Leeds United: Deadline Disaster!

By Keith Ingham

I was looking forward to the usual Friday as it was transfer deadline day, but as you know from the complete melt down of Twitter an incredible news story developed in Leeds 11. At around 12:30 news started to emerge of a deal been struck between GFH and the Mafia, I had to blink when the news came so quick on the heels of the collapse of the David Haigh led consortium and the outburst of Flowers about the deal.

By the time I'd started my shift the rumours were coming thick and fast. Brian McDermott had given his usual press conference when he stated he was looking forward to the upcoming game against local rivals Huddersfield. When asked about his future he stated he was taking one game at a time.

Move forward another few hours and Cardiff had thrown a cheeky four million pound offer for our captain Ross McCormack, but he himself stated how happy he was at the club and with the manager.

What happened next just is beyond belief, the deal with the Mafia was good as done with only the Football League needing to approve the deal, but what followed that saddened my Leeds United heart, at around 8:20 news came from a shopper where I worked that the manager had been sacked by the Mafia. I was visibly shocked at the outrage, I felt at the treatment of not only a proper gentleman but also a manager who's hands had been tied since the day he sat in the managers chair. I liked the man he was honest and even though the results recently have been disappointing the fans, Rochdale apart have stayed with him. It was obvious that the behind the scenes fighting over control of the club had a direct effect on the playing side of the club. The situation regarding Varney did little to lift the morale of the club and also must have a effect on the players around him. 
 
We now have new owners and if rumours are correct a new coach in Festa, an ex Middlesborough defender who was currently managing a lower league Italian team. Twitter by now had gone into orbit, frustrated Leeds fans vented their spleen on the unjust and disgraceful treatment of Brian McDermott. Ross McCormack live on Sky also mirrored the fans feeling but questions were asked if he would now leave. His answers annoyed some but not me, he was honest and indeed a bid of six, yes six million was turned down for the striker. The new owner was presently inside Elland Road whilst a dozen or more fans became around fifty or more gathered outside the ground and it was also said the Italian was not allowed to exit the ground as the fans chased his taxi around.

Rumours also surfaced that Enterprise Insurance and Flamingo Land were pulling out of their sponsorship deal out of the club and Paul Hunt had also been sacked by the Mafia.

The last news was that David Haigh had quit GFH in a protest over the treatment of the ex manager and rumours that a couple of unnamed Italians had joined and would be in the squad for the game tomorrow along with young Chris Dawson.

A day that nobody will forget but unfortunately for the wrong reasons. The shock sacking of Brian McDermott will reverberate around the pubs and clubs as fans gather to try and understand this unbelievable day. 
 
I would like to personally like to Thank Brian McDermott for his tenure at the club and our loss will be somebody's else's gain. He's a good man in a septic sport and I salute his honesty throughout his stay.

To the Mafia. I do not hold out a hand of welcome, sport is full of back biters and remember this, it might be a long time or never before your accepted as a good thing to happen to the Theatre of Hope. You've taken our club but you'll not take our hearts. This is OUR club, bloody remember THAT!

On On On with a heavy heart