Ken Bates

brisbanewhite · Ken Bates

Just to get the heads up, who is anti Bates on here? who is neutral and who thinks he has done a decent job so far?

cards on the table, I think he has done okay in all fairness.

Del

Hate him.

Has taken the club from a Mid table Championship team, through relegation, administration and left us with 3 seasons in LG 1.

Charges £31 (what my uncle paid on saturday) to watch LG 1 football against Stockport.

Has had Millions roll in from Deplh, Woods, Tiawo, Rose, Hulse etc. Yet we still have no training ground or Ground.

Yet I heard he's built a new extension in Monaco.

Basically he's a crook and I hate him!

Bramleywhite

Del what ever you think of him is your choice but without him who would you be supporting because LUFC would just be a memory as for his monoco extention i would imagine its quite hard to build an extention on a 4th floor apartment block overlooking the harbour.

Del

Why wouldn't we be supporting Leeds? This rumor (created by Bates) regarding liquidization is a myth, we would have entered Admin (but would have now been 3 years futher head of where we are now). Bates "saved us", and then we actually suffered the thing he "saved us" from. He creates this sense of "the world is against us", so people follow him blindly, he takes on the FA and Levy as to create some form of unity and show that he is standing up for LUFC. In fact, he brings the majority of it on himself, creates a mess, cleans it up and leaves us out of pocket.

He has put no money into Leeds, he has said so himself.

He is a figurehead for a group of investors, he is basically an employee, doing a bad job IMO.

The club (mainly Bates Propogana machine) feeds us what they want us to hear and sadly some fans buy it.

ImreVaradi

Jesus not this old chestnut again!!

I'm watching leeds on the pitch this season - long past caring about what cpt birdseye is doing, i just want us out of this league.

Bramleywhite

Del

Agree. Everyone knows my opinions on him and that will not change. I will too focus my efforts on supporting Leeds, as i always do, but i think its important to be aware of the wider implications that having Bates as Chairman carries

However I responded to the original post with my opinions and then to the post by Bramley White which pointed out my obvious ignorance of the building and construction trade!

Stockport White

superdooperleeds

all bates is is a high profile front man with no interest in spending his own money on the club,he keeps leeds in the news though dont he but tbh the sooner he's gone the better but that wont happen til we are in the championship at least.

SNIFFER CLARKE

Can't be bothered to go into all the reason's again,Bates out sooner the better......

Mark

Bates

Pro,s

Saved the club in 05,Fair point,but was it his £ or were he just the front for few others who wish to remain in background
Appointed Grayson

Con,s

Gave Cackwell a 3 yr contract
Appointed Wise
Gambled with our existence in 07
1 relegation
Appointed Gary Mac
Prem ticket prices for league 1 footy...

Despite sale of Delph,still potching around for help to buy TA.Proposed hotels etc @ elland road,id be all for it if we were like in 90,s a established Prem league club,@ Moment we,re not,so imo main priority should be getting back up to that level again asap....

ImreVaradi

Every manager gets a long contract these days in football, contracts are completely worthless.

Ticket prices are a football wide problem in fairness lads, it's hardly exclusive to leeds united.

Don't remember hearing too may complaints about mcallister at the time, more an acceptence that there werent many options out there. Or for that matter wise when we were on the 15 point charge.

Fuck me i know we hate the man but lets be sodding rational

Bramleywhite

Mark

Just as Newcastle seem to be a lot of people's second club, so Leeds are the club hate most after their bitter rivals.

It's goes back to the Don Revie era when Leeds won few friends as they mixed steel with style to great effect.

It persisted in the 1980s when Leeds became more notorious for their hooliganism than football and many a town - and chip van - was left scarred by a visit from Yorkshire's Republican Army.

Even now, Ken Bates isn't actually Mr Popular and he's one of those figures you would struggle to love even if you'd reared him.

But for all that, their revival under Bates and Simon Grayson should be welcomed by genuine football fans.

Leeds are a proper football club and the Premier League, which is composed of so many blown-up Championship sides, will be a better place when they eventually make it back.

Elland Road, despite having little money spent on it since their bubble burst so spectacularly in 2002, is still one of the most hallowed grounds in the country.

Leeds fans continue to turn out in force in League One and their average attendance of 30,000 is better than some Premier League clubs.

Leeds also continue to be one of the country's leading clubs when it comes to producing young English talent.

David O'Leary's side had the likes of Alan Smith, Jonathan Woodgate and Paul Robinson and despite their financial woes, the Leeds production line is still rolling.

Scott Carson played for England - albeit not very well - and Fabio Capello has two of academy graduates in his squad in James Milner and Aaron Lennon.

It seems only a matter of time before they are joined by Fabian Delph and Martin O'Neill is said to be bowled over by how talented the midfielder is.

As good as Delph undoubtedly is, Leeds have already replaced him and Aidan White has already been called up by England Under-19s, and Luke Garbutt is wanted by Everton.

Compare that track record to any of the Big Four and they cannot top that array of home-grown English talent.

For all these reasons it's sad to see Leeds where they are and their lowly-status was summed up on Saturday by Bates' desire to draw local rivals Huddersfield in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

They are also excited by the prospect of playing Liverpool reserves in the Carling Cup later this month.

Let's hope it is not too much longer before they are playing Rafa Benitez's best side in the Premier League

Article in todays Daily Mirror

Daddy Pig

Christ! Who at the Daily Mirror let that (almost positive with a few nice digs on the way) article through editing? Heads will roll...

Either the tide really is changing or they'll offer a full front page apology tomorrow.

I never thought I'd live to see the day etc etc

Mark

Leeds4Life

1, Bates, saved our club- like it or not.
2, He's running our club as a profitable interest- That IS a good thing.
3, Those who don't like the pricing, don't go- Simple as.
4, Those who think he's pocketing ALL the cash- It's hardly likely and proof would/should be provided or else all it is is propaganda (a crime Bates is accused of).
5, Everyone was happy with Macca's appointment- The fickle ones jumped on his bad month before Grayson arrived.

THE BIGGEST SIN since Bates arrived- The appointment of Dennis Wise. I didn't rate him from minute 1!!!

warringtonwhite

everyone knows where i stand on the bearded cockney cunt and i dont want to get into it again but i cant let this go without a reply

BobArsecake

Come on guys, one of the things I like about this place is that it's not like 606 where people only ever talk/argue/moan about Bates and ticket prices. Anyway, he sent me a little package today; three dainty pins and an out of date letter!

Mark

warringtonwhite

Mark

Stockport White

That's right we got nothing for renewing, not even a letter saying thanks.

Mark

Leeds4Life

I got a present from Kenneth too and i'm a season ticket holder.
I got mine last week but my old man only got his today so don't give up hope.

brisbanewhite

By renewing your ST it automatically makes you a member so you should get all the perks of it....Id get onto Lorna Tinker at ER if I was you lads and chase this through!....its pretty piss poor if you dont get recognition for shelling out that kind of cash up front!

BobArsecake

I got something for my season ticket this year, but nothing for my membership last year. And yeah, Mark haha, there is only one decent one, though I don't think that the Elland Road road sign is too bad.

Bramleywhite

I remember my dads 25th anniversary as a season ticket holder and all he got was a £5 gift voucher to spend in the shop of diddlesdale, so maybe KB is as bad.

Leeds4Life

This is my 25th year as a season ticket holder, I never thought about a gift, maybe i should get on to Master Bates.

warringtonwhite

fookin ell the power of wocko

posted on here about getting sweet fa for renewing

2 days later the badges and a nice letter for old dribbly beard arrives

well done wocko

NOW GET TO WORK ON MY £25 HE ROBBED ME OF

warringtonwhite

Mark

Surprised Flatty as not reared his head and had his two penneth worth,regarding his hero Bates..

Leeds4Life

Leeds4Life

I've only paid £21 to watch (from my usual seat) us play Liverpool, one of the top 4 sides in the country.
I wouldn't say that is overpriced or unreasonable.

I'm happy for the part-timers and glory supporters who jump on the wagon when we reach play-offs or play top sides etc to be stung hard in the pocket!

Del

Sick of discussing it to be honest, I think people who support him are idiots and I fail to see the logic behind it. Someone telling me Bates is doing a good job is like saying 2+2 =5 to me.

Cannot understand why supporters have a go at fellow Leeds fans for blaming Bates for things.....there is no smoke without fire.

Yes the turnstyle not working is not Bates fault, but the wider level of fustration is clear to see on, I would say, the majority of supporters faces which is cased by Bates.

Anyone who thinks he cares about the club and is "fighting for Leeds" are deluded, he has always hated Leeds and is clearly here to make the biggest return for the investors (no doubt he will recieve some form of profit share scheme).

Have said it before and will say it again, If Bates thought that he and his backers could make more money keeping us in LG1 than in the CCC or even the Premiership then he would keep us here.

As for this "glory supporters" I completly agree. However My Unlce who has been for years and had a season ticket up until this season wanted to attend the stockport game last Saturday. My Cousin (his son) has a season ticket in the East Stand (near us), but my uncle, been a roofer, has been effected by the economic downturn and paid for his son a season ticket and had to go without. He wanted to sit in the East Stand with us on saturday, how much did he have to pay for a ticket to sit with his son.????????

£31

Ridiculous!

Leeds4Life

Daddy Pig

We've all been ruined by the ineptitude of previous chairmen and boards of directors so I think we fail to see the basics here.

Bates apologists seem to think the guy deserves recognition for simply doing the absolute basics of his job. For pity's sake, he's MEANT to run the club; he's MEANT to make us solvent; he's MEANT to appoint at least one decent manager in 3 /4 attempts - that's the very LEAST you expect someone running a business to do. I do that everyday of my life and don't expect anyone to say "wow, Daddy Pig, what a great job you're doing simply running the company".

It's the other stuff that sticks in peoples throats... Much as I hate to call football a "business" it is one, and it sits squarely within the service industry. His customer service record is woeful and exploitative. If we had a choice over who to support, he'd never get away with it.

The saddest thing is that it's the next generation of fans who will be turning their back on the club. Not this one. We'll all continue going to the matches like the zombies in the Dawn of the Dead going to the shopping mall because it's simply what we do. We always have.

But in 10 years' time we'll have a lost generation skipping over the pennines to buy their replica City / United / Pool / Burnley shirts and skipping back to watch their heroes on telly.

That depresses the hell out of me.

ImreVaradi

Daddy Pig

Del

I've heard this before from a few sources and it never fails to make me question the sanity of the quoter.

If that is true then how come that the "Big 4" have over 80% of the total debt in the Premiership. Plus if i remember correctly the Premiership has 90 odd percent of debt in English Football.

So how is that proof that been in a higher division results in higher operating profit. Yes there is no doubt that it generates more INCOME, but often outgoings increase at a much faster rate, resulting in a decline in profits (or net loss), hardly rocket science and hardly a thoery that deserves one to question thier sanity!

ImreVaradi

Leeds4Life

Del

Am not getting dragged into some debate over a subject that means little to me and especially with someone I don't even know. All i will say is that IMO Bates has had and is having a negative impact on the club.

You believe different, fair enough i'm sure a some other Leeds supporters agre with you and of course you are entitled to your opinion. However please dont attempt to belittle me as it appears you are attempting to do!

Leeds4Life

Del

No it does not bother me, I just find your manner a tad strange.

warringtonwhite

well I'm waiting to see all the bates saved us gang today

lets review this

he came here with a plan investors lined up told us we had to pay prem prices for prem football told us we getting thorpe arch back told us it was the football leagues fault about the 15 points told us we were debt free on two separate occasions etc etc

well ken your a lying two faced cunt

YOU DIDNT SAVE OUR CLUB you screwed us over because you and your gang of offshore thieves are robbing this clubs supporters blind

you have sold our tallent you are still charging top rates for third division football your beer and produce is twice the price of local shops and vendors you by your own admission SAY Leeds united made a profit of 4 mill 2 years ago and a profit last year

wheres the delph money gone wheres the wise and poyet compo gone wheres the profits gone wheres the money from the sale of our kids gone No wonder you dont take a wage from lufc

all your crap over the last few years as been about we how much we need thorpe arch for our future development then you come up with some hair brained scheme for the council to buy it back for you and that like

EVERYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE OVERSEEN AT OUR CLUB WAS A FAILURE

and before ken or any of his cronies write me off as just an Internet warrior let me tell you ken i admit to not being sure of you when you first arrived but i have supported you financially through out I'm a season ticket holder i buy at least two shirts a season and dont complain about the quality i buy LUTV i buy lots of merchandise to give as presents from the club shop i spend a fortune in the pavilion every home game

well NO MORE YOU ROBBING BASTARD i will still go and support my team

but after that you can shove it where the sun dont shine not one penny will i spend @ ER no program no lutv renewal no more £40 on beer for me and mine nothing from your shop your food outlets etc shove your Leeds on the road region members club raffles etc

your getting nothing other than my overpriced ticket money
YOU ARE A CANCER THAT OUR CLUB NEEDS TO BE CUT AWAY FROM

in short ken
FUCK OFF AND DIE A PAINFULLY SLOW AND AGONISING DEATH

and then may be our club can get back to where we belong

SNIFFER CLARKE

Top post ww,you would think the thorpe arch fiasco would be enough to turn even the die hard bates supporters against him,but reading some of the boards apparently not ,he still has some supporters.

Where has all the money gone?,i think we all know the answer to that.

The promised buy back of thorpe arch and we end up with a new scoreboard and the council get the blame for not paying for it,just seems to me like a constant piss take and now to deflect attention from it were supposed to get excited about another loan signing ffs...