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Leeds United: Forget Cellino, The Football League Needs To Look In The Mirror
We will not be silenced...
Leeds: Forget Cellino, The Football League Needs To Look In The Mirror
Let’s take a look at a couple of examples of Football League chiefs and their relationships with Leeds. All facts provided by Wikipedia.
During the 1960s and 70s Alan Hardaker, the unctuous, belligerent secretary of the football league had a bitter relationship with Leeds United manager Don Revie, during the club’s ten year pursuit of domestic and European honours Revie and his team frequently ran foul of Hardaker’s demanding fixture schedules and autocratic rule.
The football world was stunned when the postman who rang thrice on the door of the administrators was appointed as chief executive of the Football League.
Shaun Harvey’s stellar football career is detailed here and smacks of “right man who says yes to those more powerful and gets jobs way above his ability.” it’s a surprise that Sepp Blatter hasn’t been on the phone to offer him a major global role with a CV like this.
An administration job at Farsley Celtic F.C. which led to a chance meeting with Geoffrey Richmond, the then chairman of Scarborough. In February 1992, Harvey took up at job at Scarborough after having been personally invited by Richmond to the club. When Richmond became chairman of Bradford City, Harvey followed him where he eventually became Managing Director and led the club into the Premier League for the first time. The club also experienced two spells in administration.
In June 2004, after ten years at Bradford, Harvey joined Leeds United as chief executive officer. Harvey became part of the new management of Leeds which included Richmond who joined the club as a board advisor. In May 2007, the club went into administration. Harvey, along with former club chairman, Ken Bates and former director, Mark Taylor, quickly formed a new company called Leeds United Football Club Limited and bought the club back. After months of legal and monetary disputes, Harvey, Bates and Taylor won back full control of the club. Harvey’s investment in the new company saw him become a club director and the company secretary.
On 1 July 2013 to the relief of all Leeds United fans Harvey stepped down as chief executive officer of Leeds United at the same time Ken Bates disastrous tenure as chairman ended. He was replaced by David Haigh, deputy chief executive of new owners GFH Capital, who took up the role of managing director.
In June 2011 Harvey was some how elected to the Football League Board of Directors by Championship clubs and on 29 July 2013 he was appointed the organisation’s Chief Executive.
Now lets put some context around the current situation.
So the fella running the Football League is an ex-Leeds United employee who in his last year of office at the club earned around a quarter of a million pounds in salary plus a £400,000 bonus. There is a strong feeling that Harvey remains under the influence of the odious Ken Bates who elevated him to a position far in excess of his ability and paid him so handsomely.
His football club running record includes three administrations, a questionable buyback of Leeds from the administrator in cahoots with Bates and strong accusations of lying under oath in court regarding the real owners of the club during the Bates era of smoke, mirrors and deception.
He was even accused of harassment via the mouthpiece of the club’s radio.
We know that at the time of the most intense final rounds of negotiation to finalise the takeover the very same Shaun Harvey was in Malaysia allegedly desperately trying to bring in a Far Eastern consortium to buy Leeds from GFH and oust Cellino’s bid, he failed, surprisingly, given his reputation and track record of success.
We know that Harvey, Bates and Cellino recently met and can only speculate what the agenda was but the smart money is that Harvey is running scared in case any serious shenanigans come to light, now or when David Haigh is eventually released from prison to blow the lid off the Bates sales to GFH and their subsequent mismanagement. Fit and proper, my a***.
Cellino has been a marked man since he entered the race to buy the club.
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After weeks of speculation regarding the purchase of Leeds United, the club announced on 7 February 2014 that they had exchanged contracts for the sale of Leeds to Cellino’s family consortium Eleonora Sport Ltd. The deal would see the Cellino family acquire 75% ownership of the club subject to approval from the Football League. The Football League rejected the proposal on 24 March 2014, stating that Cellino failed the owners test.
Cellino exercised his right to appeal the Football Leagues’s decision. His appeal was heard on 31 March 2014 by an independent QC. On 5 April 2014 the independent QC overturned the Football League’s decision, concluding that Cellino’s recent conviction did not involve conduct that would ‘reasonably be considered to be dishonest’ based on information available to him at the time. GFH retain a 10 per cent stake in the club, with minority shareholders will holding 25 per cent.
Cellino later said that had he known that the takeover would not proceed smoothly he would not have bought the club and described the Football League as “…really tricky, they made trouble at a time when I couldn’t walk away and I submitted myself to a trial, a humiliation… I don’t want to be here if the Football League don’t want me but who are they anyway? They are acting for what’s right, the principles, the ideals. Me, I sort out the f***ing problems at Leeds. I prefer to play by the rules, not to cheat.”
Shaun Harvey passing comments on the running of Leeds United is akin to Katie Price giving marriage guidance counselling, Kerry Katona lecturing on effective dieting or the organisers of a Magaluf weekender advocating responsible drinking.
This statement garnered a measured response from the club, according to @PhilHayYEP “Leeds aren’t responding publicly to Shaun Harvey’s comments but senior figures around Cellino think they were ‘inappropriate and disruptive’”.
It is very likely that Cellino’s reaction was more volatile along the lines of “The postman you say, disrespecting me you say, let me tell you something, he will regret it my friend” with a lot of expletives thrown in.
Is Harvey desperate to avenge his puppet-master Bates and hide the truth of their tenure?
Massimo Cellino is, in Harvey’s tainted eyes a disgrace for sorting out Leeds United’s finances and buying 15 new players to transform the squad and give the fans hope for a bright, successful future.
His latest outburst prompted an irate fan, Sam Kirby from Lincolshire to start a petition yesterday to oust Harvey from his position. The depth of feeling is shown by the fact that there are already over 3,600 signatures and counting, I urge you to take a moment to sign it here.
Leeds fans won’t be silenced, they believe that the Football League featuring an eclectic mix of ne’er-do-wells and generally dodgy characters in its membership and committees should look in the mirror before coming after Cellino, a football man, unconventional for sure, eccentric but committed to bringing success back to one of this country’s top clubs.
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COMMENTS
Well written Paul ... Shaun Harvey is, in my opinion, an odious littl ecretin who has been promoted way beyond his capabilities. What Massimo Cellino has managed to achieve in a few short months at Leeds United is nothing short of remarkable and Harvey should be magnanimous enough to acknowledge the fact. In the event of Cellino being found guilty of dishonesty over his yacht tax evasion, a sensible organisation would impose conditions on his ownership of the club rather than trying to drive him out ... which benefits nobody except Harvey's oversized ego.
Ive signed the petition to get him out.I would be more than happy to sign one to have the bastard strung up.
When Haigh ended up in jail, I mentioned on a forum that I believe messrs Harvey and Bates will be sweating profusely in case Haigh becomes a whistleblower. As for the corrupt, two faced and back stabbing Harvey, I think his witch hunt against Cellino has become more obvious, thanks to his own corrupt big mouth. Him and Bates, I reckon they're both quaking in their boots, A, cos of Haigh and B, cos Cellino won't take any crap from either of'em. I hope Harvey is caught out and investigated, and then jailed, in a Leeds Jail.
Armley Jail will be fine as far as I am concerned. He is an odious little cretin that deserves to be hung out to dry. preferably by his testicles if he has any
It is so ironic that Harvey seeks to punish Cellino under the fit and proper tests when he wouldn't pass comparable ones himself. Dread to think what shenanigans he got up to under Bates. What is in the public arena, by his own admission, only scratches the surface.
Harvey is a disgrace and should be removed from office as soon as possible
I urge every football supporter, not just Leeds to sign this petition. It is a travesty that this man holds the position of CEO.
I don't understand this thread at all.Mr Harvey seems such a nice man. Everything he did was for the good of the club and its supporters. He left it in a wonderful state, poised for great things....... I'm sorry, I have to go..... They're coming to take me away ha.ha, they're ---- well you know the rest.
So a bunch of dubious, self-serving, venal businessmen have been replaced by another bunch of dubious, self-serving, venal businessmen (with added corn to aid digestion) and Leeds United fans, con/senza Prada, (delete where applicable) are genuinely able to choose sides? Incredibile
Harvey and the FL are corrupt and not fit for purpose, I would welcome a full Police investigation into their dealings. However a comment Harvey recently made, makes me wonder. He said "We have been asked to be kept informed. Our influence over the judicial system in Italy is somewhat limited. Is he inferring that the FL have influence over our Judicial System, are they all crooks together ?
I may have had an iota of respect for Harvey and his merry men if they had taken action against the Oystons at Blackpool, or the Chinese guy at Birmingham. They just show that there is one rule for Leeds and another for other clubs.
Hate is a strong word and only a few people qualify for me-Yorkshire born man utd fans, Tony Blair, Dermott Oleary and the Muppet show are a few of mine. Sitting proudly on top of that list would be Sean "toad" Harvey. One of Bates hatchet men, a business failure and a greedy (his bonus) spiteful little man WHOSE ATRED OF leeds knows no bounds.Ive signed the petition and like Kev Walters and happily have the man strung up.
Football leauge very corrupt very very corrupt Harvey has to go
How ca Steve Neal call Cellino dishonest orcunscrupulous is beyond me. He is honourable in his affairs, although i am sure that hecsees thingd differently to most people. Give me Cellino any day ofvthe weak over Bates, Harvey, GFH and some of the other crooks from the football league. Big protest on Saturday. Harvey out. Let him find s proper job instead of thieving the coffers from Leeds United with his greedy, inflated salary and bonus! Hanging would be too good for him. If I see him I will be calling him out!
FLmyfanny My post does not call Mr Cellino dishonest, I rate the man as the best thing LUFC have had in years. Maybe you should read it again and digest the content.
it strikes me that certain members of the football league would do anything to make leeds united suffer theyre a disgrace wonder what would happen if it were man.utd or any other top team would it all be brushed under the carpet M.O.T we will survive
Harvey should be made to answer questions (under oath ) about the nature of his trip to Malaysia. It seems strange behaviour to happen while cellino was waiting for the result of his fpp test. In fact, it stinks to high heavan. He thinks hes untouchable !
Harvey was Bates's gobsh*te. Bates! A f*cking TAX EXILE. It does not get any more groteque or obscene or downright f*cking ridiculous!!
Harvey's recent comments are, as others have said, a reflection of his panic about possible Haigh revelations and Cellino's hiring of forensic accountants to review Leeds financial business. His taking of a £440K bonus in his last should bed investigated by someone - Leeds were on their knees and he did that. Bu why would anything that Bates, Harvey and GFH surprise any of us. Cheers Paul top post.
The Football League are like agree full of monkeys. The monkeys at the top of the tree look down and see smiling faces. The monkeys at the bottom look up and see a load of arseholes.
Edit: 'agree = 'a tree' LOL
With regards to the secret meeting between Cellino, Bates & Harvey, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer". A quote from the Godfather, nuff said.
That's a very good summation, and prompted me to sign the petition AND donate £10. I so want Harvey to hang...and bring down Bates with him.Will it happen? I doubt it..think Sepp Blatter and Fifa...
I don't have any faith in the football league. In my opinion they all have hidden agendas and they are deviants.
I Have watched every bit of double dealing since the RAT PACK moved in at ER,selling players below market value to stuff the money in their pockets,lying about who owns ER and committing Perjury about offshore accounts etc etc etc,Harvey is a complete A***Hole and should be prosecuted for his involvement in numerous thefts from the club.
The football league are nothing but low level business failures who have been elevated to there positions of a organisation who are answerable to no one. Shaun Harvey is out of his depth and is no more than a puppet to the highest bidder, if you pay enough for his services, you get to pull his strings. How can he be allowed to have sny say on matters concerning Leeds United with his past association, and the knowledge he was privileged to during his tenure along with the whiter than whiye Ken Bates. I would imagine that the biggest problem he has to worry about is the release of David Haigh from prison, it is not a coincidence that he is at present languishing in a Saudi jail, why do you think he is there the gsng of three Bates Harvey and GHF are a prosecution waiting to happen and David Haigh could turn out to be the number one prosecution witness upon release that is why he was locked up on trumped up allegations to give the three of them time to get there stories straight. I hope that they are prosecuted and found guess for the systematic stripping of assets from Leeds United. The football league have for some reason always had a vendetta against Leeds United and is about time they were made to answer to the powers that be, the only way that can be done is for a independent investigation into the way they are pursuing Leeds United now and for past punishments meeted out to the club, from fixtures to point deductions, something stinks and for once the smell should be eradicated once and for all.
SABOTAGE
