Thetownend.com

... Has been passed as a 'fit and proper person' on appeal, so will take over Leeds Utd.

The mind boggles.

In other news, the Krays have been appointed Directors of WHU, Robert Maxwell has been found alive and well and will soon launch the Thames Valley Royals and the Mafia Plc have become a signature sponsor of FIFA.

The Mafia taking over FIFA would probably improve their governance structures.

Would certainly lend more credence to the Respect campaign.

Lids lost again today, can't see Brian McDermott lasting much longer.

Well, we can finally put the Fit and Proper Persons Test to bed then. Fucking joke

It went ages ago and that's the problem.  So many dodgy bastards have previously passed they cannot refuse people now, the whole process is a farce.

It's hardly a surprise, does anyone think that the FA or FIFA are "Fit & Proper"?

Steve "massive cunt" Claridge, the gift that keeps on giving:

"probably the right decision in the end, his misdemeanours are pretty minor"

  :suicide:

Excuse my ignorance because I haven't really seen a lot of info on this chap but wasn't it down to tax on a yacht? Because at first clance in the grand scheme of dodgyness it does seem minor.

Two previous criminal convictions for fraud and false accounting, and and one still pending for fraud/embezzlement.

Depends on your definition of 'minor' I suppose.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/who-is-massimo-cellino-the-controversial-italian-vying-to-take-over-leeds-united-9107541.html

Plus he's rich and Italian, meaning he's likely had dealings with organised crime somewhere.

You have to admit that as PaulD says this makes a mockery of the "fit and proper" test in place at the Football League.

It is an absolute joke, the man shouldn't even be allowed into the country let alone own and run a football club, him and Leeds will go well together.

Top stereotyping.

Does he work in the waste management industry?

 :girlgiggle:

only £300k worth of not paying tax - only minor. read the judgement on the Mishcon de Reya site - excellent technical argument - imo he's really guilty

With that record I am amazed he has never tried to take over here, sounds like our kind of investor.

But its deeper than that, when you look at the shysters who have already been passed its never going to hold water. He was accepted on appeal, can you imagine the appeal...

'So Mr FA, you have refused our client, can you please explain this against the precedents of A, B & C who have passed the test...' The whole system is a pointless shambles, but does allow the FA to showboat and claim they are trying to do something.

Bang on...lets face it the biggest wanker and dodgy fucker in football is Sepp Blatter.

Along with most of the FIFA Executive, as proved by Russia and Qatar getting the next two World Cups.

What's the problem with Russia getting to host a World Cup? Seems fair enough to me.

1) It's a Football League test, the Premier League have a similar (and similarly ineffective) one. Nothing to do with the FA
2) That was not the grounds of appeal and "They're as bad as me" is never going to be an effective appeal in any quasi-judicial process
3) But yes, it's a completely pointless facade and always has been

I don't have a problem with it either when it's a level playing field, but when it looks like that they only got it via very big brown envelopes full of roubles, just like the evidence coming out from Qatar for 2022, that's when I have problems with it.

Going back to Cellino, it looks like the FL are trying to appeal the appeal, as the Independent QC didn't give the right outcome.

The fact that he was able to make that finding, as horlock rightly says, speaks volumes about the shambolic nature of their process. It's the rules that are at fault, but then they only reflect the complete lack of will in the ruling bodies of the game to actually tackle the problem. Window dressing, and not very convincing window-dressing at that.

But apparently he had made that decision as the written judgement had not come through, when the written judgement comes through, expected June, if it says the tax avoidance is fraud then (or something simular) then I think the FL can again deem him unfit, thous screwing lids over as they now have to pass him fit and proper.

There really does need a fit and proper test that is unwriggable to be created perhaps by the goverment accepted by FL, FA & PL, until all these loopholes are closed the 'directors test' will be a pile of warm turd.

correct - it hinges on the definitions of certain Italian legal terms

Yes I get that. But it shouldn't. The test should be clear, unambiguous and, as p2p so eloquently puts it, "unwrigglable". The fact that the League are now in this mess is their own fault due to their wishy-washy rule-making. Grow a pair and kick all the bent buggers out.

Homophobe!  :no: