to RMCs and ask their members to support the club more financially,
whatever.
But was there actually any need to single out individuals or lone branches
for public criticism? No.
The sad thing, the really sad thing about all this, though, is that other
United fans sat back and did nothing while fellow-supporters were targeted
and lambasted.
Marching On Together? Do me a favour.
Apathy is a great tool for too many in a position of power and Leeds fans
simply stepped aside and allowed Mr Bates to bludgeon his way to change -
the transition could have been achieved much more subtly as I've already
stated - without even a murmur of disapproval or hint of protest.
Little wonder the chairman thought he would get away with labelling those
who showed some gumption later, to attack what they saw as a continued lack
of investment in the playing squad despite near Premier League ticket
prices, as "morons".
It could be argued that having angered fans with his "morons" insult Mr
Bates owes them all an apology - not just those enrolled in LUST. But, then
again, Mr Bates has copped for plenty of, more foul-mouthed, insults so
maybe the slate is as clean as it's ever going to be here. And doesn't he
engage with all followers via his programme notes anyway?
But the chairman chose to publicly pillory the LUST board, revealing
personal details and information at the same time, while dismissing the
organisation as a rude irrelevance.And the club even took the petty step of
stopping board members buying tickets to an away game.
So, to my mind, the least he owes them by way of sorry is a conversation.
A chance for them to show that they are not, in the words of LUST chairman
Gary Cooper, "the crazed deranged individuals he would love us to be, but
passionate, caring Leeds United supporters who only want the best for our
club".
LUST also continues to go from strength to strength - last night's monthly
meeting, the organisation's fourth, had to be moved to a bigger venue, The
Old White Hart, to cope with demand.
"Last time we couldn't fit everyone into the room so these meetings are
popular," Cooper told me, "and well over 1,000 log on to our Ustream
broadcast too."
I wonder if United's owner tuned in?
Well-respected former Whites keeper Nigel Martyn is LUST's president so, as
far as I can see, it offers a bona fide alternative to club-endorsed fans
clubs.
So why not hear them out Ken? Why not build bridges and make peace,
particularly when you've seen what a packed and rocking Elland Road can do
for the team and manager, never mind the club's finances?
Just do the maths. Wouldn't it be better for the club to have every single
one of the 5,200 LUST members paying, say, £25 a ticket for home games at
Elland Road rather than voting with their feet and staying away because
their club refuses to listen?
After eight years away from the top-flight, and with the average home
attendance on the slide, can you really afford to alienate any more Leeds
United fans?
It's time for a change of approach from those in the corridors of power at
Elland Road and if the right things happen off the pitch team-wise this
close season and Neil Warnock gets the handful of players in that he wants
to turn United into a promotion force, the rewards will be packed stands,
increased support and a huge boost to club coffers.
Now surely that makes sense.
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PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate
