It was a nail biting week unlike any other and as with all good drama's, the plot kept people in suspense right until the last minute. We had endured a rollercoaster of emotions as rumour's engulfed the White support. We began the week with a wave of optimism, but it ended with the feeling of a swatted housefly. By the time Thursday morning had arrived, the whole episode had mentally taken its toll and many just wanted this saga over and done with. We had been through the argument presented as we understood it a thousand times and it appeared to be a Black and White case. Either Leeds broke a rule thus deserving of a "Penalty" or we didn't and the League acted in an "Unfair and Unjust" way. The time it had taken to wade through the case by the Arbitration panel had given glint's of hope. By Thursday morning these glint's began to look like "Fools Gold" and alarm bells had started to ring upon reading somewhat defeatist sounding words from the normally bullish Bates early on in the day...
At 5pm, with no sign of Leeds representation in London, the news was announced. The Arbitration panel's decision was damning and blew Leeds United's appeal out of the water. The appeal by Leeds was thrown out simply by virtue of the fact that the club signed a legal document agreeing to start the season in League One at -15 points, subject to an appeal heard by the members of the League. We were all well aware that the club had signed this agreement, but were led to believe this was a "Penalty" or a sanction for not coming out of Administration with a CVA in place. However, it emerged that far from this being a "Penalty", it appears it was, in the end, a negotiated agreement between the Football League and Leeds NewCo to remain in League One rather than starting the season in League Two or worse. The Leeds board have always claimed that this document was signed "Under Duress" however, the independent panel were having none of it:
36. We are satisfied that the Claimants case begins and ends with the Compromise Agreement which clearly embodied the intention of both parties. Taking the Agreement as a whole and in particular Clause 4 Leeds NewCo agreed to the imposition of the 15 points and to release the League from the claims which have now been advanced and to waive any rights to do so. Leeds NewCo specifically covenanted not to bring the claims it has now sought to assert and there is no basis to allow it not to honour that covenant.
The Tribunal dismisses the Claim on this ground alone.
Full report here:
Further reading of the full document makes it clear that even without this document in place, the League were well within their rights to take this action regardless and therefore dismissed any right of Bates and co to appeal. Debates over the Leagues initial motives for the idea of a points deduction continue to be held, however, just as many debates are raging over the antics described in the report of a Leeds board, who it appears have not exactly covered themselves in glory over this whole affair. Many are questioning the merits of chasing what appeared to be a lost cause and no doubt spending money on legal fee's in the process. However with Bates being the "clever business man", you just wonder if we are missing the bigger picture in all of this. With the verdict delivered and a statement on the club's website claiming that the club had drawn a line under the matter, we appeared to at least be walking away from this matter with dignity...
However as a smug Lord Mawhinney once again claimed that Leeds were a "valued member of the Football League family", not to be outdone in anyway, an ashen looking Bates came out fighting and demanded Mawhinney resign based on the reports "Postscript". In this the Arbitration panel appear to criticise the way the League has handled this matter and made suggestions for how to treat similar cases going forward. Overall, despite not winning the points back, Bates went on to claim a "Moral victory". It appears that Bates was justified in pleading that the club had done nothing legally wrong in this matter. Bates was also vindicated in claiming the way the appeal process was handled was unfair and that the Leagues policy's for future football administration cases were in need of amending. Once the League takes these on board and changes the way it handles matters, it would appear that the next club that happens to find itself in the position we did will not have to follow precedent, but each case will be judged on its own merit...
As we move forward from this episode in the clubs history, whilst
many fans debate the rights and wrongs of the matter and a sense of injustice still lingers, most now appreciate that it could have been worse. With this rumbling on in the background, Macca still had to prepare a team for the final home game of the season today. Fortunately with the players doing the business at Yeovil and being assured of the Play Off's either way, you assume that this made things a heck of a lot easier than if we had needed the points. Today's visitors were of course Gillingham. The last time they visited Elland Road was March 2005. 27,995 saw on loan striker Marlon King come off the bench to cross for Hulse to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw. Earlier this season of course, we had the same result at Gillingham where referee Danny McDermid made a name for himself and sent off both Beckford and Kandol in a controversial game...
In case you are wondering, up until 19 April, McDermid had been in charge of 24 games this season, booking 82 players and sending 8 off. One man smiling that day was Gillingham chairman Paul Scally but given that his team were clinging on to League One status by a thread, it's a fair bet the fella was not feeling as smug on his journey up North. Bates had already spoken about "Poetic Justice" should Gillingham be relegated at the hands of Leeds. However, as we Leeds fans know all too well, teams are relegated over a season, not one game. With the hot sun beating down for the first time at Elland Road this year, despite the points decision, there was still a party atmosphere in the air. The now customary "last day" inflatable's were being thrown around a history making crowd of 38,256 and we began in damn good voice. As predicted, Macca rested a few players and cobbled together an experimental looking side...
So with Casper in goal, a new look back line had young Gardner in at right back, Bradley Johnson at left back with Lubo and Huntingdon in the centre. Douglas and Prutton partnered up in the middle with Sweeney brought in to the left and Hughes on the right. Kandol and Elding lead the line and as the noise levels went up the boys attacked the packed South Stand. It's been noticeable over the last few seasons that a massive crowd does not always bring the best out of the home side, there is a tendency to freeze and it appeared the case in the first half today. Even given for the changes Macca had made, it made you wonder if this side had actually trained together during the week as they frankly failed to make any real impact on the visitors. Gillingham were well organised and fighting for their lives, Leeds seemed to think they could walk over them in first gear and we got a heck of a shock. It was quickly apparent that all was not well with our back line and 7 minutes in, Jackson appeared to have got the better of them...
He also got away with the ball appearing to go over the dead ball line, as he continued his run and forced Casper into a save. Going forward we were lifeless and thankful this game was, in the grand scheme of things, meaningless. This was making life easy for Gillingham, especially with the 3-5-2 formation they were using and they passed well and were beginning to take control. The opening goal summed up the first 20 minutes. Huntingdon, who looked a pale imitation of his normal self, was caught in possession by Jackson. Jackson progressed, skipped passed both Casper's attempt to save at his feet and Lubo's dive in and smashed the ball into the net for 0-1. It certainly dampened the party atmosphere as we watched the players proceed to struggle to string 3 passes together. Off we went looking for a leveller, but in all honestly, we just hoped that we could get to half time and regroup...
Gillingham continued to have chances, Mulligan's header went over when he should have done better and the best we got at the other end was long range efforts either dribbling back to the keeper or going wide. At halftime we were introduced to two lucky people who had flown in from OZ to watch the game after winning a competition. They must have been left wondering if the trip was worth the while, but still as bad as the first half was, we had seen worse and surely they would react in the second half after a quiet word from Macca. With the crowd finding its voice again, the players suddenly found a spring in their step. Finally passing the ball around we began to ask questions of the Gillingham side. Douglas and Prutton were now getting more involved and that drive that was missing in the first, appeared. Dougie had a shot charged down as the noise got cranked up as the Leeds players began to slowly rise to the occasion...
After 60 minutes Macca changed the game with a brilliant substitution. Off went the anonymous Sweeney and on came Carole. Carole has been one of the most frustrating players this season but his introduction changed things around. He went on the right & Hughes moved to a more natural position on the left and we suddenly had balance and someone with pace on the park. Kandol headed one over and Douggie smacked one into the Revie, but we were now looking like a side that could score. When it did come, not one person in the ground would have predicted it. Brilliant running from Carole on the right saw him cross from the near the by line and in a flash, Bradley Johnson came from nowhere to meet it with a left foot volley on the edge of the area to scorch home one of, if not the best goal of the season so far. It was like an exocet scud missile that had the keeper grasping for air, the back of the net straining and the Leeds fans in celebration...
The lad has shown glimpses over recent weeks of what he can do and to be fair, the experiment to play him at left back may not have worked out, but fuck me, what a strike. 1-1 and suddenly it was game on as Gillingham woke up again knowing that nothing less than a win would do. They piled forward and the game got stretched and with Carole as an outlet now for Casper to throw to, we looked threatening on the break. Still it was Casper called into action to keep the sides level, first saving from Crofts and then Oli. With time ticking down, Macca took off Dougie for young Delph and the lad made an immediate impression, showing some calm touches on the ball whilst the game was becoming frantic with both sides looking for a winner. Kandol had a great chance when put through, but skied his shot and after Elding had seen a shot deflected over, great running by Hughes down the left saw him burst into the box...
Rather than take on the shot, he tried to square to Kandol, but the defence cleared. It was looking like ending a draw when a superb ball from Huntingdon was played through to an onside Kandol, he took the ball in his stride and advance towards the Revie, he looked up and as Row Z ducked, the lad twatted the ball home from the edge of the area for his best taken goal in a Leeds shirt thus far. It was just reward for his efforts in the second half and I doubt anybody in the ground would have begrudged him this moment. As we began to party, the Leeds players nearly got caught out by a swift attack that saw Southall manage to somehow miss an open goal. He prodded it onto the post and the ball bounced back kindly into Casper's arms. At the final whistle, all apart from one pillock managed to keep off the pitch as the players did a lap of honour to say thank you for our support and we wished them all the best in the Play Offs...
So, in essence, the season starts now. We have 3 games in which to claim promotion and we have been here before. Considering all we have been through this season, in some respects this in itself is a magnificent achievement. However, as we know, this is football and this will mean nothing should we fail. We reconvene next Monday night for the first leg against Carlisle and we pray for "Third time lucky" in the Play Off's...
Leeds United AFC... "The truth is rarely pure, and never simple"...Keep Fighting...