By Andy Baggott
November 13 2004

The takeover deal for Leeds United has died a death. Although given until 1.00 pm today, the deal hit a major snag last night, and the expected collapse was announced by Chairman Gerald Krasner at 2.00 today. It now seems certain that Elland Road will be sold to pay off some debt, and new rounds of talks will begin with other interested parties

The whole sorry saga has done Leeds United no good at all. We the fans have been hearing spin, half truths, and arguments on an almost daily basis for the last fortnight. We had the ‘Chairman elect’ Sebastian Sainsbury give us various deadlines that he didn’t keep, claiming he would be Chairman on certain days. We were told that proof of funding had been received, but today’s statement from the board seems to suggest that it never was. Only this week, Sainsbury said he was 95% certain that the deal would go through, but most supporters have been sceptical all week. We now will have a media blackout for the next two weeks whilst negotiations continue.

At the end of the day, it is us, the fans that have suffered. Players, managers and Chairman come and go, but the fans stay loyal. There will come a point when, after everything that has been thrown at us over the last few years, enough will be enough. Unless we get some answers about how this whole sorry episode was allowed to lurch from one disaster to another, that day will be coming sooner rather than later.

The fans need some answers, and some honesty. We need to know EXACTLY what is happening at our football club. Others may own it, but Leeds will always be ours. There are many unanswered questions, and the current board, and the Sainsbury consortium owe us some answers….

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