Theories, Conspiracies and Conspirators.

13/10/2012

By Steve Barras

The latest ‘Statement’ from Leeds United has done nothing but kick the bee-hive. People who were happy to sit back and trust that the Takeover/ Investment would eventually come are now emboldened to wonder what the heck is actually going on at our club! I was one of the aforementioned people, I was happy to sit back and be patient, I was happy to wait for the long drawn out result of the current negotiations before saying what I thought of the whole debacle.

I have been extremely quiet on this site because of this, keeping myself busy, learning and focusing on the Development and Youth side of our club (The Future’s Bright Episode 1 & 2). Now however my wildly imaginative mind is now feverishly going over every scrap of information and mis-information that it has been fed and can remember. My favourite scenario is that whatever Leeds and GFH have said in the past is all true and possibly two years from now we will be competing in the upper echelons of The Premier League. Unfortunately my imagination has a dark twisted side to it and has come up with a scenario that includes a phone call from Bates to his good friends Salem Patel and David Haigh where he has asked them to pretend to buy Leeds from him and then pull out at the last minute, then all three of them could have a field day in the media and publicly discredit Bates arch-enemies, LUST.

Now, as we all know Leeds and the GFH have supposedly put together a joint-statement which pretty much denounces any contact with LUST. Something which LUST have said that they have had, countless statements and media appearances have also led to this idea being upheld in the public eye and coincidentally has seen the membership of LUST rise considerably to more than 8,000 people. I honestly believe that Gary Cooper, the chairman of this organisation, is in love with the idea of being the chairman of THE Leeds United Supporters Trust and he has used the current events to elevate and promote his position. I personally, had only heard of LUST being mentioned prior to this Takeover saga as the people who meet up in the back room of The Peacock on a Matchday and force other fans to queue up four deep on the other side of the pub, now obviously, Gary Cooper is somewhat of a local celebrity, a T.V appearance here and a Radio interview there. Don’t get me wrong, I agree wholeheartedly with LUST’s vision and that is the reason I joined but I do wish that they would take a step back and be patient. Wait until the Takeover comes to fruition, or not as the case may be, and then make contact with whoever sits in the Chairman’s office.

I was reading Twitter early this morning and I came across a letter from Grovesy (@LUFC27) and I thought he had hit the nail on the head as it were,

Dear @lufctrust,

Just a quickie as over the last few days your position has bothered me…an #lufc fan. Firstly I am a supporter of your position and am grateful for your work over the past few months. We’re where we are now and I’m not bothered who’s source is ITK etc etc all I want is a new start with new owners, something which you guys have campaigned for. We’re now at a late stage in hopefully what will prove a successful TO and I just think you guys should take a BIG back seat. As it stands this is becoming a 3 way thing with you, #lufc and GFH, never mind Bates! I think your position and message should simply be we welcome the continued talks and look forward to the future. That way you support the club instead of dividing unnecessarily the supporters. Anyway it’s just a thought but one you guys should give a minute to think about.
Cheers,
Grovesy
#MOT.

I would like to add that part of LUST’s message is that it is time for change after seven years of lies, it now sounds like we have had six months of lies from them. I was also fearful that at the latest AGM, LUST would breach the confidentiality clause that has held Leeds’ and GFH’s hands behind their backs, by naming their source at GFH and I still believe that if this deal falls through then LUST would be in some way to blame for it so please, from one Leeds fan to another, back off.

Steven Barras.

18 Comments

Jim Lufc

12/10/2012 06:11:33 pm

Have always doubted that lust have been as involved as they say... Claiming to have held talk with the potential investors and know where the negotiations were at.... Then GFH say they have never spoken to them... Ouch...

Let the business men sort out the business side of it and do what we do best... support the team... MOT

Michael

12/10/2012 06:15:02 pm

LUST need to take a step back and see what happens, they know no more than we all do and all this constant speculation and stirring up the fans is only going to put a mockers on any investment... And before anyone says it... I am no Bates lover and can't wait for him to leave the club, but all the interference isn't going to achieve anything..

Mac the white

12/10/2012 06:19:30 pm

As Leeds fans I think LUST have good intentions, but I also think they have claimed to know things that they don't, and made out that they are more involved than they are... And because of this have lost some credibility.... Sick of it all to be honest now. Lust need to keep out of it and Bates and GFH need to get on with it... Then us fans and lust can get on with what we should be doing and support the team

James

12/10/2012 06:22:44 pm

BATES = full of shit
LUST = full of shit

I give up....

The team doing well, that is all that matters right now, the rest will sort itself out MOT

belfast white

12/10/2012 08:04:31 pm

lust = leeds united shite talkers

facts

12/10/2012 08:28:29 pm

Steve Barras, you need to check your facts before publishing things like this - you are spreading untruths yourself, whether you mean to or not.

For one thing, LUST never ran or owned The Peacock. That was the Leeds United Supporters CLUB. To get something so basic wrong suggests you don't really know what you're talking about here.

Secondly, regarding your "fears" about the AGM - the AGM has taken place, and LUST did not name their sources or break any confidentiality. Perhaps you would like to update your article to reflect this.

What they did do at the AGM was stand by everything they've said this summer, and as I personally don't see any reason why they would go to the trouble of attracting 8000 Leeds fans as members and then lie to them, I for one believe them.

Steve Barras

12/10/2012 08:52:15 pm

@facts.
I didn't say they ran or owned The Peacock, I said they met there on matchdays, not the board, the members and I apologise if I got the Trust and Supporters Club the wrong way round. Fact stands that I PERSONALLY had hardly heard of them.
I know the AGM has already been held that's why I said latest and not next AGM.

12/10/2012 09:12:58 pm

But you're still wrong. The only people allowed in the backroom of The Peacock while LUSC ran it were members of LUSC. They did not ever "force other fans to queue up four deep on the other side of the pub." It's just blatantly not true.

And if you know the AGM has been held, why are you talking about your "fear" of something that might have happened, that didn't? You feared something might happen - it didn't - you were wrong - yet there's no mention of you being wrong, just of your fears.

Surely it should be mentioned in your article that LUST did not in fact do what you feared, and that you were wrong to fear it?

12/10/2012 09:24:11 pm

These are my own personal feelings on the matter, I dont pretend to know the ins and outs of LUSC, LUST or The Peacock for that matter. Everytime I set foot in the place I queued for around twenty minutes whilst the other side was emptier and inaccessible to me.
I also stated that I 'was fearful'. Was being the operative word - meaning not any more.
My advice to you and with all due respect is to actually read articles and understand the grammar used.

12/10/2012 10:04:32 pm

>Everytime I set foot in the place I queued for around twenty minutes whilst the other side was emptier and inaccessible to me.

Which was nothing, NOTHING, to do with Leeds United Supporters Trust.

If you don't pretend to know the 'ins and outs' - the facts - why try and write about them? Or why not learn the facts before you do?

You expect me to read your articles carefully, yet you can't be arsed to do some basic research before you write them?

Ian

12/10/2012 11:51:32 pm

take it your're a member of lust hahahaha

Geordie Loves Leeds United

13/10/2012 07:40:44 am

It comes across you defend LUST pretty strongly @facts! Steve Barras was only expressing his opinion and I think he and other Leeds supporters share the view LUST should take a step back and let business run it's course !

white blob bob

12/10/2012 11:07:13 pm

First thing I want rid of bates like any one else, but whether you like it or not he has done a good job in getting Leeds in to a viable financial situation where any body credible will want to buy the club. The club is still pretty much on a credit black list (not so much literally but in perception) because of its administration. The reason Bates could never do a Chelsea at Leeds was he could never get the finance to build his costa del Beeston. But this is what’s at the real heart of what’s holding up the deal, MONEY! Simple, but not so simple;

First (with out revealing who I work for, I have seen the facts) Leeds is still the subject of a multi million pound dispute over the administration and crafty Kens off shore shenanigans. He saved the club/him self a fortune but its yet to be seen who if any one will pay (solicitors and accounts are certainly been though).

Second, the rights to Elland road and the surrounding land, GFH loves a bit of property, so does Bates, Leeds city council and so do the people who own the other 25% ??????

Third, GFH, they own as much equity as they can raise! This doesn’t mean to say they cant or won’t, it means to say they are not jack walker or abramovich, they will have to raise the funds through borrowing to a certain degree to finance both acquiring Leeds and talking the club forward to a greater extent then the aforementioned owners. But you need to borrow and find investors and you need to refer to point one, and the clubs let say credit history when trying to do this.

I don’t doubt either Bates stubborn and pragmatic as he may be, wants to sell (for the right price) and GFH want to buy (for the right price). I do believe that this take over is not yet at an unreasonable length for one of its complexities, but as Steven has quite rightly said why rock a boat when its sailing through some definitively and treacherous waters that are close to the edge of, and leaving the storm to sail in to ……….

Hopefully better times, is all I wish for right now!

Fonzie-Sterland

13/10/2012 12:11:53 am

Did you actually bother to speak to Gary Cooper to discuss his own personal agenda or is the above just another Bates-esque hatchet job?

The tone of your article is patronising and dismissive, from one Leeds fan to another, please lay-off from writing this shite again.

LUFC Forever

13/10/2012 12:56:05 am

I'm getting very weary of the do-nothing Leeds supporters bleating "Just Support the Club (or Team)" as some sort of magic mantra, when the reality is that those so-called supporters don't do a thing but whinge about what groups of Leeds supporters do or do not do.

Not agreeing with LUST or LUSC or even the Monty Python Whites is one thing, it's entirely another to simply take pot shots at other Leeds while ignorantly beleiving things will get better if you simply do nothing. To make up lies about those other groups is even worse, as is shown by your refusal above to acknowledge and correct errors, but that really wasn't your point was it?

LAMBY Yorky in Exile (Telford)

13/10/2012 02:18:32 am

Gotta be Honest I joined LUST way back & there philosophy towards LEEDS future was Bob On! But All this Bullshit, He Said-She Said! It's Become Embroiled in, is straight up Bates street! Bcos That's what He Wants!!... it's Time to Stand Back & let it Run its course! Unless of course
LUST is the Extremely Clever Smart Solution! On the Payroll of a Certain Mr BATES??.......

Ady

13/10/2012 05:54:34 pm

Why will he sell? The better the team does without him putting any real funds in , which is certainly possible with warnock in charge as we are seeing. There is not a chance of him selling in my opinion, the closer we get to January. Why sell Leeds now for 50 million when he could sell a few months later for 100 million if they get into the prem? the majority of fans will stop protesting if the team is doing well. This will not happen it will collapse at the last hurdle and both parties will blame lust.

Leedsnwhacky

14/10/2012 12:11:39 am

I am getting weary of the LUST reps that slag of everyone else for having a different opinion than theirs. This article is well written and without bias. It is a shame that LUST are reduced to finding holes where they do not exist. If they bothered to read properly before they have a go they would realise there was nothing wrong with this.
Amazingly on the LUST site they are slating others who do not agree with them and asking them to leave stating that they do not go to others sites and argue their opinion.
This is strange since they slates Bates for not letting them have a voice. Bates owns Leeds, they don't. I don't think the rest of us Leeds fans would get a voice if LUST were in charge.
And for info I don't hate Bates, but would live new owners.
LUST, please be quiet and let the business people do their stuff. The takeover will happen.
Have LUST done anything at all? I'm not sure, but it is funny how they haven't told us any of the people they have talked to. I thought they had said they have spoken to three groups. Surely these are not all under a confidentiality agreement?

Theories, Conspiracies and Conspirators.

By Steve Barras

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