Ken Bates chose a run-down social club on wasteland outside Elland Road as the venue for his first public appearance as chairman of Leeds United yesterday and fuelled speculation that he intended to redevelop the site as Yorkshire's answer to Chelsea Village.
If that idea should appeal to investors keen to build hotels, restaurants and luxury flats on 50 derelict acres, the former Chelsea chairman also outlined his plan to prevent property developers from getting their hands on the Elland Road stadium which, along with the training ground, is leased back to Leeds but which he intends to buy back - by devolving ownership of the pitch to supporters.
Amid this talk of change, it seems Kevin Blackwell may remain as manager after all. "I came in here with an open mind about Kevin but I then found out what a marvellous job he's done," explained Bates, who had said that former goalkeepers, and Blackwell was one, do not make good coaches.
"I had an excellent lunch with Kevin today and I told him he has my unqualified support. He's created a young team with great potential; the footballing decisions are his not mine."
Cautioning photographers to stop snapping - "I'm the only one allowed to flash in here," he joked, pulling his jacket open - and responding to the ring of a senior TV man's mobile phone with the words "It's probably your editor sacking you", he was in his element.
However, Bates repeatedly body-swerved financial questions. Having refused to confirm the exact size of his own, reputed £10 million, investment in a half-share of Leeds or to name the mystery owners of the other 50 per cent holding, he insisted: "This is a financially sensitive situation but an announcement will be made in due course. This is a private club and some things will stay in-house; we intend to give no commercial information to our competitors."
Not that Bates was entirely opaque - although he did rely on some verbal top-spin to deflect queries about the the club's debt, reported at £24.5 million.
"There's not a great deal of debt," he said. "We were only £17.7 million in debt but former directors have agreed to defer payment of the £4.4 million they are owed and then, if you take away the £3.5 million special payment owed to the Inland Revenue, to be repaid over two to three years, the figure is down to £9 million.
"Whereas a couple of weeks ago Leeds had their head above water gasping for breath, now they are on the surface swimming against the tide. The next job is to get them swimming with the tide."
The mooted eventual transference of equity in the pitch to supporters should help. "We intend to work out a solution whereby the pitch will eventually revert to the ownership of the fans as will the name Leeds United," explained Bates. He had established a similar scheme at Stamford Bridge.
"The fans' organisation will grant the club a 199-year lease at £1 a year and give us a 199-year licence to use the name Leeds United Football Club. That should ensure that any greedy, predatory, property developers won't waste time knocking on the door."
Guardian Service
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