The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

Started by Rufus T Firefly, January 25, 2007, 08:14:53 PM

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brokencrossbar1

I work with one of your poor, unfortunate Leeds colleagues and he has been gradually been falling into a depsression over recent weeks!  It is hard to believe that they are where they are.

What will be interesting if they go down is what will actually happen to rebuild them.  They are currently paying wages to players at other clubs, eg Fowler.  Gary Kelly is commanding a wage that some Premiership players would not get and there is no likelihood of any of the so called "star" players staying.  If they go down I see a very serious situation for Leeds which will see them stuck down there for a long time.  Avoiding relegation may not just save the season, but may ultimately save the club.

Billys Boots

The prevailing wisdom is that Leeds is too big of a town/city to not have a big football club, and many appear to console themselves with that.  I think you're right about a long stay in obscurity - crowds are dropping, the income dropping too, and the debts are still there in abundance.  Whilst the injection of large amounts of cash might be unsustainable, from a long-term perspective, it might be the only way to artificially jog interest and momentum at the club.  But I don't see that coming.

And to cap it all, the villian of the whole story has, this morning, made a stg£90M bid for Manchester City. 
My hands are stained with thistle milk ...

Rufus T Firefly

A black day for Leeds United - effectively into the third tier of English football for the first time ever. Yet again, undone by a late goal, although Hull's win at Cardiff effectively sealed Leeds' fate anyway.

He's gone a number of years now, but the shadow of Ridsdale still looms large over the Club - amere six years ago Leeds travelled to the Mestalla for a Champions League semi final second leg, which was delicately poised.

You've come a long way a baby!   :-[


behind the wire

very sad day for leeds, never thought it would come to this. suppose we still have to keep the faith though!!
He who laughs last thinks the slowest

hairyhog

According to a report on BBC Radio 5 Live, on 28 April 2007 Ridsdale 'celebrated' Leeds United's almost certain relegation from the Championship with the chairman of Hull City, ordering champagne and saying he was "delighted" with Leeds's demise. He behaviour was described by the BBC's reporter as "out of order".

What a spineless ****!! The only silver lining from todays events may be that all the hasbeens and crap that make up that squad will get turfed out and Mr Bates.   I believe that he could have done so much better. At least theres a chance to build for the future instead of looking for a shortterm fix by bringing in over the hill players. With talk of a takeover in the coming weeks it looks like investors were banking on the super leeds getting relegated to get them on the cheap. Will any of these savings be reinvested?? Time will tell but i would fear the worst.

paddypastit

Billy.
QuoteAnd to cap it all, the villian of the whole story has, this morning, made a stg£90M bid for Manchester City
Ranson may have been the one that created the 'creative' means of funding the players but nobody forced the then management of administration of LUFC to actually use his product - they gambled and lost. Risdale primarilly has a lot to answer for.  Leeds as a city has no right to have its football team in any given division but it is not unreasonale to make that point that a city of its size does offer a market of scale, without like for like competition, that would be able to sustain a commercially viable Premiership club. As hairyhog notes, somebody will see value - what is it worth now? 
come disagree with me on http://gushtystuppencehapenny.wordpress.com/ and spread the word

Syd The Sailor

I dont think there will be too many tears shed about Leeds impending relegation. They have some of the scummiest supporters about.
"I coulda been a contender.....i could've been somebody"

Mourne Rover

Paddypastit is right, and Ray Ranson is not the person we should be blaming for the devastating collapse at Leeds. Ranson was involved in financing the deals which took Leeds to the semi final of the Champions League in 2001, and they were more or less completed within budget. Leeds actually built a team which good enough to compete at the highest level in both the Premiership and Europe by spending less than most of their rivals. Instead of consolidating, through putting his faith in a young squad which on the brink of something special, Ridsdale as chairman went on a crazy spending spree in the second half of 2001.

At a time when the club was just about keeping its head above water, Ridsdale sanctioned the puchase of Keane (who was at Elland Road on loan, but cuptied in the Champions League run), Fowler and Seth Johnston at a combined total of £30m in transfers plus another £30 in wages. No one left to  balance the books, and Leeds were left with a forward line of Keane, Fowler, Viduka, Kewell, Smith and the injured Bridges chasing two first team spaces. It was an act of madness, and it didn't help that Johnston, who like the other newcomers was grossly overpaid, spent most of the next few years on the treatment table. The club practically went bankrupt, Ridsdale breezed out the door pointing the finger at everyone else, and today he was reportedly sipping champagne on the day Leeds effectively went down to the 3rd division. However, we will be back...

Onlooker

What difference does it make to anyone in Ireland, whether Leeds play in the 2nd Division or the 3rd Division of the English League.  Surely, the fate of our counties in the up-coming Championship is of much greater importance.

Rufus T Firefly

#84
Quote from: Onlooker on April 29, 2007, 01:27:03 AM
What difference does it make to anyone in Ireland, whether Leeds play in the 2nd Division or the 3rd Division of the English League.  Surely, the fate of our counties in the up-coming Championship is of much greater importance.

Personally speaking, the fate of my County in this year's Championship is indeed much more important than the fate of Leeds United. That said, the fate of my wife, kids and home is much more important this Summer than the fate of my County in this year's Championship!!!

Therefore I would ask, what actually is the point you are making?   ::)

Quote from: Syd The Sailor on April 28, 2007, 09:50:54 PM
I dont think there will be too many tears shed about Leeds impending relegation. They have some of the scummiest supporters about.

No Leeds supporter is asking for 'tears' from anyone!

Your comment is therefore irrelevant!  ;)

Onlooker

The point that I was making is the obsession that so many Irish people have with soccer in England.   I ca'nt imagine too many people contributing to a thread on an English Soccer Board about how Kerry or Armagh will do in this year's championship.   

Billys Boots

QuoteRanson may have been the one that created the 'creative' means of funding the players but nobody forced the then management of administration of LUFC to actually use his product - they gambled and lost. Risdale primarilly has a lot to answer for.

Ridsdale may have been the presiding loo-lah (and I accept that he's to blame for the debacle, in the main), but there is still lots of culpability surrounding Ransome - the vulture circling above the morass.

QuoteLeeds as a city has no right to have its football team in any given division but it is not unreasonale to make that point that a city of its size does offer a market of scale

I meant the latter, as opposed to the former Paddy. 35 years of 'following' the fortunes of Leeds has definitely convinced me that this part of the world isn't 'entitled' to anything it doesn't earn.
My hands are stained with thistle milk ...

passedit

Heading for administration this week alledgedly.

chip van owners of the world breathe a sigh of relief.
Don't Panic

Ryano

Quote from: passedit on April 30, 2007, 09:34:12 AM
Heading for administration this week alledgedly.

Aye heard that this morning. There are emergency meetings taking place today at Elland Road. Apparently they can save between 5 and 15 million by going into admin (don't ask me how that works). However they will be deducted 10 points next season by the FA for this so we will be on -10 in August!

Just when you think we have hit rock bottom the ground falls from under us again....

Goats Do Shave

Lads did Leeds not get to the playoffs last year? Or close to it? - I find it hard to believe that Risdale is being blamed for THIS relegation as well. Kevin Blackwell did a decent job there, he had to sell sell sell - & he apperared to get a bit of stability at the club, then they sacked him!