BBC Radio Leeds were scheduled to have a sit down chat with the owners of Leeds United GFH Capital earlier this week. Unfortunately we were unable to conduct the interview as planned. Therefore we were invited to email questions to them via the club.
Below is an unaltered transcript of GFH Capital's responses.
What is the scale of the cash flow problem at the club?
Cash flow is an issue with most football clubs simply because of the nature of the business, but it is something that is manageable.
How confident are you of resolving it before the club faces the possibility of administration?
This is an irrelevant question. There is no way this will happen under our ownership.
Are payments due on loans shortly?
No, aside from the cash we have injected into the club, the club is relatively debt free and this was one of the attractions for us when we acquired the club.
How close are you to bringing on board more investors?
Being an Investment Bank, whose business model is largely based on bringing investors to investments, we seek investors for any project that we undertake.
Have you had an offer from a Yorkshire consortium?
No, the offer we rejected was from an individual. We do not know who was backing the individual.
Would you accept a 50-50 split in terms of shareholding?
No.
Can you explain the type of investors who have already backed you so far?
These are our clients based in the Middle East who are either high net worth or institutional.
Can you reassure fans that Ken Bates is owed nothing?
We have already stated this in the interview with the Guardian, which appeared on Saturday February 16. All of the guaranteed consideration was paid by December 20.
Can you reassure fans he is not able to regain control of the club?
Ken Bates cannot regain control of the club under the terms of the agreement that we have signed with him.
What are your plans for alleviating the debt the club has which some analysts say could be £19m plus?
This figure is not accurate.
When will you decide on Season Ticket prices for next season?
These are currently being worked on.
When will you bring in a new manager or decide on Neil Warnock's future?
As everyone is aware, Neil Warnock is under contract until the end of the season, and it would be wrong of us to discuss his future publicly at this time.
Have you spoken to or decided upon a new manager? What criteria have you laid out for him?
We have not yet spoken to anyone regarding the manager’s position.
Will you be bringing in more personnel to help run the club with proven football experience I.e. a Peter Kenyon type of character?
We are still reviewing the club’s operations and will make decisions accordingly.
What is your message for fans who want to see your vision for the club?
Please be patient. We can only be responsible for the future, and we can only be successful if the club is successful.
Dette er en samtale via email Adam Pope hadde med GFH
