Leeds' victory over Yeovil on Friday was enough to guarantee them a place in the League 1 play-off's and on the current table will finish either 5th or 6th, however before Leeds take on Gillingham next Saturday, there is a small matter of Leeds Uniteds appeal to overturn the 15 point deduction imposed on them by the Football League at the start of the season.

That decision is due by 1st May and could change the top of the table dramatically;

A decision in Leeds' favour will cause a major problem for the Football League who potentially will see action and argument from three clubs now that could lose out.  Irrespective of results next weekend, all three are bound to argue that the impact from any announcements just a few days before their final games will hamper their preparation and approach to the game.

Rumours are circulating on the Internet that the League could be looking to compensate any teams affected by the result, and there is even suggestion of increasing the number of automatic promotion places, although how this could affect the play-offs in unknown.

Of course, the result of Arbitration has yet to be announced, suffice to say that if the result does go in Leeds' favour, the results in League 1 could not have gone worse for the Football League.

Authors Comment

It is fair to sympathise with the plight of other clubs affected by the effort of Leeds United to overturn the 15 point deduction, but it is being made all the more difficult to show any empathy with the conduct of certain Chairmen, Managers and fans during this time.  Nobody knows better than Leeds fans how this degree of uncertainty, and delays to important decision can impact on all matters relating to our club.  We've been living with this for 10 months now - everyone else has had it for a few weeks.

What people fail to realise (or refuse to appreciate) is that Leeds United have ALWAYS maintained the decision was illegal and felt they had acted in the rules on the Football League. They asked for Arbitration only a few months in to the season, a situation every other club in the League was aware of - none of them stepped up to help.

We went to the FA, who just distanced themselves from these matters - we've been trying to get the Football League to sort this out from day one.

In the end we served a High Court order due to their refusal to listen to us, and eventually, on the final day they had to respond to the Court Order, they offered Arbitration - leading to yet more delays.The only reason we all find ourselves just 6 days from the end of the season with this still unresolved in because of the approach of the Football League, nothing to do with Leeds United.

So should we have taken our punishment and just walked away?  No!  The Club feels very strongly that what the Football League did was illegal - it always has and Arbitration will decide once and for all whether we have a point.  IF it is found in our favour, then we have done a service to all clubs, in all Leagues in standing up to the Governing Body and winning a battle for all of us.  You need no further proof than to look at the bottom of League 1 right now at Luton and Bournemouth!

One key point is all of this is that Leeds did not get a CVA in place as HMRC wanted to take the matter to Court.  They disputed that KPMG were going to pay all footballing debts in full and then anything left from CVA amount would go to other creditors (inc. HMRC) - Why?  Because League rules say so!  HMRC were taking Leeds to court for try to obey the League rules?  HMRC have said they will do the same with every other Administration case involving a Football Club.

Is the Leeds Arbitration thing a farce?  Yes, you got it in one - welcome to our world!

Oh and one final point – the 15 points we are looking for – they are ours, we did win them, we are not just being given them!