Leeds fans facing up to relegation
dogfight
Leeds fans are preparing for another relegation battle next season
after the club were given the green light to start their first
season League One - with a 15 point deficit.
The Football League have finally agreed to hand back the club's
share and allow them to launch the 2007/8 campaign at Tranmere next
Saturday.
But they will do so with the 15 point penalty for failing to comply
with the League's stringent rules on insolvency.
Although the decision ends fans' fears they might not have a team
to support next season and months of uncertainty over the club's
future after going into administration on May 4, hopes of bouncing
back to the Championship at the first attempt have been dealt a
huge blow.
Leeds United Supporters' Trust chairman Rick Duniec said: 'Without
doubt there has been a collective sigh of relief among fans. Leeds
fans no longer look for good things to happen, but the least
bad.
'So given all the other possible outcomes that could have happened,
we have to be grateful.
'The biggest problem was kicking off the new season in the Football
League and the next was getting the share back.
'Well we've got those two things we wanted more than anything else.
It makes us a normal football club again.
'On the down side we've been hit with a 15-point deduction - but
fans must remember it could have been relegation.
'Our destiny in some way is still in our own hands. We can sign new
players, albeit with only a week until the start of the season, but
it's still positive.
'Those Leeds fans hoping for a glorious march towards promotion
next season just ain't going to get it.
'It will be a fight against relegation rest assured, but we can
survive, I'm also sure of that.''
Leeds have appealed against the punishment and their case will now
be heard at a special meeting of all league clubs, to be arranged
in due course.
But Duniec added: 'My feeling is there are two levels of
understanding among fans.
'There will be those thinking 'they're kicking us when we're down
yet again', but in the wider business community I think there's the
feeling that (chairman Ken) Bates should be grateful for small
mercies.''
Duniec warned the Football League's decision to hand back Leeds
their share was not necessarily the end of a sorry saga that has
dragged on throughout the summer.
Under Football League rules all 41 clubs who have previously gone
into administration have only been handed back their share after
completing a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) where creditors'
debts are settled.
Leeds' CVA was scrapped by administrators KPMG when the Inland
Revenue, owed £7.7million by the club in unpaid taxes, challenged
it in the High Court.
KPMG then sold the club, quite legitimately under insolvency laws,
back to Bates, but the absence of a CVA meant the League's rules
had been broken.
The Football League and KPMG have yet to confirm whether the club's
football creditors have been paid in full or not.
Duniec added: 'If the football creditors have been paid in full the
Football League will be happy, but you can guarantee that it's not
over between Bates and the Inland Revenue.
'They won't be happy about that because of course they are still
owed £7.7million.
'If the football creditors have not been paid in full there's the
possibility of further recriminations from the Football
League.'
