Chairman-legende: Leslie Silver R.I.P.

[h.b]

En trist fotballdag. Både Ivers og ikke minst Leslie Silver gikk bort

http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/18f7stc50qrdh1x04rss1rrxvg/title/leslie-silver-rip

[Promotion 2010]

En trist fotballdag. Både Ivers og ikke minst Leslie Silver gikk bort

http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/18f7stc50qrdh1x04rss1rrxvg/title/leslie-silver-rip

Sistemann som skaffet oss et gull av noen som helst art!  

[Asbjørn]

En trist fotballdag. Både Ivers og ikke minst Leslie Silver gikk bort

Silver viste ikke minst hvor viktig styreformannen/ledelsen er for at man skal få suksess med en fotballklubb.
Hans grep da han endelig fikk kontrollen i klubben gjorde at Sgt Wilko ankom, og han fikk armslag til å bygge opp et akademi, Silver gikk forresten læretiden under Manny Cussins...

RIP Leslie!

[Josch]

Ja, nå i ettertid må vi erkjenne at Silver har betydd mye for Leeds'  nye "storhetstid" fra slutten av 80-tallet til rundt  1995. Det store kuppet var selvsagt å ansette Wilkinson, etter å ha forsøkt Bremner og  Eddie Gray som manager. Selv om Wilko gjorde de kloke kjøpene så måtte han jo finansiere kjøpene. Her bør Silver få sin del av æren. At Leeds hamlet opp med store klubber som Liverpool og Man.U er egentlig helt utrolig. Akademiet kom i stand i hans tid. Det gav grunnlaget for David O'Learys unge  lag som slo igjennom i 1998/99 og skapte enda noen fine år.
R.I.P.

[Promotion 2010]

Leslie Silver: Bomber Command hero and Leeds United icon

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Published on the
30 December
2014
06:05
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LEEDS UNITED, it is fair to say, were not in the finest of states when Leslie Silver took over from Manny Cussins as chairman of the club shortly before the end of 1983.

The team was struggling, Leeds’s coffers were empty, and hooliganism was a blight on the game.

From such an inauspicious start, Silver â€" with the help of several key figures â€" not only dragged Leeds back from the abyss but helped lead them to the League Championship.

All this was achieved with the customary good grace, integrity and steely business sense that had characterised the life of a man who turned a £1,000 wartime gratuity into one of Britain’s best known firms.

Born in London, he joined the RAF at the age of 17 in 1943 and served his country during the Second World War with such distinction that he was awarded the ‘Bomber Command Clasp’ in recognition of the 40 plus operations he took part in over Europe and a further 20 in the Far East.

On being demobbed at 22, Silver founded Silver Paint and Lacquer Company Limited to set in motion a business career that would, a year before taking on the chairman’s role at Elland Road, see him awarded the OBE for services to export.

By the time Silver retired from the business world in 1991, his company â€" by now called the ‘Kalon Group’ â€" boasted a turnover of around £100m. He later went on to serve as chancellor of Leeds Polytechnic and its successor, Leeds Metropolitan University. A building on the campus of what is now Leeds Beckett University is named after him.

It is, however, for the key role Silver played in taking Leeds from the depths of despair to the very top of the English game for which he will be best remembered in the city. He retained close links with the club, pledging £15,000 to the cost of the statue of Don Revie that now stands opposite the East Stand.

[Promotion 2010]

Silver, the man who turned Leeds into champions

Leeds United chairman Manny Cussins handed over the reins to Leslie Silver in 1983.
by Dave Craven
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30 December
2014
06:15
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WHEN Leslie Silver succeeded Manny Cussins as Leeds United chairman shortly before the end of 1983, the club was in a mess.

Hooliganism was rife, the team was struggling on the field and the financial coffers were bare.

From such an inauspicious start, Silver â€" with the help of several key figures along the way â€" dragged Leeds back from the abyss and on to the League Championship.

United’s revival was achieved with the customary good grace, integrity and steely business sense that had characterised the life of a man who turned a £1,000 wartime gratuity into one of Britain’s best known firms.

Born in London, he joined the RAF at the age of 17 in 1943 and served his country during the Second World War with such distinction that he was awarded the ‘Bomber Command Clasp’ in recognition of the 40-plus operations he took part in over Europe and a further 20 in the Far East.

On being demobbed at 22, 
Silver founded Silver Paint and Lacquer Company Limited to set in motion a business career that would, a year before taking on the chairman’s role at Elland Road, see him awarded the OBE for services to export.

By the time Silver retired from the business world in 1991, his company â€" by now called the Kalon Group â€" boasted a turnover of around £100m. He later went on to serve as chancellor of Leeds Polytechnic and its successor, Leeds Metropolitan University. A building on the campus of what is now Leeds Beckett University is named after him.

It is, however, for the key role Silver played in taking Leeds United from the depths of despair to the very top of the English game that he will be best remembered in the city.

Silver, born in London and a supporter of Arsenal as a youngster, had been on the board for only a short time when he stepped up from vice chairman to chairman in December, 1983.

Straight away, he set to work on tackling United’s two main problems â€" the hooligans and a lack of money.

An identity card scheme was introduced in an attempt to root out troublemakers who were testing the patience of the Football Association with each incident of disorder.

Away games also became all-ticket, while other steps were taken to try to reshape United’s image as a family club.

Finance-wise, the sale of 
Elland Road to Leeds City Council generated much-needed funds and, gradually, the club started to be turned round.

Tough â€" and often unpopular â€" decisions were also taken, as Eddie Gray was sacked as manager. Billy Bremner, too, after the Scot had been unable to build on the 1986-87 season that had seen Leeds lose both the Division Two play-off final and get knocked out of the FA Cup in the semi-finals.

Enter Howard Wilkinson. Bobby Robson, then the England manager, had recommended Sheffield Wednesday chief Wilkinson, but lesser men than Silver and managing director Bill Fotherby might have baulked at the thought.

Not only were the Owls a division above Leeds but they seemed a much better bet in terms of bringing the major honours to Yorkshire. Why would Wilkinson swap Wednesday, seventh in the top flight, for a club sitting fourth bottom of the second tier?

Two weeks of talks later, however, and Leeds had finally got their man after both parties had convinced the other of their ambition and vision.

In his first full season, ‘Sergeant Wilko’ â€" as he was affectionately dubbed by the Elland Road fans â€" led United out of the Second Division as champions.

The calculated gamble by Silver to release the funds to bring in Gordon Strachan, Mel Sterland, Vinnie Jones, Chris Fairclough and Lee Chapman had paid off handsomely.

Promotion, though, was just the beginning, as Wilkinson was handed further funds to bring in Gary McAllister and John Lukic. A fourth place finish followed before Silver sanctioned a further round of spending to bring in Rod Wallace and Tony Dorigo.

The final pieces of the jigsaw were in place. On April 26, 1992, Leeds, after beating Sheffield United and then watching rivals Manchester United lose at Liverpool, were crowned champions for the third time in their history.

Further success on the field may have eluded United. But, by the time Silver stepped down at the age of 71 in 1996, the legacy of his reign could be seen not only in that 1992 League Championship but also Elland Road, which had been transformed into one of the best stadiums in the country.

He retained close links with the club, pledging £15,000 to the cost of the statue of Don Revie that now stands opposite the East Stand. It was through his appreciation of Revie that I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Silvers’ home a few years ago.

At the time, I was putting together a biography with Revie’s family, and Leslie’s second wife, Sheila, had been a great friend of the former Leeds manager and his wife Elsie.

A hugely enjoyable couple of hours followed, as I was regaled with tales of what the Revies had been like away from the public glare. It was great fun and, I was later informed by former colleagues who knew the Silvers well, typical of the couple’s generosity. RIP Leslie Silver.

[Promotion 2010]

Litt 'education' i dette:

Leeds United: Whites owe a debt of gratitude to Silver - Lorimer

by Leon Wobschall
Published on the
30 December
2014
09:56
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Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer says the Whites owe a debt of gratitute to the late Leslie Silver OBE, who helped transform the club’s fortunes and restore them on the path to glory in the late Eighties.

Silver, who passed away yesterday at the age of 89, took over the reins at Elland Road in 1983 and during his chairmanship, the club returned to the top table of English football, with the ex-United chairman sanctioning a spending spree which led to the second division title in 1989-90.

Greater riches and glory lie ahead when Leeds lifted the first division championship in 1991-92, with the team of Silver, manager Howard Wilkinson and director Bill Fotherby proving a winning ticket in the late Eighties and early Nineties alongside the players who took the field.

Lorimer, who returned to Leeds from North America during the early stages of Silver’s tenure, with the businessman appointed Leeds chairman in 1983, said: “Leslie goes back to the days when a wealthy businessman based in Leeds could afford to buy the football club with some of his colleagues. Football has changed a lot since those days.

“Leslie certainly did a fantastic job for the club while he was here and we owe him a debt of gratitude.

“He got on the board as a director, but in time became the main financier and chairman. He kept the club going and had some great times and ultimately had a lot of success.

“He rebuilt the club with Bill Fotherby and Howard (Wilkinson) and then they passed it on. Leeds have had their ups and downs over many periods and Leslie took over when things were tough. But he sorted things out.

“Football in those days was about the passion and the city and it was a time when business people felt they were obliged to help their local football clubs and do as much as they can. And that’s what Leslie did.

“During a bit of the early period when Leslie was there, I had gone to play in North America and Allan Clarke was manager. But unfortunately, things all went a bit wrong and I couldn’t believe when I came back that the club had hit hard times.

“It was up to people like Leslie to rebuild the situation.

“He was the chairman when I came back and was playing and captain. I was disappointed when he let Eddie (Gray) go as manager obviously at the time and didn’t agree with the situation and let him know. But at the end of the day, he did what he felt was right for the club and got us out of the problems we had.

“Leslie was a Leeds supporter. Just two or three weeks ago, which was the last time I saw him, he pulled into the car park in his car (at Elland Road) and loved his football.

“After his second wife Sheila died, football was Leslie’s life. Coming down and watching Leeds was what he had to look forward to.”

[Promotion 2010]

Batley businessman turned Leeds United legend dies

Leslie Silver outside Kalon in 1991
Updated on the
30 December
2014
11:25
Published 30/12/2014 10:42
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A much-loved business leader and football legend has passed away.

Leslie Silver, founder of Birstall-based Kaylon Paints (now PPG) and former chairman of Leeds United FC died yesterday at the age of 89.

After leaving the RAF aged 22, he started a business in 1947 with a £250 gratuity, mixing and selling paint. Silver Paints grew quickly and in 1960 moved to Batley, later changing its name to Kalon Group.

In 1983, the company moved to a 60-acre site in Birstall, developing one of the most sophisticated paint plants in western Europe.

It joined the stock market in 1985 by reversing into Leyland Paints. When Silver retired, in 1991, it employed more than 1,300 people and had a turnover of £100m and made profits of £9m. The company is now part of the worldwide paint manufacturer, PPG.

The company gained the Queen’s Award for Export in 1979 and three years later, Leslie Silver was appointed an OBE. He was named Yorkshire Businessman of the Year in 1983.

A former chairman of Leeds United, Silver headed the club’s board when it won the First Division title in 1992. Since his retirement, he has become involved with Leeds Metropolitan University where he served as chancellor and has supported numerous charities.

[SOL]

R.I.P. Mr. Leslie Silver.
En mann med visjonar og målretta jobbing. Uten å framheve seg sjølv.
Takk for alt du gav til Leeds United og supportarane.

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http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/video-leeds-united-family-say-farewell-to-leslie-silver-1-7028573

[Promotion 2010]

Strong bond between Leeds United and city’s Jewish community

1990: Leslie Silver in the stand at Elland Road.
Published on the
01 January
2015
12:25
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Christmas was tinged with sadness as former Leeds United chairman Leslie Silver passed away on December 28. One of Leeds’ most famous Jewish sons was warmly embraced by the city at large. Amitai Winehouse reports.

THE sad passing of former Leeds United chairman Leslie Silver provided an opportunity for reflection for the Jewish community in Leeds.

In fact, many members of it have spoken about the huge influence the football club provided when it came to them becoming more integrated with the city as a whole.

In the 1930s, Leslie Goldberg appeared regularly for Leeds United at right-back, the first sign of the Jewish community embracing its local football team.

Goldberg was born in Leeds in 1918, and, as a result, qualified to play for the English national side. However, he only received a call-up to the team when he Anglicised his name after moving to Reading, changing it to Les Gaunt.

As Mavis Solk, from near Roundhay, said: “You felt a little bit ashamed if you had a Jewish name.”

By the time Leslie Silver joined the board of the Elland Road club at the end of the 1983 season, the Whites had had a Jewish chairman in Manny Cussins, and the community had spread across the city.

It moved north, towards Moortown and Alwoodley, forming the infrastructure of the Jewish population of Leeds that can still be seen today. Silver was the second Jewish chairman to lead the club to the league championship in 1992, the club’s last trophy. The community had embraced the city and the club.

At the time of Leslie Goldberg’s appearances for Leeds, the situation was vastly different.

Waves of immigration had brought Jewish people, often impoverished, to the city. Much like the rest of their history, the city’s Jews established a community centred around Chapeltown reflecting the same living arrangements as those found in Europe.

While not everyone in Chapeltown was Jewish, David Bickler, of Alwoodley, suggested that a “pretty high proportion” of his neighbours were.

Location aside, the nature of Jewish existence at the time meant that there were few opportunities to branch out and meet people from other backgrounds. The community was more religiously inclined at the time, and kept kosher in the main.

There was very little impetus to mix, and, in fact, the community discouraged it. Children were mainly introduced to the children of their parents’ friends, who would invariably turn out to be Jewish.

David Bickler recalls that “there were things Jewish people were expected not to do”, with places to socialise during childhood and young adulthood provided by the community itself.

It was not just that the community chose to close itself off to the wider city for no reason, said Mike Elbogan. He said it was “defensive mechanism in a way, as that way you didn’t meet any anti-Semitism”.

Institutional anti-Semitism still existed, with the Jewish Chronicle publishing an exposé in 1960 on the fact that Jews were discriminated against at local golf clubs.

Moor Allerton golf club was established in 1923, in part to provide a solution to the community’s desire to play the sport but finding no place that they were allowed to.

At the start of the 1960s, there was very little opportunity for the community to mix.What shattered that was the fact that the community, like the city itself, fell in love with Leeds United.

Legislation in the form of the Race Relations Acts of 1965 and 1968 can be partly credited with the change in outlook.

At first, the common ground was Leeds rugby league club. Headingley was closer to the Jewish community.

In 1961, two important events occurred at Elland Road â€" Don Revie was appointed as manager and Manny Cussins joined the board.

Interest among Jews in the club was increased by the presence of a member of the community in a position of power, and like the rest of the city, as Revie brought success to the club, interest rose.

While attendances in the mid-1950s averaged around 20,000, a decade later over 46,000 watched Revie’s team crowned champions against Nottingham Forest.

Anthony Clavane wrote in Promised Land that “the community attached itself to Elland Road with a fervour unknown in more established football cities”.

It wasn’t the case that Jewish people were appearing among an already established fan base. They were equals on the terraces, not only in terms of their passion for Leeds United, but also the length of time they had followed the club.

The city’s population, both Jewish and non-Jewish, revolutionised their sporting habits as Revie revolutionised his team. This ended up having a huge effect on who people from the Jewish community would actually meet.

Going to watch Leeds became part of life for the Jewish population. Anthony Gilbert, a Rabbi at Etz Chaim Synagogue in Alwoodley, recalled that when growing up: “Shabbas (the Jewish holy day, Saturday) stopped at three o’clock because (people) went to the match at Elland Road. Maybe the fact they went to Elland Road was part of the shabbas as well, as far as they were concerned.”

The club also embraced the Jewish community. Revie bought a house in Alwoodley, in the heart of the city’s Jewish population.

He joined Moor Allerton golf club, and holidayed with Jewish businessmen Gabby Harris and Leslie Silver.

Revie famously gave a sermon at a local synagogue, telling the Rabbi that while he had the congregation on a Saturday morning, they were his on an afternoon.

Jewish influence on the terraces can be seen by the fact that over the last 30 years, two players, Imre Varadi and Tony Yeboah, have had their names sung to the tune of Jewish folk song Hava Nagila.

Stephen Winehouse, who was born in 1961 at the start of Revie’s time in charge, believes that Leeds United, one of the greatest teams in Europe during his childhood.

He said: “The thing I had in common with kids my age that I had nothing in common with, with my different Jewish background, was Leeds United.

“I could approach people at school because everyone was barmy about Leeds United, it was all we thought about.”

It was that desire to see Leeds play that brought the community out of hiding and made it a part of the city itself. Revie’s side provided something that the community itself could not.

Leslie Silver may have only become involved in 1983, but 20 years prior a revolution at Elland Road led to a revolution in the community itself.

In the last century, the city’s Jewish population have gone from an unknown entity established in a certain area to part of Leeds at large. A hundred years ago, members of the community could never envisage the passing of one of their own being memorialised on the front page of the local newspaper and, in part, Leeds United is responsible for that change. The involvement of great men like Silver has changed the circumstances for the city’s Jewish population immeasurably.