From: Jon Abbott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On this day in history.....
===========================
Born: Harry Green (1907),
Michael Bridges (1978),
David Healy (1979)
Debuts: Ian Westlake (vs Norwich City, 2006),
Geoff Horsfield (vs Norwich City, 2006),
Sebastien Carole (vs Norwich City, 2006),
Tony Warner (vs Norwich City, 2006)
Games: 1984 - St Johnstone (A) 2 - 1
2000 - Huddersfield Town (A) 2 - 0
2006 - Norwich City (H) 1 - 0
News
====
Here we go with a fortnight's catchup....
Ouch!
So it's official: we're allowed to start the season next week. But
the Football League have insisted that we'll do so on -15 points
after Ken Bates failed to convince them that "exceptional
circumstances" meant that the absence of a CVA shouldn't disbar the
club from playing. The club will appeal - but I wouldn't hold out
much hope. Division 4 here we come...
Cresswell gone
Richard Cresswell's move to Hull fell through after he failed a
medical - but he was instantly snapped up by Stoke, with boss Tony
Pulis over the moon. He said: "I wasn't aware of his availability
until I got a call the other day. There have been a number of clubs
after him. I am absolutely delighted to be signing him. I think he is
a top player and a very hard worker and has great finishing ability."
Smith on the move
Alan Smith has joined Mark Viduka at Newcastle in a AGBP 6m move. The
striker's prospects at Old Trafford look limited with little chance
of a new contract or a starting place, so despite Fergie's
much-trumpeted admiration for his work-rate and application in
getting fit after that horrendous leg-break, Smithy has been allowed
to leave.
New backers for Ladies
Leeds United Ladies have new sponsors - the Leeds Met University,
with the "Leeds Carnegie" logo advertising the University's sports
faculty appearing on the shirts. England International and top Leeds
United Ladies player Sue Smith will act as a "Carnegie champion" for
the University and will work closely with Leeds Met continuing the
community work the club does locally, and supporting its flourishing
youth development programme. The partnership will provide additional
opportunities for Leeds Met students who currently play for the
university_s women_s football team and a new Leeds United scholarship
programme will be developed. As part of the new partnership, the
club_s development team will be known as Leeds Carnegie development
team and will wear Leeds Carnegie on their shirts.
We get no credit!
The dubious status of the club means that no card processors are
willing to deal with us - so applications for tickets to away games
are being passed to the host clubs in the hope that their ticket
offices will be able to sort out the hundreds of Leeds fans who will
be pushing hard for tickets for all these new and exotic grounds on
the itinerary.
Wise checking out targets?
Dennis Wise was seen in close conversation with Benito Carbone after
the Alan Ball memorial game. Was it just a quick hello - or was
Dennis giving him the directions to Thorp Arch???
Frazer fingers crossed
Frazer Richardson is hoping that he will recover in time to be fit
for the start of the season after going off against Burnley. He said:
"It shouldn't be too bad. I'm not sure exactly what it is yet, but I
had an X-ray on Monday. It actually started a week ago, and I was
struggling before the game on Saturday, but thought we'd give it a
go." Given the shortage of players it's not surprising he was tried -
but equally if there was any doubt as to the consequences, surely a
player shortage for the start of the season should be more of a worry
than what sort of a team can be wheeled out for a friendly.
Bates gets Anglo-Saxon on doubters
Ken Bates launched a stream of abuse at fans who were demanding he
quit the club, saying that it was a vendetta against him personally.
He said: "What a few fans are trying to do is cause trouble. They
wouldn't give a s*** if Vladimir Putin bought the club as long as it
was successful... Do you think Man City fans give a f*** whether the
former Thailand Prime Minister should be in jail for corruption or
whatever? Of course they bloody don't. Do you think West Ham or
Manchester United fans care whether Tevez is owned by this Iranian?
The critics don't know what they're talking about." And he went on:
"Some Leeds fans say, 'F*** off back to Chelsea and take that little
**** Wise with you'. But you always get that. It's like the National
Front. You'll never stamp them out." And he has reiterated his
separation from Astor: "I don't know who the owners of Astor are. We
borrowed money from them. I don't know who the owners of f**ing
Barclays Bank are. And Yorkshire Radio is an independent company.
It's not owned by Leeds United." Okay...now remind me again what KPMG
said about your connection with Astor Ken? You were connected until
last December - but now you aren't and have no idea who they are?
Could we be forgiven for expressing a teensy hint of doubt at that
statement?
Healy scores!
David Healy has opened his account for his new employers with a goal
for Fulham against South China.
KPMG bill hits the doormat
As KPMG distribute their notes on the CVA and sale process to all
creditors, there's one number that jumps out and hits you in the
face: 855000. That's the number of your very own pounds sterling that
KPMG have charged the club for their services over these last couple
of months. It's not clear if that includes any rebate for failing to
be able to count votes properly, or wasted time and postage as new
facts dropped out of the sky at the last moment, but that sounds like
a couple of half-decent League One players to me. Given that Uncle
Ken has been so keen on cutting costs everywhere else, couldn't we
have got a decent deal on this from a local firm (maybe one with an
abacus who knows what one and one make)???
Going down at Turf Moor
Leeds lost 2-0 at Turf Moor to a Burnley side that a couple of years
ago we'd have slaughtered. Jermaine Beckford caused them quite a few
problems, but Tresor Kandol further enhanced his reputation as Mister
Sitter in front of a surprisingly large crowd (the hosts were so
surprised to see so many Leeds fans they ran out of tickets). Frazer
Richardson and Eddie Lewis limped off and could miss what's left of
the preseason as a result.
Good questions...
The Guardian rounds up a large number of questions that have been
bugging many of us here
(http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/07/27/leeds_united_the_unansw
ered_qu.html). Of course it's all academic now, as the haze of time
and the intransigence of the relevant parties will ensure that the
veil remains drawn over the what and the how of the last few months
(though I think we all know the why). In the end, Cuddly Ken's
repeated assertions that everything was going to be fine by this
summer have been shown to either be blatant lies or the utterances of
someone who didn't have a clue as to the financial state of the
company. So I guess we should sympathise with all those connected
with Ken, because I find it hard to believe he's a liar so we can
only conclude that old age and infirmity have blunted his mental edge
and that a further decline cannot be too far away.
League to pronounce - eventually
The Football League board will finally convene to look at the state
of play at Elland Road and determine whether the new Bates entity
will finally be allocated the Golden Ticket and be allowed to play in
the tasty chocolate wonderland formerly known as Division 3.
Online protest
Yet another fans protest has sprung up - this time online here
(http://www.loveleedshatebates.com/index.htm). Will it achieve
anything other than prompting a rant in the programme from our
beloved leader? Unlikely but they can hope (as can we all...).
See you tomorrow with another batch of news and stats!
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