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Leeds United started their challenge against the 15-point penalty imposed on the club by the Football League at an independent arbitration hearing in London yesterday. The Coca-Cola League One club are attempting to prove that the League acted outside its jurisdiction by docking the points at the start of this season.
If the sanction, which was imposed as punishment for allegedly breaking competition rules on insolvency, is overturned and Leeds have all their points restored, the consequences in League One could be far-reaching.
Leeds would be thrust into the second automatic promotion place at the expense of Carlisle United with three matches left, while several other clubs who could be affected also face an anxious wait for the verdict. The tribunal is being held behind closed doors and a decision is expected early next week.
“I think Leeds will get something back,” John Ward, the Carlisle manager, said. “But rules should be adhered to. The goalposts will have been moved with three games to go, which is strange.”
Leeds were deducted 15 points before the start of this season for failing to exit administration via a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). A majority of more than 75 per cent of fellow Football League clubs then voted to uphold the sanction. Ken Bates, the Leeds chairman, had been forced to put the club in the hands of administrators last May because of debts of about £35 million.
Leeds denied any wrongdoing and agreed to an arbitration hearing after initially serving the Football League with a High Court writ. If the tribunal upholds the League's penalty on Leeds, Bournemouth and Luton Town could start next season with a similar handicap after both recently failed to exit administration via a CVA.
Leeds are sixth in League One, occupying the final play-offs position.
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"Leeds won the first 5 games"
Starting at -15 is a massive motivational force for the team. Motivation and want is what make bottom sides difficult to beat at the end of the season... would Leeds have won those first 5 without it? I doubt it. No return of points, the table should stand as is.
A Griffin, Swansea, Wales
Other clubs state that Leeds should not be given back the 15 points deducted, however they fail to acknowledge that Leeds actually won the first 5 games of the season and brought it from minus 15 points to 0. Surely there are people with enough intelligence to understand that Leeds won the 15 points fairly, i wonder how the other teams would have faired starting with minus 15 points! are they scared of genuine competition? all they are doing is showing how little confidence they have in their own clubs ability, that in order to win above Leeds that they actually NEED Leeds not to be given any points back. GOOD LUCK LEEDS.
P. Bowie, Leeds, England
I like the way KF Baker represents our city with his outstanding grammar. Is it any wonder we are the least popular team in the world?
Taylos, Leeds,
The FA arguments is joke.
1) 75% of clubs voted for a 15 point advantage, so that make it fair. Who wouldn't vote for an 15 points?
2) Leeds Had sign the piece of paper at the time or not be allowed to play. This in any other court would be called an unfair contact, they were hold a gun to the clubs head and saying sign.
KF Baker, sheffield, UK
The F.A want respect, but how on earth do they think that they deserve it.They asked fellow football league teams about what they should do, where is the justification in that? The situation like West Ham last year was clearly cheating by fielding illegal players , but what happened then? Its about time that they got their act together and punished the offenders, not innocent teams when they are down.Dont they think everyone who loves Leeds was hurt enough by their decline from top flight to see them going through administration. They want to bear in mind that this could happen to ANY team in any league, its just that Leeds were unfortunate not to have a rich foreign multi millionaire at the ready to bail them out. It is my opinion that Leeds are still disliked by many, going back to their successive reign in the Revie days .... come on this is supposed to be sport and should not be based on biased decisions. Come on Leeds ! WE WILL ALL MARCH ON TOGETHER!
Sue Millward, Doncaster, England
Sir
i am a football supporter living in Spain and i find that this type of punishment total imoral and i think the football clubs should be ashamed at the way they have treated Leeds and wounder how the football clubs that voted for the additional deduction of points will now feel when there club suffer the same fate. lets be fair looking at all the clubs in their league they have had the biggest attendance when leeds visited them so was this again just greed.
i am a valencia fan now and the spannish dont have these type of rules the goverment over here support football rather than the overseas visitors mr brown appears to love
i hope for the sake of football this deduction is overturned and leeds get promoted they have earn all the points
good luck in your quest leeds
alan jones, javea, espana / alicante
i think its disgusting how the the football league pick on leeds, last season they took ten points and this season 15. if man united where in the same situation as us i bet the F A would have taken no points off them.
Tom shipley , Northamptonshire,
I am mystified why the Football League should have deducted points, which is a 'football' punishment, for an alleged 'corporate' misdemenour.
In doing so they have hurt supporters, players, staff and all football lovers who deserve to see Leeds in a higher division - with their crowd of spectators that is regularly larger than many supposedly superior clubs.
When Leeds were at the top in Europe a few years ago, no doubt the gentlemen the FL bristled with pride - they now have a chance to allow the club to return to those days, by reversing their vindictive and small minded decision.
It may also give me a chance to convert my grandsons, from supporting Man U.
David Mahoney, Sussex,
I have been a fan of Leeds since I was old enough to kick a ball...I am proud to be a supporter and proud to say I support Leeds...well done Lads.
Paul Parker, Manchester, Lancashire
We served our points deduction last season and we payed dearly .... S0 why should we have to suffer the loss of points again for a second season in a row. I can understand the ratifications that other clubs are feeling but seriously, if any other club was in the same instance or even if we were in the drop zone, would it all be different?
However one thing remains adament, no matter the outcome, all Leeds fans will be Marching on together ....
Mitch Welham, Dubbo, Australia
Erm, I wonder if all these clubs would be moaning if Leeds would have been in a relegation position?
The fact is that we have earned the points. You have to give the team and their supporters the credit for ending up in the top half of the table let alone contending for a play off place.
Give them a break! You have to admire the team spirit. Put yourself in their position. What would you want to happen??
Donna, Leeds,
I know leeds' united admin could have been alot better but why should the players and fans pay for there faults. I am a proud leeds fan myself. As fans we still put out great crowds to see the mighty whites so why punnish them to be honest were going up no matter what the outcome. But as far as Luton and Bournemouth are concerned theres no way they could stay up with a 15 point deduction i mean look at them after deducted 10. So for there sake just give them back and send us up were we belong. MARCHING ON TOGETHER 4EVER.
cameron cuthbert, Harrogate, united kingdom
If 15 points hadn't been deducted we would be where we should be so stop whinging all you other clubs - I'm sure you would want them back if they belonged to you!
We are too good for your division - you know it and we know it!
WE ARE LEEDS & ALWAYS WILL BE!
Carol, Cape Town, South Africa
Carol Barnes, Greyton, Cape Town South Africa
How can you punish a team when its not the teams fault.Give them back their hard won 15 points, is it sport or not.
Mal Johnson, Australia, W.A
Don't feel sorry for Luton and Bournemouth, both clubs were party to the vote to impose this sanction on Leeds United, Therefore any sanction they receive will in effect be self imposed.
Nick Horne, London,
The ramifications of what was by the league a spiteful and vindictive punishment on leeds will be played out in the next season. While i believe we should get points back i fear we may not in which case it would appear luton and bournemouth face the same punishment at the start of 2008/9, without wanting to belittle either club i do fear they may not be able to attract the sort of investment to prevent them from a long battle against relegation from the football league. Do we really want to see clubs sent to the wall in this manner? the 10pt penalty has effectively secured relegation for both clubs already, the league and the football community should be supporting clubs in getting back onto a sound financial footing not imposing further conditions that hamper them.
dave, jones, telford
contrary to general belief, leed DID have a ratifield cva which the administrator was forced to scrap due to intervention by hmrc at the last possible second, which then forced any subsquent hearing to begin after the start of the season, thus forcing kpmg (the administrators) to scrap the cva and seller to the highest bidder. the dispute in reality should be between the administrators, kpmg, the hmrc and the league, leeds united is merely the first pawn moved in the hmrc's longer chess game with the football league about the leagues (in my view as a taxpayer) incorrect policy of paying all football debt before the taxman and hence us the general public are paid. this will (is) happening to ANY other club entering admin until the issue between the league and the revenue is resolved. this is not leeds fight its the governng bodys own rule that caused the problem. come on leeds!
jon thompson, hull,
if as is stated that leeds did not exit admistration via CVA and the points deduction stays in place then i feel sorry for both Luton and Bournemouth who should start next season with the same points deductionas Leeds have this season or the FA are not being seen to abide by there rules.WATCH THE PRESS.................... NO POINTS DEDUCTION WILL PROVE WHAT INCOMPITENT FOOLS RUN ARE FOOTBALL.... one rule for one & one rule for LEEDS UNITED.COME ON YOU WHITES.......
john irons, leicestershire, unitedkingdom