By Adam Walker![]() So I wake up on Friday morning, do my usual routine of having my breakfast and looking online at the latest sports news. I look first towards my beloved Leeds United and I see a Yorkshire Evening Post report that Red Bull are interested in investing in us. Throughout Friday afternoon I've been looking at various views online of Leeds fans. I must say I'm shocked at the amount of people who are willing to sell the tradition and soul of the club for money. Leeds United is one of the most famous clubs in the UK and famous all across the world as 'Leeds United'. What baffles me is that when some fans see the money they think it is the best option for the club. Sure, I'm sure the money through sponsorships and advertising would be extraordinary, however would you really take pride in our club if we were called the Leeds United Red Bulls who played at the Red Bull Arena? I know us lot would probably still refer to it as Elland Road but I believe it tarnishes the clubs identity. We would no longer be a football club, we would just be a part of a franchise. Not the identity we previously had. Red Bull's colours are red, yellow and blue. I wouldn't want red anywhere near our kit. You've got to stick by traditions in football, especially with a club like Leeds United who often reminisce of years gone by with the full white kits. As Leeds fans you would be asking yourself do you want more money and no identity or some money with your identity and dignity intact. I know what I would choose. I just hope these reports and rumours aren't true as I believe the Leeds United image and identity should always remain the same. Thank you for reading, please comment below for anything to add or anything to disagree with. All opinions are taken into account
67 Comments
Tony
20/7/2013 01:40:43 am
You talk of tradition of leeds united but correct me if I'm wrong ...didn't we use to play in red .
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Adam
20/7/2013 01:43:40 am
We did, but we all know it was wrong.
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Bobby
20/7/2013 02:41:58 am
We also stole white from Real Madrid. Some history. What are we fucking Liverpool? We need to stop clinging to our history which quite frankly is not as glorious as we'd all like to believe. Red bull do not want to franchise us. We are not some no mark Ghanaian, American or Austrian team. We already are a huge footballing brand across Europe. Unfortunately we're also a skint one and we need investment. Red bull want to provide sponsorship and a name change, in return for huge financial gains for lufc. What amazes me is the amount of idiots who think we can ever be syccesful without significant investment.
Martin 1961
20/7/2013 11:43:23 am
If red was so wrong then so is white,we stole that from R Madrid our true colour is gold and blue.
LAMBY1806
21/7/2013 12:41:00 pm
Actually our original colours as Leeds United, were blue/white stripes which were Huddersfield Towns cast offs. If I remember correctly we shared the same chairman (maybe wrong!) And almost Very nearly Merged with the dirty dogs! It was only after uproar and investment along with a new chairman did we pick up the colours Old Gold & Blue from the city Emblem which we also incorporated as the clubs emblem. So for me as long as we keep a certain degree of 'LEEDS' and Burn Ridsdales Shield and confine it to the bowls of Hell! That's where the Red comes in! Also if red had to be part of the clubs kit colours then it's the Goalie that draws the short straw!
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Dean
20/7/2013 01:43:26 am
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we used to have a red kit back in the 70's? Plus the way things are at the moment, we aint going anywhere. We've just been outclassed by Walsall for Gods sake. We need players and the only way to get that is through money. I don't care wht Red Bull would call us or the stadium, we'd always be Leeds Utd and it would always be Elland Road to me and most of the Leeds fans. The only difference would be that we would have a chance of success instead of going to the likes of bloody Yeovil Town and Barnsley every week.
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Adam
20/7/2013 01:48:05 am
So you would be okay with us being renamed and having a completely different identity? You're basically saying you'd support another club with money. If that's the case go support Manchester City. Are you supporting Leeds or are you supporting a football club dictated by money?
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Dean
20/7/2013 02:12:02 am
There's no substance in the claims that Red Bull are even attempting to buy Leeds. They are merely investing and all this is likely to affect is our shirts which will have a Red Bull badge on it and maybe one of the stands being renamed the Red Bull west/North etc. And for this, the sums of money mentioned are a £30M cash injection as well as £10M per season as long as they are sponsoring us. I really can't see your objections to this. It won't remove our identity, no one will ever do that but it will move the club forwards. After our miserable pre season would you rather us chase away investment and slip back into league 1 or worse? Get with the times or we'll get left behind, it really is that simple, you can always go set up your own version of Leeds FC if it bothers you that much.
mark
20/7/2013 05:52:14 pm
You sayin u would stop supporting leeds if gfh had loads of money?
HM
20/7/2013 01:55:18 am
We had a red away kit for one or two seasons as an experiment. Guess why it didn't last? It's remembered no more fondly than any of the tosh Macron have inflicted on us.
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MARTIN 1961
20/7/2013 07:11:12 pm
HM,Get a grip on life and slow down,its only a sponsorship not a buy out and if it happens and the ground is named Red Bull Arena and we play in the red bull colours, who gives a shit.
HM
20/7/2013 08:58:20 pm
To Martin1961:
colin gill
20/7/2013 01:48:54 am
totally disagree with you. You are living in the past, and talking about the past i have supported this club since 1945. I am afraid that you have to move with the times and move forward the way the game is playing out. Of course it will always be Elland Road that we go to. One final note I cannot in all the years remember that the ground was officially called Elland Road Ground. Whatever it is called in the future it is the ground Leeds United will play on, and if this deal goes through with enough money for us to buy it and Thorpe Arch back and strengthen the team then how can you object
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Adam
20/7/2013 01:57:01 am
I object because of the nothing our club will become. If you do your research you would know that Red Bull doesn't just invest, it completely takes over clubs and makes them their own. It's just a marketing ploy. They don't care about the fans or the club they are taking over, they only care about their own selfish greed. Fans of Salzburg after the takeover have moved on and created their own club who now play in the 5th tier of Austrian football. You can argue about how money will change us, but will it change us that much. Will Red Bull give us enough? You don't know that. For the risk of becoming a club with no history and no identity I do object.
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Simon
20/7/2013 08:11:08 am
Grow up! Leeds WERE great but not now so money is needed. As for history, all of us will still call Elland Road, Elland Road (after all it is the address!) regardless of any new name for the stadium. Besides, who has suggested that LUFC incorporate the name Red Bull? Stop scaremongering and support the future of the club!
HM
20/7/2013 02:01:33 am
Is the King Power Stadium "still" Filbert Way? Is "the Etihad" still Eastlands? Is "the Emirates" still Ashburton Grove? This idea that fans won't used the sponsored name is bizarre and unproven. People will use the same rationale as they did in Austria when Red Bull poisoned Salzburg, and keep insisting that it's a "new club" which must have a new name, a new stadium, new traditions and a new reverence for energy drink peddling shysters.
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Chareose
20/7/2013 07:37:24 pm
I dont give a damn about the grounds name, it didnt effect Arsenal !! What i do care about is the shirt colour and the clubs name because thats what truly identifies us and seperates us from all the other dross out there.............. They just need to be careful what they agree to thats all...sponsorship is good !
c rogers
20/7/2013 06:56:00 pm
I called my daughter Elland and the ground will always be known as Elland Road so doesn't matter what anyone calls it , it will still be Elland Road
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Chareose
20/7/2013 01:50:03 am
Have to say...the way pre season is going we need all the money we can get to rebuild a side..........bring on Red Bull please
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HM
20/7/2013 01:57:01 am
This is like saying that anyone not in their ideal job should earn a little bit on the side by prostituting themselves. That's exactly that this move would be, prostitution of our club - pimping it out to the marketing mafia for a quick buck after they've had their quick f...
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Adam
20/7/2013 01:58:08 am
Red Bull is not the answer.
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Gordon
20/7/2013 01:54:40 am
When someone asks me are you going down Elland road , that's it .the football ground is named after the road it's on and that will never change regardless of what somebody else might name the stadium . Ill always be " off darn elland road " scum jester played in a virtual all white away kit and they weren't that fussed . It doesn't matter what Red Bull do as long as they're only sponsors not owners and they pay . Ultimately We the fans are Leeds United .
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20/7/2013 01:55:44 am
To be honest I was looking forward to this season and very confident of promotion. But am dismayed at the weak performance of what looks like the starting lineup on the 1st day of the season.
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Shaun Mitchell
20/7/2013 02:03:06 am
Its not gonna be a full takeover, just sponsor ship and perhaps a change to one of the stands, Red Bull West stand??
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Tare
20/7/2013 02:04:13 am
The White shirt and Elland Road are holy issues here. DRs visionary look for the future and home ground for the sweating opponents.
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Sutty
20/7/2013 02:07:47 am
I have to disagree I'm afraid. Leeds United have been dictated to by money since Ridsdale took charge, the difference being we've always been in massive debt, not having the money to spend. Also, from what I understand Red Bull wouldnt have the rights to the name Leeds United as they would be sponsors not owners. It's funny you talk about integrity and identity. We've had no integrity as a club since Captain Birdseye bought us. As for identity, down the years we've played in red, yellow & blue, white, green and blue..... etc. AND we've changed the club badge half a dozen times that I can remember. So what if they call Elland Road 'The Red Bull Arena'? The fans will only ever know it as Elland Road, and we sure could use £30m to get us back to the Prem and stay there. I think we as Leeds fans will always have our identity as a group, but dont you want to have it back in the top flight again?
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Tare
20/7/2013 03:25:47 am
Sponsors or owners, a thin line line between life and death.There is one minor issue here that this birth place of football is in England, agreed? Well sailor men & co spreaded that beautiful game over the seas. Today thing is vice verse Brazil, Germany,Holland, Spain has "swallowed" the game and made their version of it. Whether you like it or not but LUFC is the last fortress of British football. Chelski,scum,gunners,pool well they are more or less plastic groups here and for a reason.
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aaron
20/7/2013 02:07:47 am
Need investment badly, more than worrying about the name of ground we have only owned for ten of the last 30 years...
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Sprake
20/7/2013 02:23:15 am
Please stop this childish thing about red.
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Dibble
20/7/2013 02:26:19 am
I seem to remember Nike were going to build us a new satadium at sturton called the "Nike stadium" ( that was until the bowyer, wood gate incident) we will still be at Elland Road it would be red bull stadium Elland Road
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Craig
20/7/2013 02:33:20 am
Im all about the sponsorship deal. It is worrying to think how much would change but it will always be the same club to us, who else will you follow? No-one. I think its needed to get us back on track. I dont think they will take the white out us. MOT
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Rising Giant
20/7/2013 02:49:51 am
Get with it!!!!......Every club sells its soul to the financier...its just the price...Arsenal,Newcastle..tradition goes out of the window...CASH IS KING!!!
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neil
20/7/2013 03:41:28 am
wake up son, 1 throphy in forty years, eland rd as we fans all know needs major updating. bring on red bull please. certainly got more status than the lurpak, would you not agree.
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HM
20/7/2013 07:42:36 am
And how were our trophies won? By selling our soul or by building on the achievements of previous greats in a constructive way? I wasn't around for them, but I'll hazard a guess at the latter. Lurpak and Red Bull are both lousy sponsorship partners, screw the pair of 'em.
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Red Bull are a great brand. They are not some dodgy loan shark company or a gambling outfit trying pass off addiction as a normal leisure pastime.
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HM
20/7/2013 07:43:45 am
Leeds are an institution, not a brand. A brand's main function is profit. An institution's main function is community. BIG difference, and that's why the two are INCOMPATIBLE.
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Martin 1961
20/7/2013 11:28:08 am
100% agree, I travel up from Cheltenham 180 miles for a home game, I park my car at Elland rd and watch LEEDS UTD,if its the red bull arena I still travel the same distance and from the same place and still park at Elland rd and still watch LEEDS.
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sean
20/7/2013 05:22:57 am
so we sign a 10year deal with redbull. look at whats happened in the last 10 yrs sweet F.A. i would welcome it as its only 10 yrs and it must be better then the last 10 years
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great white hope
20/7/2013 05:47:22 am
How many shirt sponsors have we had in the last 20years. How many stand name? Did you kick off every time. We need a cash injection. History does not vanish through changing a sponsor. Change can be for the good. We sing load enough they'll know who we are. Stop worrying about lossing the past to the the future WE ARE LEEDS! And there is nothing they can do to change it.
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HM
20/7/2013 07:45:36 am
No-one kicked up a fuss because RedKite and NetFlights don't have a predatory history of buying up and eviscerating the character of football clubs like Red Bull do. Our past defines our present and our future. There's no reason for us to "not worry" about losing it - Red Bull told Salzburg fans that they had no history. That does NOT sit well.
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Leeds fan from Preston
20/7/2013 08:23:38 am
I grew up with a dad who introduced me to the team I love. Leeds. I'm 20 years old and been a life long leeds fan. I know history is important but the present and future is now more important for us. The team will always be Leeds United. The Ground will always be Elland Road. Nothing will ever change besides the sponsor on the shirt. Football has changed a lot now and unfortunately we have to also change somethings. We need the money and I'd say it would be great for red bull to sponsor us. Even if they change the name of the stadium people would still call it Elland Road. My dad's been a life long fan and he also agrees with me. MOT!!!
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HM
20/7/2013 08:35:30 pm
"The team will always be Leeds United. The Ground will always be Elland Road"
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Nick
20/7/2013 09:40:46 am
What a short sighted and naive and frankly outdated opinion. This is the future of football and you go with the times. What is the point in tradition and history and all that if you are languishing in the division below the EPL
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HM
20/7/2013 08:37:46 pm
Fan involvement and fan ownership are not traditional or outdated concepts. They're actually modern and futuristic.
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Michael
20/7/2013 10:30:02 am
At the end of the day football is now about money. After seeing how badly we played against walsall it is clear we need wingers. If we get some transfer money in exchange for the naming rights to the stadium that will be good business.
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martin
20/7/2013 10:56:43 am
I have been going to Elland Road since 1969, but we need to move with the times.If we get paid shit loads of money for naming it the red bull arena I can not see a problem in it.The ground will still be on Elland road, there for every sat I will be going to Elland road. Check out google maps, the ground is Leeds united fc,has it ever officially been named Elland road, where as Liverpool is Anfield , Stoke is Britannia , Derby is Pride Park and so on when on google.
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Richard
20/7/2013 06:40:37 pm
I
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Richard
20/7/2013 07:09:11 pm
Hm, your comments defy all logic you bafoon! You can scream until your blue or red for that matter in the face as regards to our identity but take note LUFC just like all other clubs from wealdstone to west ham from Luton to Leeds they are ALL businesses who's main goal is to generate income and create as much profit as they can. Your notion on becoming a franchise is also flawed if we want to return to the big time too. We are not a small town team with next to no chance of making the big league like yours Huddersfields and Barnsleys of this world we are the 3rd largest city in the uk the financial capital outside of London and have 1 million people who populate our city, so to not take investment in a club as large as ours would penultimately see us go bust or be languishing in a league far far from the premiership. IDENTITY...... There will be no identity if there isn't a club to support anymore you absolute tool. Emirates and Ethihad, King Power (by the way it was Filbert Street not Way) who cares but there's only one common denominator in the afore mentioned. They've all got money and 2/3 are challenging for the title and Europe each and every season!!! You want identity then go watch Farsley FC because big clubs command big wages, big wages means big players, big players big sponsors..... You catch the drift? Identity? You just jumping on the band waggon similar to these eco friendly bafoons who climb trees to stop them being felled. It's a corporate world with corporate monsters life has changed move on and get with the times!
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HM
20/7/2013 08:05:35 pm
At least I was being polite to fellow Leeds. Should I call you Richard or Dick, by the way? :)
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Thomas Tucker
20/7/2013 08:12:03 pm
Big clubs in the Prem have not given up their names or brand names in order to make a buck. Like I said Leeds needs to do business responsibly. Red Bull does not care about football nor Leeds, they care about branding and marketing their product.
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Michael
20/7/2013 08:59:51 pm
Other clubs have money though. Red bull wants to be associated with decent football team. The better we do, the better they will look as a company. Therefore they will care
martin 1961
20/7/2013 09:04:43 pm
Spot on Richard
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Thomas Tucker
20/7/2013 08:10:11 pm
If Red Bull comes in serious money would have made to be available. I can live with a Red Bull arena, I can live with their advertisement on our shirts. But I can not live with a Leeds United Red Bull or Red Bull Leeds. Sponsorship is okay but not at all cost. We have to business responsibly and not just just to make a quick buck, that has not worked in the past.
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As a leeds fan I reckon we should take the money as from what I heard on the radio we fucking need it there s no mention that we are gonna be changed by name its only the ground and the shirt we are well on our arses and need a cash injection to get up and running lets face it without it the season that we were expecting to happen a few weeks ago wont go a head it would be such a bonus to help get out of the shit and give us a damn good chance to challenge for promotion as a fan it will always elland road and leeds united lets just hope we get the investment in before the start of the season cmon lets get brian the funds he needs MOT
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If Bates had sold out the Elland Road name to Red Bull, he'd have just pocketed the cash and said 'up yours, morons'. GFHC will put a chunk of cash onto the pitch, if it all comes off. If there's no deal then admin could well be on the cards again. Red Bull Stadium, yes I could live with that!
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Richard
20/7/2013 09:13:26 pm
'Dick' I like how you did that HM fair play to you however after calling you a bafoon then it is to be expected a direct or indirect low blow was coming. However, your perfectly structured response to all my points are valid and I would tend to agree on some but you are missing the point totally. Leeds United do not want to be a small town club they want to go global by branding there name in big letters about who we are to gain substantial and lucrative financial gains. The 'who we are' put into context is not our history or our white shirts but its how big a club we are and the monster that we can become! It is only some of the folk who are living in the past who see this as a theft of identity. How can this be if its just a sponsorship deal and not a buy out? To me this is a dog eat dog world with the driving force behind any succussful business being 'money' how many large company's which were founded back in the day but have now gone national or international have not used sponsorship and naming rights to get ahead of the game, keep with the times and strive to move forward to be a market leader in there chosen profession the answer is lots. Now how many are founded on loyalty, identity, dignity and other such words? None is the answer. To become successful globally you need investment and or sponsors and if this means incorporating a large and hugely successful company's name into ours then so be it. My point is if we need investment and if investment comes at a price then so be it. I re-iterate if we were just a small town club with no aspirations then I could understand but we are not. Where we are going and where football is heading is not where you and the 'hangers' on are! We will happily leave you behind as we cannot and will not let a few fans like you ruin our dreams and ambitions to be a successful club once more. I must just add the majority are in favour of this deal and you know what happens when the minority votes.... Hang on people of the dark ages your either with us or your not? Success is everything, even at the expense of our so called 'identity' and a few thousand fans and until you understand this then I'm afraid you'll be left behind.
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Mikey
20/7/2013 09:15:15 pm
Why are you bashing this investment? The only history we have over the last 40 years is of being a 'nearly there side' finishing 2nd 3rd or 4th, a few times at the highest level but more often than not, in the lower divisions. Why on earth would anyone want Leeds United to carry on this 'history' that certain fans cling to, like that's all they've got to shout about because our current team is not good enough (sorry, I didn't realise you we're Liverpool fans too).
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Richard
20/7/2013 09:19:21 pm
Martin 1961...... Genius piece!!!
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Martin 1`961
20/7/2013 11:29:58 pm
Thanks Richard or is it Dick lol
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jgh
20/7/2013 10:34:48 pm
i think people need to start to think of the bigger picture we are leeds utd if we have to put red bull at the end of it then that is fine we will still be leeds utd forever.
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phil
20/7/2013 11:39:18 pm
If we dont do this, we'll rot in the lower leagues. Football has changed and this is the future.
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Martin 1961
20/7/2013 11:49:42 pm
This is my last post, im just about to land.
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Jezza
21/7/2013 12:26:07 am
Change is inevitable and can frequently be for the better. One of the last major changes this club undertook was to change from the traditional blue and gold to all white. Fans of the day probably thought what's the point!. Don knew what he was doing, the change galvanised a directionless club, focused the players and sent the message to all that things were going to be different.
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I've read all the post, and I must agree with those in favour of the red bull investment if it happens.
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martin g
21/7/2013 05:30:11 pm
i think some people need to open their eyes . if we get into the prem next season as we are we are doing nothing exept face relegation . investment now off a company like red bull would be a massive boost .if redbull renamed the ground maybe one day they would put some serious cash into redeloping elland road or building a new one because quite franckly when i look at elland road sometimes i feel embarrassed because 50% of the outside looks seriously run down , can anybody truthfully say that they are 100% comfy with gfh cos im not , ive not trusted them from day one , under them i feel we r a feeder club .bring in red bull and lets get Bates and Gfh FUCKED OFF for good before we are back in admin and master bates is buying us back for a couple of hundred from administrators
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Adam
21/7/2013 09:46:29 pm
Thank you for all your comments on this blog. All opinions have been noted and some good opinions at that from both sides. However it will not change my outlook on the future of Leeds United and this Red Bull deal. I've recently watched videos on how Red Bull ''sponsor'' their clubs and they don't. They don't sponsor these teams. They own them and change them completely. If you don't believe me look at how RB Salzburg have changed and the way loyal fans have had to move on to Austria Salzburg who play in the 5th tier of Austrian football these days.
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22/4/2015 02:51:44 am
If u have forgotten and I am old enough to remember when our beloved Leeds United under the leadership of the don leeds did play in all sorts of red kit be it red sock white shirts and white shorts leeds v Chelsea fa cup final who really cares if we have a bit of red in our kit
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