Politicians, officials and fans react to the Leeds ownership issue

The question of who runs Leeds United has brought demands for the Football League to be more transparent about who owns its clubs
Elland road
The League should insist on clubs making public to their supporters who owns them, says the minister for sport. Photograph: Gareth Copley/PA


Gerry Sutcliffe, minister for sport

"Fans of any football club have a right to know who the owners are. We want to see greater supporter representation in the running of football clubs and far greater accountability. While I welcome the Football League's moves in securing detailed financial information from clubs and their work with HMRC to help keep clubs on a secure financial footing, more can still be done. We have offered to help the League, where we can, on the issue of transparency but it should insist on clubs making public to their supporters who owns them."

Hugh Robertson, shadow minister for sport

"As with Parliament and many other areas of public life, transparency is going to be an increasing requirement and expectation. That includes publicly identifying the owners of football clubs. Football should reform its governance to include greater supporter representation on the board of clubs."

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Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate

"At the very least, supporters of a club have a right to know who owns it. The Football League should follow the Premier League's lead and insist on this basic necessity. As an act of faith and goodwill, I hope the Leeds United board now publish the documentation they have presented to the Football League so that all sense of mystery can be removed and the supporters can know who owns their club."


Malcolm Clarke, chair of the Football Supporters Federation

"Football clubs are not like other businesses, they are part of the heart and soul of their community. Part of their responsibility is to ensure their loyal supporters, whose money is vital to keep a club going, know exactly who owns the club and to whom their money is going."

Dave Boyle, the chief executive of Supporters Direct

"Leeds fans support the club with millions of pounds each year because of a profound sense of connection with the club, and that loyalty and commitment means its fortunes and activities matter to the community in a way unlike nearly every other organisation in the city. Like all football clubs, Leeds United's character is that of a public institution wrapped in a privately-owned business and that creates a mismatch. The authorities can recognise that public nature by sending a clear message: you can remain a private anonymous citizen and you can own a football club but you cannot do both."

Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive

"It's very hard to argue that clubs aren't effectively 'owned' by a much wider group than those that happen to legally own the shareholding. We should know and the public should know and the fans should know who owns their club."

Gerald Krasner, the former Leeds United chairman

"I sat in court when Mr Kenneth William Bates said he did not know who the owner of Leeds United was. So today I would say to Mr Bates: 'Now that you know, why would you not like to tell your club's fans who it is?'"

Kevin McCabe, the chairman and owner of Sheffield United

"Football clubs are peculiar, in that they represent their community, town and city but they are companies with shareholders. My own view is that you owe it to supporters to let them know who does own, control and influence their club. It is a part of being open and transparent. What is the shame in disclosing it?"


Dave Gaertner, a spokesman for Leeds United Supporters Club

"It is very important for fans to know who owns a football club. It helps to know that person has a vested interest in re-investing money in the club. When you talk about faceless overseas organisations, you have no idea where the money is going. Football clubs are really there for the fans who support it all their lives and the ownership should reflect that and be as transparent as possible."

Dan Moylan,the editor of Square Ball – Leeds United fanzine

"I understand that the owners and backers have a right to stay anonymous but it is not right for the fans, whose money is paying for the club to push on and get back to where we belong. Progress has been made on and off the field but for the money the fans are putting in, there is a lack of transparency. We'd like to know where the money is going and who ultimately owns the club."

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