轉載自
Yorkshire Post, 7th May 2007
EXCLUSIVE:
Ken Bates intends staying at Leeds United for the "long haul" after revealing the club are looking for investors and not buyers.
A dramatic turn of events last Friday saw the Elland Road outfit placed in administration amid debts of £35m only to then emerge minutes later in the hands of a newly-formed company called Leeds United Football Club Limited.
Bates is listed as a director of the new firm along with United chief executive Shaun Harvey and director Mark Taylor, so, providing a creditors meeting at the end of this month approves the sale, it means Leeds will emerge with the same management team at the helm.
Dennis Wise's side finished bottom of the Championship after being deducted 10 points by the Football League for going into administration, but Bates remains in bullish mood about the club's prospects in 2007-08.
He said: "The bookies have made us 6-4 favourites to go up and 5-1 to win the league, and bookies are rarely wrong. There is no reason why we can't get back to the Premiership.
"I am here for the long-term, the long haul, to get Leeds back to where they belong. There is nothing else to do in life but football. I saved Chelsea, but this one has been harder. What is important is the legacy."
Although relegation was confirmed by the points deduction, United's fate had all but been sealed a week earlier when Alan Lee scored a late equaliser to earn Ipswich Town a draw at Elland Road. It left Leeds needing a bizarre set of results on the final day to stay up and Bates then revealed the club were seeking outside investment. It was not clear, however, whether this would involve a straight-forward cash injection or a full-blown takeover bid.
However, after the drama of last Friday when Leeds were placed in administration only to then emerge in the hands of a new company late in the afternoon there is no doubt in Bates's mind what the club need.
He said: "We are looking for investors, not buyers. We would welcome partners and investors. They would have to be the right kind of partners who are interested in the long-term future of Leeds United. The way you make money is to go in at the bottom of the cycle. That is where Leeds are. Small clubs have their day in the sun, but big clubs are always big."
Since taking charge at Elland Road in January 2005, Bates has been inundated with enquiries from parties claiming to be interested in investing in the club.
Ray Ranson, who is believed to be competing with former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for control of Manchester City, is just one of many to have contacted Bates, who has adopted a consistent mantra throughout.
The Leeds chairman said: "I have always had two rules – proof of identity and proof of funds. But the moment we say that, we never hear from them again."
The few days leading up to United going into administration saw intense speculation over a possible takeover bid being launched with former United director Simon Morris understood to be interested along with Leeds United Supporters Trust (LUST).
However, Bates, who turned down the chance to buy Leeds in 2003 when approached by then chief executive Trevor Birch, said: "The people who were supposed to be interested did not come forward. We had Simon Morris, but we only read about him in the paper. Where were they?
"LUST rang up and said 'can we come and talk to you?' I asked them to put in writing what they wanted to do – we sent them the standard letter we have sent to everyone.
"They claimed to have a £100m backer. We said 'show us proof of funds and we can talk'. I have not had a reply.
"Since administration, we have had 10 people contact us and I have agreed to meet them all. But they have to show proof of funds."
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