that's it I'm joining LUST.... >-----Original Message----- >From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] >On Behalf Of Rick Duniec >Sent: 30 March 2012 16:19 >To: [email protected] >Subject: [LU] YEP It's Good to Talk > >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. >Contribute >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. >[email protected] > >_______________________________________________ >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
_______________________________________________ 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
