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Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
By Fantastic | Permalink | On 12 June 2013 - 21:58 PM
He's 6ft 6" and has scored a mighty 9 goals in 61 league games for Oldham Athletic. I don't need to know any more about him to understand the basic type of game he represents or the level of productivity I can expect from him.

An Oldham fan said most of the games he came as a substitute and lately this season he started playing in the first 11 and bang in some goals.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
He scored six goals in 34 games this season. By no stretch of the imagination is that 'bang in some goals'.

Our team needs footballers who are comfortable in possession, players who are good at moving the ball around. If you've ever seen a Leeds match in the last two years you'll be all too aware of our love of kicking it high in the air and hoping someone gets a good knockdown.

Matt Smith is not an exciting signing, he is a throwback to a type of player we do not need nor does he have the technical ability to compensate for his obvious lack of agility.

So I'll go back to what I said originally: I wish we were keeping Somma and not signing Matt Smith. Smith is a waste, especially as we already have Stever Morison, a similar player but better in every department.
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
Time will prove if he's good enough to be kept. He's been free so it doesn't really hurt the budget too much especially if he's on low wage.

Dermott said he's close to sign another player, Skysports say it's Noel Hunt from Reading, free as well.
Justicar
17 years ago
4 weeks ago
549
Premium
By Esprit Vanilla | Permalink | On 12 June 2013 - 21:09 PM
Time will prove if he's good enough to be kept. He's been free so it doesn't really hurt the budget too much especially if he's on low wage.

Dermott said he's close to sign another player, Skysports say it's Noel Hunter from Reading, free as well.


But what about Noel Hunt?
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
By Justicar | Permalink | On 12 June 2013 - 23:21 PM
But what about Noel Hunt?

Edited now.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
His wages and signing on fee factor into our budget, so it does hurt us. In case you aren't aware of how Leeds is run, everyone we sign is free. The manager is given a total budget and it's up to him and Gwyn to decide where money is allocated, wages, signing-on and transfer fees are all factored into the same pool.

I'm going to give you a list and let you guess what all of these players have in common:

Adam Dury
Luke Varney
Andy Gray
David Norris
Michael Brown
Billy Paynter
Neil Collins
Andy O'Brien
Zac Thompson
Alex Bruce
Paul Rachubka
Jason Croew
Shane Higgs
Enoch Showunmi
Mansour Assoumani
Curtis Weston
Leon Constantine
Sebastien Sorsa
Neil Kilkenny
Darren Kenton

Yep, all free signings.

Now here's another list:

Paul Green
El Hadji Diouf
Patrick Kisnorbo
Richard Naylor

Yes, they're all free too.

Going purely by track record, Matt Smith has a 75% chance of being a failure. Now couple that fact with the notion he is a striker and the modifier rises further.

Billy Paynter actually scored goals at a League One level and he was one of the worst players to pull on a Leeds shirt. Matt Smith can barely score at that level. It doesn't exactly strike you as an inspired signing. His money could have been better spent elsewhere.

Right now we have Morison, Diouf, McCormack, Poleon and Smith as forwards. If Smith's signing means we aren't bringing in another forwards, because let's be frank a rotation of five is quite a lot, then I'll be very disappointed.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
The Hunt brothers are due to arrive any minute now. Stephen Hunt I like the sound of, Noel Hunt is another waste of a space in the squad. Surely this means no more forward signings?
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
Well I'd sell some of the guys like Varney and Morison, Leeds have too many strikers now.
ianbaker
12 years ago
7 years ago
762
By Esprit Vanilla | Permalink | On 13 June 2013 - 13:38 PM
Well I'd sell some of the guys like Varney and Morison, Leeds have too many strikers now.

Only signed Morison in January and Varney was last summer I think. Cant see them moving on so quickly.
Jason
17 years ago
2 months ago
4,635
You say you'd sell Morison, but your defending the signing of Smith, mind fuck.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
As unexciting as Steve Morison's presence is at Leeds is, he's definitely a superior footballer when compared to Matt Smith. I'd just like someone moderately electric at the club. Someone not from the British Isles because as far as I can see there's no one around these parts that gets my balls wet. Even Beckford, if he came back, would probably end up being shit.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Kevin Doyle will not be coming to Leeds, thank fuck for that.
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
Is Ken Bates still the chairman?
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
Leeds loaned out Morison to Millwall.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Space for the inevitable Noel Hunt signing, although I'm still holding out for someone at least moderately exciting up front. Ever an in form Ross McCormack won't get us anywhere.
Esprit Vanilla
10 years ago
10 years ago
190
You guys are linked with a loan move for Townsend. Should be a good move if it's done.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Do me a favour, stop commenting on Leeds' affairs. Andros Townsend went on loan to us a couple of years ago and cut his loan short because he hated it. Using just pure logic there's no way he would be coming back to us.
Dutton
17 years ago
3 months ago
1,101
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Yeah, saw the news this morning. I'm genuinely shocked. Last seven figure transfer we made was Richard Cressell, in 2006. I don't want to use the stereotype, but a product of Crewe's academy... I should be excited, right?
Jason
17 years ago
2 months ago
4,635
Red Bull Road
Red Bull Leeds

Marching on together we love Red Bull, Red bull, Red bull!!

I can just see it now, brilliant.
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
Leeds United today confirmed that Ken Bates has ceased to be club President.

Leeds United MD David Haigh said: "Ken Bates has ceased to be President of Leeds United Football Club. Mr Bates will now no longer have any role within the football club."


Link

Good news for Leeds fans, and for football fans, and for all of humanity.
Obtuse
15 years ago
3 years ago
1,338
Is it me that doesn't mind Ken Bates? I will likely change my mind if he ever took up a role in any club I like but for now I like him,
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Name so redeeming features he has.
Obtuse
15 years ago
3 years ago
1,338
By Fantastic | Permalink | On 28 July 2013 - 15:23 PM
Name so redeeming features he has.


It is more curiousity omn my part as he hadn't taken charge of a club I like is all.

This changed a little after I read this elsewhere:

Ken Bates says he was abruptly sacked from his tenure as the Leeds United president by the new owners, GFH, after he entered the club into a contract with the private aeroplane company 247 Jet that could be used to fly him to Leeds from his Monaco home.

The cost of this contract to which Bates committed the Championship club, which is under financial strain, is thought to be £500,000 over three years.

Previously Bates has been flown by private jet. The costs of use of a private jet to the club is understood from sources who have seen the Leeds accounts to be around £120,000 a year. He told the Observer that his expenses had not changed for the eight years he was Leeds chairman, and that GFH were well aware of them when they bought the club in December. He declined to cover the details of precisely what they covered.

A key sticking point with GFH is that Bates did not gain the approval of the board for the new, three-year private jet contract. Bates argues he was not able to do so, and he was advised in June that as a director of the club, he was able to bind the club into the contract.

"I saved the club money, because this was a sterling contract, rather than euros," Bates said. "I did it in the best interests of the club."

Currently on holiday in Italy with his wife Suzannah, Bates said he received a hand-delivered letter last Wednesday from GFH, raising concerns. He expected to deal with it on his return from holiday, but instead: "Two days later, they told me I was sacked."

Describing his treatment as "despicable," Bates said he is considering suing. GFH said there were confidentiality agreements in place, and declined to comment.
Julian.
10 years ago
10 years ago
240
I think the topic title should be changed.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Fola
17 years ago
6 months ago
3,240
Premium
Went to the Leeds match against Chesterfield. Matt Smith is useless.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
I get to see him tomorrow for the first time. I have no doubt he'll be shit.
Fantastic
13 years ago
1 month ago
2,496
Banned
Let depression begin, from 4:30 on SS1.

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