Leeds Banter Archive October 04 2011

04 Oct 2011 19:24:24
Fellow Leeds supporters,

I have been thinking of writing Ken Bates a letter for a long time now and was wondering what you super whites fans thought.
I agree with alot of stuff on here but there is alot of naive people also. I dont agree with alot of whats going on at the club, but I am glad we are stable. I don't agree with the chants against the team, Simon Grayson or Ken Bates when our team are on the pitch for 90 minutes. We should get behind the team throughout and voice our concerns in other ways and not during the game. This is what has left me thinking for ages that maybe I should try and write our frustrations to him as he says in the programme how he gets letters off some fans. I myself am a season ticket holder in the Kop and have been for many years. My son is getting older now and will soon be able to come to matches, but can I afford it? Can I hell. I like many others believe that we should make it easy to bring our kids as they are the future. I first came to a Leeds game 24 years ago and havn't looked back through our ups and downs! Why cant Bates see that if he let kids in for free with every paying adult, charge adults a tenner for mid week games and sell the south stand for 15 quid on a saturday, then he may fill the ground. Our attendances are getting lower and lower. I dont care that I have already paid for my season ticket. I would rather see the ground full on a match day. Maybe he could make it up to season ticket holders by giving us 25% off in the club shop or summet.
I think the price of a programme is disgusting, nearly as disgusting as the over priced lager in the Kop bar!
I would also like to know why it is taking years to sort out a joke of a defence. Maybe its time for a new defensive coach (if we have one he is non existent) Who would believe that Simon Grayson was a defender! I would like SG to stay on as manager as sacking people all the time isn't great. He is our longest serving manager here for a long time and I think he has a good record (other than leaking goals!)
I would ask SG why does he play Howson and snoddy every week when I believe they need dropping to give them a kick up the backside. Give someone else a chance.
I would ask Bates what the point is in moving away fans into cardboard cut out stand when he is leaving the away corner empty for the time being! doesnt make sense and saying he is charging the away fans for dearer seats is a good idea but the away fans won't turn up. Remember, "Where not famous any more!"
I would ask where the Delph money has gone aswel as the profit from us fans. I would ask why don't we own the ground or Thorpe Arch. Surely it makes sense to own the ground before making improvements to it, therefore making the ground go up in value, making it harder to buy back!
There are alot of things we as loyal fans would like to know, but there are also alot of posotives. We have a young, improving team and its encouraging to see the youngsters coming through. Its good that we arnt in any debt and when this new rule comes in regarding wage caps/transfer fee's etc then we have a head start. Ross Mcormack is a big plus and Becchio coming back will only make us stronger. Adam Clayton, star already. Long may that continue. We are the highest scorers and are only 3 points off the playoffs with a game in hand etc etc. I know I have gone on and on here, but maybe if we got our point across in the right way, wether it be a letter or a petition to vent our feelings, then just maybe we will get answers. Or maybe we will just get f****d off! Either way we are Leeds and proud. Keep the faith

Let me know your own thoughts as we all have different opinions.

MOT

Nick R

To answer a couple of your (in most cases very good points):

The costs associated to the matchday running of the ground dictate to a large extent what the tickets prices are - the cost of policing and stewards goes through the roof if we open the whole ground. We have an almost guaranteed 20k+ attendance at the moment, dropping prices unfortunately doesn't guarantee more will attend and we'll fill the ground but we'd have to stump up the additional costs regardless. However it begs the question of why we didn't buy back the ground and TA when we had the option of doing so cheaper - arguably bates owns them too so to hold off means he gets more money from a future sale, cynical maybe but we know what he's like

Agree on dropping Howson, Snoddy though looked back to his usual at the weekend where he can be the difference and make a huge impact

Defensive coach - absolutely!

A letter is probably the best bet mate, he's been know on quite a few occasions to ring people off the back of them so include your email address and phone number and invite him to call you, even get yourself a dictaphone so you record the call!

If you are so passionate about this and feel that a strongly worded letter to Mr Bates is your only option of potentially getting through to the bearded one, then I urge you to write that letter. However based on your post here please check your grammar and use a spell check first..

Go down to Billys Bar for a lunch on Sunday Old Papa Smurf has been known to visit there on Sundays for the carvery.

04 Oct 2011 19:06:41
think the membership thing is a good idea also moving the away fans is as well. just wish leeds would drop ticket prices to say £20 adult and £10 for under 16 and maybe £5 for say under 10,s i know it will not happen but we,d get alot bigger crowds

Spoke to a hull fan and his season ticket cost him roughly half for equivalent to east stand season ticket im a longstanding member was season ticket holder even in league one days but costs has been a pain, I go to as many games as poss but agree prices are a joke just cost £111 for three adult tickets for east stand (L30) for Cardiff match

04 Oct 2011 17:14:24
just been in touch with the ticket office and its only for cardiff that you have to be a season ticket holder or member to get tickets for the gelderd,the guy i spoke to said it could change which i think means if sales are slow theyll go back on general sale.there was plenty of empty seats on saturday where i go in n7,bates has got to get real with the prices £32 for pompey was a joke
keep the faith

04 Oct 2011 14:49:28
Apart from maybe southampton this league is wide open, we should be in playoffs by december and then who knows! Plus southampton dont have a huge squad either. All the players who left i was happy to see go, johnson, kasper,kilkenny and gradel. We had to give our young players a chance at some point, unlike arsenal who let em go and replace em with more! Johnson wasteful, kasper unreliable, gradel selfish, kilkenny awful. Clayton superb, white is as quick as bolt (nearly)! Lees is promising too. All is good in my opinion, not playing great but getting results, wait til we play good. Average age around 24 in our first team, only watfords is younger and they cant buy a win! MOT 4EVA. Vinny.

I totally agree with you regarding those that left the club - deadwood in my opinion - sometimes steady but limited. I'm totally in favour of a blend of youth and experience and there seems to be a blend of this though I feel cos the club is being run on buttons this is more enforced than a cunning plan - so be it! We just need to cure SG blind loyalty to some of the remaining so called stars/deadwood! One or 2 belting defender signings might be all it needs?!

I agree too, Gradel maybe the exception as on his day he was a real threat, by the same token he could also be a huge liability. I admired his workrate all the same

I still think we're lacking depth though and consistency in the starting 11, especially the defence. Key would be an experienced defensive coach too in my mind

If I'm honest, we looked solid a lot of the time against Pompey and also Snoddy is back on form with Connolly behind him. Our one position that needs addressing is right back, I think we'll manage with Connolly until January then loan in the fit again Lichaj who was amazing last year

04 Oct 2011 12:13:59
Imho obrien bruce kisnorbo lees and o'dea can all do a job bromby is terrible but the others are quality center backs 3months off playin doesn't make some one a sh#t player and I know paddy had a year out but giv him time he'll be first name on the team sheet again sharpness is key but as 1 pointed out if ur not guaranteed to play at least 2 games in a row ur not goin to get that sharpness pick a set of defenders and stick with them win or loose and can't wait for varynen to get a start
Lufc hughzy

04 Oct 2011 11:04:14
Even with our on-off start, we win our game in hand were 5th just 3 points of automatic promotion, spirit means more than quality! been impressed with pugh also MOT

Good positive comment, well in mate

MOT

Nick R

People dont see that tho mate, i think some people like moaning and being negative. It is good tho when you think saturday was our first clean sheet of the season and some games we have been a lil poor at times so just think of when we do finally click.

Great post and exactly what we should focus on!

Sure we've not been fantastic but that only bodes well for when we do and string a run together. Old cliche but good teams get results even when they're not playing well

Definatly boys our fighting power will always beat majority of teams, and we haven't had any look yet either, just wait till that comes! MOT