Noen som kan legge ut det som sto i kampprogrammet? "Vi" hadde vel en hel horde over på kampen..
Her kommer det, in full...
(spør du meg er Bradley-kommentarene noe av det minst syrlige som står. Han er virkelig en vandrende skribent av potensielle søksmål...
It's tough out thereTwo tough away games, two hard-fought draws and an unbeaten record which extends to six games. We are now just outside the Play-Off positions as we approach the festive season with a strong, fit squad available apart from Paddy Kisnorbo and Richard Naylor. We can look forward with confidence.
When a pop star from Manchester is involved with the FA Cup draw then you would be right to be dubious. However, Arsenal away must rank as one of the best possible fixtures. Needsless to say a lot of old "friends" of the club has been in touch about tickets - without success, as we remain loyal to those members who have been present throughout the journey to where we are today.
More details of the financial problems facing various football clubs emerge by the week. The latest is that Plymouth Argyle face not one but two winding-up petitions next month due to allegedely unpaid tax to the Inland Revenue.
However, in their case help could be at hand in the unlikely guise of â€Publicity Pete†our own former and now unloved chairman. Apparently he is considering whether to invest in the club. Could be fun in viuw of the fact that Argyle’s current manager is Peter Reid.
Nearer home, Sheffield Wednesday were on the brink of extinction but seem saved by the last-minute intervention of Milan Manderic, saviour of Portsmouth and Leicester City.
Just down the road their neighbours, Sheffield United, have announced an £18.6m loss and a raft of cost cutting measures to balance the book including player sales and slashing in players’ wage bill. This does not augur well for Bradley Johnson whose agent turned down a considerable wage increase as it fell short of his expectations.
If selected to play, Bradley must be on top form to impress any potential future employers but whether they have the money to meet his demands now may be questionable.
We had an approach from Hull City who wanted to do a player exchange because they have no money but Simon doesn’t fancy any of their overpayed squad. It’s tough out there and it’s going to be even tougher.
The Biased Bloated Corporation (BBC) tried to make an issue of the fact that Leeds United has the highest number of banning orders or arrests, far more than any other club in the country. Well, it’s hardly surprising…
For one thing, our home gates are the highest in the Football League and are consistently higher than at least seven clubs in the Premier League. In addition, we take more fans to away games than any other club.
The second point is that our coppers are more diligent in pursuing offenders to ensure that Elland Road is a safe and happy place to be for the overwhelming majority of out fans, unlike some other police forces elsewhere.
Who can forget the inept performance of the Cumbria Police when there were no ejections or arrests following the after match pitch invasion which resulted in our players getting kicked and punched? The Cumbria Police Chief pronounced himself as â€satisfiedâ€. Perhaps â€self-satisfiedâ€would have been more accurate.
Apologies to the Thames Valley Whites for the non-appearance of any first team players at their â€Leeds On The Roadâ€-evening last Friday but the traffic conditions and an eight-hour journey meant their appearance could not be delivered.
However, I am concerned that with the team playing at Reading, the chosen venue was in Didcot, a considerable distance from the team hotel. Really, we need better coordination in future to ensure that venues are nearer to where the players are staying, even though on this occation it would not have helped!
Enquiries about forming new Regional Members Clubs, keep coming in. If there isn’t one in your area and you would like to help form one, please contact Lorna Tinkler, Membership Secretary on lorna@leedsunited.com
Lorna asked me to remind you all that 2011/12 Extra Time Memberships are now available. Application forms are available from the club megastore or online at
www.leedsunited.comRegrettably, Suzannah and I will not be at the Members Christmas Party, the first that we have missed since I became chairman in 2005 but unfortunately pressing family matters have taken precedence.
However, we hope that you all have a great time and Suzannah and I look forward to meeting up with you at the Christmas Carol Concert on December 20. It will be a fun-packed evening and admission is by a complimentary ticket which is available (to Members only) at the Ticket Office.
If you haven’t made your Christmas plans yet, then Elland Road is the place to be for Christmas Day Lunch (which Suzannah and I have already booked). There are also a whole host of dinners, parties and functions including New Year’s Eve. Please contact 0871 334 1919 (option 2) for full details or visit
www.leedsunited.venue.comI have talked about emails before, how I consider them the equivalent of anonymous letters and treat them accordingly.
Last week I received one from Adam Bacon at adambacon@hotmail.com. We have no record of this individual on our records and no telephone number. He is not a Member so we don’t even know if he exists. He wrote following a newspaper story that stated one of our Academy players Elliott Kebbie was being sold.
If the club spent time commenting on every story printed about Leeds United – most of which are rubbish – we would have little time to get any work done. Meanwhile, Adam Bacon should learn to write proper letters and identify himself if he wants to be taken seriously.
It reminds me of the occation when a supporter who edits a fanzine asked me to give him an interview on certain matters regarding Leeds United. When I asked how many copies he sold he told me quite strongly that it was none of my business. I couldn’t have answered his question better myself.
On Saturday December 18, the day of our home game against QPR, Johnny Giles will be signing his book at the Superstore from 10am onwards. If you want to meet our great legend, please come early to avoid the rush.
Meanwhile, the Superstore is now offering 20 per cent discount on selected Christmas gifts so if you haven’t made your mind up yet, now is your chance to get your shoppping out of the way and save a few bob in the process.
Billy’s Bar continues to be an attraction for Sunday Roast Lunch. Suzannah and I were present when Johnny Howson was the host and the large number of diners and drinkers were both courteous and good humoured. We did get one request - for Max Gradel to put the stripe back in his hair.
There’s nowt as queer as folk.
Finally, congratulations to Simon Grayson, he lifted an award at North West Sport Writers Dinner in Manchester for winning promotion last season, it’s up to you lot in the dressing room whether he will be back there next year.
