----- Original Message ----- I think there may be many people out there Rick who believe that the authorities might treat us differently to how they treat other clubs. I know we've got a chip on our shoulder, but there are many occurrences where we have been dealt with unfairly/harshly, going right back to the early 70s, and so our paranoia is at least understandable.
The thing is that we are using the times and events of Alan Hardacre/Revie etc as proof of the present day. That is simply nonsense, though there were definite grounds for that belief way back then. It was genuine back then, as has been since revealed. It is of course understandable for today's Leeds fans to wrap ourselves in the comfort blanket of pretending that today's FL have it in for us but I (and others) know (from direct personal experience) that it simply is not the case. If anything, today we have powerful friends at the FL. I'm not yet certain what changes the recruitment of Harvey might have made to that situation however. Bates deliberately went down a path that nobody else had gone down. He thought that he had found a loophole. If you try a new trick then by definition it is different to other clubs. It does not prove that the authorities had it in for us. In truth the FL bent over backwards to keep Leeds in the FL - DESPITE the antics of Bates' brinkmanship and threats. In fact in today's climate, where fans and fans groups have far greater access and influence than ever before (still though with millions of miles of room for improvement), deluding ourselves is actually unhelpful and is counter-productive. Even today as an example, most fans will totally underestimate the influence of the fans on the F.A.'s Hull City name decision. The reality is that it has been crucial. Critical maybe. The point is though that the objective was to attain the objective, and not to seek the public credit for it, though the FSF/SD will seek a little of it and the active Hull fans deserve loads of it. It is more productive to recognise that the "authorities" have listened, but it is THEY who have made the right decision here -with a little "help" and influence. Many will argue that past decisions have not been quite so "enlightened", but that is the nature of making progress, and it is almost never the proof of what some would have you falsely believe. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] John 'Grampa' Sykes Rest In Peace old lad 28th Oct 1938 - 12 Nov 2013 MARCHING ON TOGETHER
