From Leeds Trust :
News Release 9th July 2007
Supporters Trust demands action.
The Supporters Trust today demands that KPMG takes action to ensure that a
fair bidding process is allowed for the ownership of Leeds United and so
that the fans can retain what little confidence remains in KPMGs handling of
the clubs affairs.
A spokesman for the trust said: "The Supporters Trust is demanding that KPMG
take the following essential steps in order to ensure that all potential
bidders get a reasonable opportunity to bid for ownership of our football
club.
KPMG scrap the ludicrous deadline that is set for 5pm today, just as they
scrapped the unnecessary deadlines which they had previously tried to
impose.
Allow time for a proper bidding process to be undertaken by interested
parties and state clearly and publicly what that process is.
To provide full information to allow bidders to know EXACTLY what they are
buying and to ensure that their actions do not have the effect of
suppressing or reducing the amounts that interested parties are able to bid
due to the additional risk factors which have now been introduced.
To produce the Receipts and Payments ledger that is a requirement by law -
to show to the interested parties.
Clarify and guarantee the position on debtors and stock to all interest
bidders so that bidders to not have to factor-in a new £10 million pound
potential black hole
Confirm to the fans and the interested bidding parties that bids will not
simply be revealed to any other interested party in order to enable them to
play a trump card.
If KPMG are unable to guarantee fair play then they should step aside.
The spokesman said: "We believe it is vital that the fans are given a public
guarantee from KPMG and Walker Morris that the season ticket money would be
handed over to any new owner of the club, whoever they may be, as it is fans
money that has been paid into the club".
The Trust invites Leeds supporters and football fans everywhere to make
their feelings known. The spokesman added: "We have put a facility on our
website to allow fans to give us comment and feedback which we will collate
and pass to the relevant bodies".
To use this facility please go to
http://www.lufctrust.org ". Please let
The Football League, Members of Parliament, KPMG, and the Trust know your
views by using this facility.
Lastly, the Trust has made a public appeal for the Football League to be
proactive in seeking ways to help our club find a way forward and out of
this situation. If the club and KPMG are unable to provide accounting
information then we ask the League to consider using its powers to examine
the books of the club without further delay. Our plea is that should any
wrongdoing be uncovered by any party then the focus is firmly on the
wrongdoers and nothing is considered which would have the effect of
punishing the ordinary football fans of this club.
