L.U.S.T. Update: It's time to Involve The Fans in Leeds United's Future
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 4:39PM On behalf of our 7,000 members, the Leeds United Supporters' Trust want to express our frustration and disappointment with the way the takeover of Leeds United is being handled. We believe the time has come for the fans to be told what is happening at their club.
L.U.S.T. has done all it can this summer to keep anxious fans as informed as possible, without compromising our contacts. But the complete silence from the buyers, and the wholly inadequate statements from the club itself, have kept Leeds fans in the dark about what will become of their club after this summer.
We respect the need for confidentiality, and that the legal process needs time. However, we believe that Leeds United's fans should also be respected. One of the aims of our Vision Statement is for the fans to be seen as an integral part of the club again, after nearly a decade of being left on the sidelines by the current board.
By not responding to calls from the fans for information, the new owners are not beginning this key relationship in a positive way. Our members want to support a transparent and open Leeds United, and being kept in the dark about who currently owns or runs their football club does nothing to achieve this.
The new owners need to start work now if they are to build a strong, mutually trusting relationship with the fans at Elland Road; a relationship that L.U.S.T. believe is vital if the club is to be successful. The fans have been kept too much in the dark this summer, and patience has worn thin. The fans need to be told now what is happening at their club, if any trust is to be established.
Today's news that CEO Shaun Harvey has accepted a bid for Robert Snodgrass, our best player and club captain, does nothing to help build this trust.
Neil Warnock has been clear since he arrived that he wants to keep Snodgrass at Leeds and build a team around him. Robert himself has said publicly that he would be happy to stay at Leeds if the club would change its track record of unfulfilled ambition under Bates and Harvey, and if he could be convinced that his ambition of captaining Leeds to the Premier League would be matched.
With pre-season well underway and Robert Snodgrass now in talks with Norwich, what are Leeds fans to make of the prospects for the new season at Elland Road? Does the sale of our captain mean another season of broken promises for the supporters he leaves behind?
Whatever the outcome of the takeover negotiations, the most important people at Leeds United will, as always, be the fans. Despite being ignored by the current owners for years, the fans remain as consistent and loyal to the club as ever. The hope is there that new owners will mean a new relationship between fans and club, and this is something that our membership of over 7,000 Leeds fans wants to see.
L.U.S.T. will always do our utmost to make sure that our membership's voices are heard. We are ready to work positively with our new owners to bring about the aims and ambitions of our Vision Statement, and excited about helping to build the future of the club under new ownership.
We believe that this future should start today, not at some indeterminate point in the future. The fans have been incredibly patient, but patience only lasts so long; and Wolverhampton Wanderers will not be patient when they come to Elland Road on 18th August. Leeds United Supporters' Trust call on all parties involved in the future of Leeds United to recognise the important role that the fans play and give them the respect they deserve.
Leeds fans must be told what is happening at their club, and they must be told NOW!
Supporters can also join more than 7,000 other Leeds fans and have their voice heard as members of the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust by filling in the form at www.lufctrust.org. Membership is free. Keep checking for updates on www.lufctrust.org, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Reader Comments (14)
There is still another 3 weeks until the start of the new season and we, as every other group of supporters do, should allow the club to prepare appropriately without sticking our nose in.
How could us supporters benefit from any information at this time? If this statement was met with a positive reply from the new owners nothing would be gained albeit a more relaxed view on the current situation.
The club has asked for time, and we as supporters should respect their professionalism and accuracy regarding every aspect of this takeover.
The bottom line is this. Keep calm, relax, march on, we will know in due course
You're making the supporters trust look like a needy child, wanting attention from his million pound business of a mother.
If there are new owners than its Bates and Harvey as nothing to keep us devoted fans in the loop. It shows no respect to the fans, it only opens there untrust of a board that can't or wont hold into players like captains, Gradel, Howson, Kilkenny, Johnson, Kasper now Snodgrass. Feels like asset stripping and replacing with bargains. Yes the bargains aren't that bad at all but where's the strength to hold a player who's been tapped up by ex players about the so called riches to be gained.
Open the doors and let us know what is going on, otherwise, fans can push by not turning up for the opening match of the season! We are one, we are Legion. Do not mess us around!
Totally agree with the content and our absolute frustration at this Takeover, but can I just ask LUST, Have we indeed been taken over ????
If we have whats the secrecy by them, if LUST know who they are , NAME THEM !..Is Ken Bates still at the club in any capacity?
As a fan and member of LUST, i appreciate your role in bringing all parties to the table, so therefore you must have a name of the so called NEW OWNERS !
I would then urge you to be forthcoming with there names, this will certainly prompt a reply or a statement from them/Club....If the takeover is complete as we are led to believe, what have you got to lose !
Kind Regards, MOT
mkeddie1502
I'm as frustrated as the next Loiner and member, but really LUST!?! This smacks of someone saying "What about me?" and comes across as really quite unprofessional; much like the board you bemoan.
What does 'compromising contacts' refer to? Whistleblowing could throw any 'possible' takeover into jeopardy, though from the rest of what you write it appears you are as unaware of any 'possible' new owners as I or any other loyal Leeds fan is; the mind boggles. You mention patience and it being tested, this is a sentiment I can relate to completely, but it is something that will carry on until we know anything official one way or the other; that's just something we'll have to live with for however long unfortunately.
The departure of Snodgrass is not something I, you or Colin want, but someone is obviously smelling coin, be it Kenneth or Rob; this is modern football. I am happy with our signings so far and with the positivity of all that has been said by the squad and management; their spirit has lifted mine, something that hasn't happened for many a year at Elland Road.
If, as you allude, you do know more than your fan on the street (7,000+ members of LUST and 100,000+ non-members alike), then I feel you should say so without mentioning names, businesses and the like, so as not to compromise any deal and for your own integrity. I don't see how what has been posted today helps in any way if i'm honest, and i'm behind your Vision Statement 100%. Modern media can be a wonderful, powerful tool, but I feel this is a case where it's ease of access has backfired.
MOT!
The report looks a pretty stock response following lots of concern from Leeds United Supporters. I'm a frustrated fan also but my DEH@Faulds above. Let the professionals sort out the problem, we can't do anything even if we know who the new owners are going to be.
The frustration shown today is clearly due to the sale of Snodgrass which has ripped at the hearts of many fans and I suppose they are wanting to know why he has been sold and who authorised the sale, current or future incumbents. This seems a major loss to the club and although he is replacable and one player does not make a club he is yet another club captain to be sold. This is what is frustrating fans.
My fear is that if we don't hear anything before the start of the season that the Wolverhampton game could become a place for protest and showing of discontent when it should be the start of a big push towards moving this big club back to where we belong in the Premier League.
I'm not confident however that you as an organisation are any the wiser as us as to the progress of the discussions as you would have advised us earlier had their been any news to give..
Time will tell but let's hope the news comes sooner rather than later.
You call for paitence then clearly show none.
Lets get this straight and make it clear to EVERY LUFC fan Snodds has changed his mind he wants out hes made that clear to NW or does no-one listen to NW's interviews.
Bearing that in mind what else can the club do?
Also LUST DO NOT speak for all Leeds fans and having a dig at the New Regime before they've even had chance to sign a cheque in anger or get settled in and show their intent is bang out of order and smacks of a dummy spit.
Just let nature take its course and lay off the feet stamping and spoilt brat approach in demanding anything from people who are yet to be confirmed as LUFC owners/investors.
Something of a misfire, this. Embarrassing, even.
Yeah lets force any new owner to advertise the fact that we finally have a few bob.In the middle of transfer season,Brilliant.
We have signed more players for real cash in the last few weeks than in the last 7 years.keep schtum LUST or they will all be looking for bigger Fee's/Wages.
Think ffs.
This article is really embarrassing to anyone reading it and really cant believe you have even thought about releasing it. Your meant to be a professional organisation trying to help breach the gap between the club and supporters, yet you come out with something like this!!
Neil Warnock publicly stated yesterday the club is still going through due diligence so that is all the information fans want. He also stated that he tried his hardest over the past few weeks to persuade snodgrass to stay, he decided he wanted to play premier league football now. So goodbye no player is bigger than LEEDS UNITED, end of!!.
Think LUST need to take a long hard look at themselves and consider what the hell they thought this would achieve. As it is completely childish at best.
Fans need to be informed. But this statement smells of incompetance.
We are in a process of due diligence. Nothing can be disclosed. Snodgrass has had his head turned by Premier League money. It doesn't change a thing.
The latest LUST statement makes me want to cancel my membership. Grow up LUST and enter the real world.
you are all entitled to your opinions however the statement reflects the mood of the members and the wider leeds fans base to the extent that our membership increased by a further 88 within 48 hours of its release, only 3 canceled their memberships.
given our position and what we know all of our statments are considered and in the best interests of the members and the club, we would release it if we thought it would damage future relations with new owners, despite what some think were not that stupid!
Really!?!
It may reflect our moods but the way it's been presented is quite embarrassing, and again, I don't see how it helps anything. Better to be proactive than reactionary.
in you opinion of course bowden?