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City stunned as United are Wound up
The City of Leeds was today facing up to life without a football club as the once proud Leeds United were wound up in the High Court as Judge Fudgenudger accepted the Inland Revenue’s case that Leeds’ Chairman Ken Bates had not made any realistic attempt to pay the clubs outstanding Tax debts and the only way to recover the monies owed was the sale of what few assets United owned. The Judge said in his summing up that it grieved him greatly to have to issue the winding up order but it was the only way forward as far as he could see.
Ken Bates was not available for comment but an ashen-faced Peter Lorimer, a former United Hero and now a director of the club said that he would do everything in his power to ensure the survival of the club even at this late hour. Meanwhile thousands of shocked United fans held a vigil outside the club’s ground, Elland Road, last night.
F.A. Refuse to Help United
United’s future looks even bleaker today as a spokesman for the F.A. refused to give even the smallest crumb of hope to the beleaguered club. The F.A. statement read “ While we are sorry to see such an illustrious member in such dire straights the other member clubs fixtures cannot be held up, we need to produce them by the end of the week at the latest. If Leeds United cannot give cast iron guarantees that they will not only start but also finish the 2007/2008 season then unfortunately they will join the infamous ranks of former clubs such as Accrington Stanley and Aldershot Town who have been forced to resign their membership of the Football League. Hopefully like those clubs we can one day see them return to membership.”
Chairman Ken Bates has yet to be sighted at Leeds since Monday’s winding up order, the only member of the board spotted yesterday at Elland Road was United legend Peter Lorimer who was seen arriving with former greats Eddie Gray and Lucas Radebe. It is rumoured that all three will be key figures in any last gasp rescue bid to save the ailing club that is in danger of going from European glory to the history books within a single decade.
The curtain comes down on United
Director Peter Lorimer issued a terse statement today had signalled the end of any hope for United’s league status. His statement read “ Unfortunately in the absence of Ken Bates and any realistic hope of being able to even start the forthcoming season I have had to ring the Football League today and inform them that we shall not be entering the 2007/08 season. I will be engaged in talks with several interested parties all weekend and in constant touch with the Football League in an attempt to get the go ahead to stage football at some level this season. Hopefully I will be in a position to announce a positive outcome to these talks by Monday, any later and I fear the 2007/2008 season will be a complete write-off as far as Leeds is concerned.”
Out of the ashes rises The City
As the Post went to print former Leeds United director Peter Lorimer announced the results of intense negotiations with several unnamed parties and the Football League and said he was pleased to announce the formation of a new club to replace the recently wound up Leeds United. “It is with much regret that we have not been able to salvage anything from the wreckage that once was a proud club sitting at the very pinnacle as English champions just fifteen years ago but all is not completely lost as I as pleased to announce as a result of frantic negotiations with the council, supporters clubs and several local businessmen I stand here as chairman of the newly formed Leeds City A.F.C. Joining me on the board of this club will be former players Noel Whelan, David Batty and Don Goodman, all of whom as well as myself have invested a considerable sum of money in this venture. Also sitting on the board will be a representative of the Official members club as well as an appointee of the City Council choosing. I am pleased to be able to tell you that the Football League has accepted us into The Blue Square Conference North for the forthcoming season. I know it’s not what the city of Leeds is used to but it is the best possible scenario we can offer at the moment. We will play our first team games at Elland Road still which the council has graciously let us use at a greatly reduced rent while our reserve matches will be played at Throsle Nest home of Farsley Celtic in Pudsey which will for the time being be the City’s most senior club. More details will be released as soon as we can finalise them. I would just like to assure you that we will all be doing our level best to ensure the Leeds City A.F.C. rises through the divisions rapidly and once more gives the city top flight football at Elland Road.”
The Football League have confirmed that as a result of Leeds City A.F.C. taking part in Blue Square North and the sad demise of Leeds United, Chesterfield will retain their League One status, Torquay will remain in League Two and Harrogate Town will compete in the Blue Square Premier.
this will be played on FM08 running all leagues from Belgium, England, Holland, N.Ireland, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales plus France down to ligue 2. The database has been edited to reflect the changes in the above narative.
This is where I, Tak Pivo, a 47 year old former Polish international in the 70’s come into the story. Since alcoholism ended my career some twenty years ago I have been drifting from one odd job to another before moving to England three years ago. Recently I have been working as a plumber doing several jobs for Mr Lorimer, Mr Wise and several other United players. I was as sad as everyone else when the club went under but I was more shocked when Peter Lorimer rang me with his dilemma on the Monday night. He said he desperately needed a manager in place within the week and no-one would touch the job with a barge pole knowing the sky high aspirations of the board and the city. He knew I had managed some Polish non-league clubs just after coming out of rehab and wanted to know if I would take the job? The board had cobbled together a transfer kitty of £250,000 with a monthly wage allowance of roughly £20,000 - £25,000. The major drawback was that apart from a few under 18 squad players there was only five senior players signed, the oldest of which was 23 while the first fixture was barely a fortnight away. He said that the board and their backers were however confident that the funds available would be sufficient to assemble a squad to win the Blue Square North and they would give me full backing.
City get Polish Boss
Leeds City A.F.C. chairman Peter Lorimer today announced the management duo to take the club into it’s first ever season. 47yr-old ex-Polish international Tak Pivo will be the first City manager while his assistant will be former United hero Lucas Radebe.
Many fans reacted badly to the announcement but Lorimer replied that they must get used to the fact that we are no longer the United club of old although we still play out of Elland Road. We are a fledgling club feeling its way but everyone at the club is confident that we will be celebrating the first promotion of many come the end of the season. Fans should stick with the new club as they did with United and show the world their love for the city of Leeds.
Great Start Maverick, looking forward to more, I'm jealous you have 08, doesn't come out here until November the 2nd apparently now, anyway best of luck.
When I settled down into my new office I knew it was worse than I imagined, I had gotten Lucas to assemble the whole first team squad and backroom team in the players lounge. Bloody hell! We could have fitted them into the broom cupboard! I had mumbled a few words of encouragement and retired here to the less than plush office. The chairman might have raised the money for a decent wage structure but looking round the sparse offices I could see where he had raised it.
Looking over the personal files didn’t take long. My only backroom staff was my Assistant Manager, Lucas Radebe , he was keen, loved the club and was a Leeds legend but his was his first management role would he cut it? The playing staff was just as unknown, just five in total. The most experienced was 22 yr-old right back John Swift , he was a pacey, hard working hard tackling player who had had five seasons at Bradford City. But they had released him after he had only made twelve appearances. The two potential stars were 19 yr-old attacking midfielders, Jonny Howson and Gavin Rothery . Both had come through the ranks of the United youth system, Jonny was just ahead maybe having made nine Coca-Cola Championship appearances scoring once while Gavin was yet to make his senior debut. Both had pace, technique and with the right development program had the potential to be the first Leeds City A.F.C. heroes but could we give them that? Our only keeper was 18 yr-old Jonny Lund , he had had three seasons in the United system and was commanding, good off his line and a safe pair of hands. His drawback was his aerial skills, he was unsure at crosses and often fluffed high balls - I didn’t think I could rely on him to backstop our title challenge. Our final player was 21 yr-old right winger Bruce Hogg , even I could see straight away that he had no future at the City. His only experience was three seasons at local Unibond Premier league side Guiseley and apart from pace he seemed to have little going for him.
Somehow by the 16th I had to assemble a squad to travel to Alloa for our first ever friendly and meet the board’s expectations of not only winning the Blue Square North but also the F.A. Trophy!
From the Yorkshire Evening Post, July 10th Plenty of arrivals at Elland Road
New City manager Tak Pivo hasn’t been lazing around in his first week in charge. Apart from assembling a backroom team he has overseen the arrival of four new signings and six trialists but the main worry of the fans is will these new arrivals cut it?
The arrivals are a motley crew with Pivo leaning hard on his Eastern European connections, four of the new arrivals hail from Poland with seemingly little experience. This might only be the Blue Square North but the people of Leeds expect a lot. Is this the start of the long road back for what is now the future of Leeds football or just one final nail in the heart of the thousands who followed United across England and Europe.
The City is United 
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