Nyhet: Leeds face FA investigation

kjelvi · July 19, 2007, 19:29:31

Leeds face FA investigation into possible breach of ticket rules

Football Association officials have written to Leeds United asking for clarification over what may be a breach of its rules governing ticket sales. The administrator, KPMG, signed over the right to sell season tickets at Elland Road to the Leeds United 2007 consortium led by Ken Bates. This was done despite no Football League approvals having been received for Bates's purchase of the club.

Until league approvals are granted it is the old club - in administration - and not Leeds United 2007 that will compete in next season's League One. The FA wants to know how the handover of rights to season-ticket sales cannot be a breach of financial-records rules.

FA rules state: "When a club charges admission to a match, it is necessary for that club to have a system that enables them to record the full gate receipts for each match [and to] account for the full gate receipts in the club's accounting records and bank account."
KPMG confirmed that bank accounts for Bates's new company had received the income. "Season-ticket money is with the new co; the old co never collected any season-ticket money," said a spokesman. "In the event that the club is not able to start the 2007-8 season [Bates's company] will ensure monies are returned to supporters." The spokesman could not explain why KPMG had handed over season-ticket income to Bates's company but stated that a letter to creditors would be circulated next week offering "complete transparency" over KPMG's handling of the administration.

With potentially millions of pounds of revenue available from season-ticket sales, it is hard to see why KPMG's Richard Fleming, in a letter to the MP for Elmet, Colin Burgon, suggested there was a "risk of the club ceasing to exist, as a result of no funds being available to fund trading".

Simon Franks, whose Redbus Group venture-capital firm twice unsuccessfully competed with Bates to take over Leeds, stated that the uncertainty over season-ticket money had forced him to reduce his offer to creditors. A Leeds United 2007 director was unavailable last night.

Kilde: The Guardian (http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2129624,00.html)

kjelvi · July 19, 2007, 19:56:22

Revenue and Customs believes Bates violated Insolvency laws

The continuing woes of English Leeds United might have just grown a bit.

Revenue & Customs now believes chairman Ken Bates and Mark Taylor, his solicitor, have violated insolvency laws by positioning themselves as directors of a newly formed company to buy out Leeds.

Bates and Taylor are directors of Leeds United Football Club Limited. This came about after Bates placed the club into administration, bought it back with a 1p per GBP offer with the backing of the club's biggest creditor, had that challenged by Revenue and Customs, and then offered 8p per GBP owed.

When administrators KPMG put the club back up for sale, Bates' bid â€" still undisclosed â€" was declared the best by KPMG.

Now, Revenue and Customs, one of the irate creditors, likely will make a legal challenge that Bates and Taylor were not permitted to be directors. The challenge is based because Bates and Taylor were formerly directors of a company called Leeds United Football Club Limited. That went into liquidation in June 2006.

Bylaw s216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 states that someone who has been a director of a company that has gone into liquidation must obtain court permission if they wish, within five years of liquidation, to be the director of a similarly named new company.

Using that name and trading under it without permission is a criminal offence, punishable, if found guilty, by fine or imprisonment.

KPMG, which has had its ability to handle the case brought into question, said it believes an application has been made on behalf of Bates and Taylor. The Insolvency Service, however, said it had yet to get notice of one. The Insolvency Service would be invited to respond to an application.

Kilde: euFootball.BIZ (http://www.eufootball.biz/Legal/190707-Revenue-Customs-Bates-Insolvency-laws.html)

kjelvi · July 19, 2007, 19:57:34

Ticket Sales Rumpus

Football Association officials have written to Leeds United asking for clarification over what may be a breach of its rules governing ticket sales.

The administrator, KPMG, signed over the right to sell season tickets at Elland Road to the Leeds United 2007 consortium led by Ken Bates

This was done despite no Football League approvals having been received for Bates's purchase of the club.

Until league approvals are granted it is the old club - in administration - and not Leeds United 2007 that will compete in next season's League One.

The FA wants to know how the handover of rights to season-ticket sales cannot be a breach of financial-records rules.

FA rules state: "When a club charges admission to a match, it is necessary for that club to have a system that enables them to record the full gate receipts for each match [and to] account for the full gate receipts in the club's accounting records and bank account."

KPMG confirmed that bank accounts for Bates's new company had received the income.

"Season-ticket money is with the new co; the old co never collected any season-ticket money," said a spokesman. "In the event that the club is not able to start the 2007-8 season [Bates's company] will ensure monies are returned to supporters."

The spokesman could not explain why KPMG had handed over season-ticket income to Bates's company but stated that a letter to creditors would be circulated next week offering "complete transparency" over KPMG's handling of the administration.

With potentially millions of pounds of revenue available from season-ticket sales, it is hard to see why KPMG's Richard Fleming, in a letter to the MP for Elmet, Colin Burgon, suggested there was a "risk of the club ceasing to exist, as a result of no funds being available to fund trading".

Simon Franks, whose Redbus Group venture-capital firm twice unsuccessfully competed with Bates to take over Leeds, stated that the uncertainty over season-ticket money had forced him to reduce his offer to creditors.

A Leeds United 2007 director was unavailable last night.

Kilde: http://www.leedsutd-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=344400

Peter7 · July 19, 2007, 20:49:21

"Until league approvals are granted it is the old club - in administration - and not Leeds United 2007 that will compete in next season's League One."

Virker som Leeds stiller til seriestart uansett, da, selv om vi må stille med et C-lag (B-spillerne har nå forlatt klubben).

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Vi skulle aldri solgt Terry Cooper til Boro'...

Sverre · July 19, 2007, 21:02:54

...og under ledelse av KPMG?

Ferre · July 20, 2007, 04:46:14

quote:
Originally posted by Peter7

"Until league approvals are granted it is the old club - in administration - and not Leeds United 2007 that will compete in next season's League One."

Virker som Leeds stiller til seriestart uansett, da, selv om vi må stille med et C-lag (B-spillerne har nå forlatt klubben).

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Vi skulle aldri solgt Terry Cooper til Boro'...

Tyder det på at hvis Bates sitt kjøp ikke blir godkjent, og vi fortsatt er i administrasjon, at klubben kan selges til andre kjøpere?

-WE'LL BE BACK-

oak-tjome · July 20, 2007, 04:56:17

men vil arbeide for ingen lønn? Hvorfor er det ingen i Leeds som svarer på eller kommenterer alle de forholdene som blir nevnti pressen. Har alle forlatt Leeds United Er det slik at når laget kommer tilbake fra Tyskland så er det slutt? Bates er jo vanligvis glad i å kommentere når tull blir sagt, Kanskje det ikke er tull. Kanskje han ikke har funds i det hele tatt. Alt er kanskje bare en bløff.+

Peter7 · July 20, 2007, 16:03:16

quote:
Originally posted by Sverre

...og under ledelse av KPMG?

Vel, vel.

Kan ikke være særlig dårligere enn tidligere ledelse i hvert fall.

***
Vi skulle aldri solgt Terry Cooper til Boro'...