Football: Bates: If you want to go up then pay up; LEEDS CHIEF GETS TOUGH WITH FANS.Byline: By DAVID ANDERSON David Anderson may refer to:
KEN BATES Kenneth William Bates (born 4 December 1931 in Ealing, London) is an English businessman and football executive commonly known as Ken Bates. The current chairman of Leeds United Football Club Limited and Leeds United A.F.C. has told Leeds fans to dig deep and cough up if they want to see their club back in the Premiership. Leeds' controversial owner is angry with supporters who have been "going apes**t" after he put up season-ticket prices by 25 per cent. Bates splashed out pounds 4.9m to save the club from bankruptcy and has helped bankroll bank·roll n. 1. A roll of paper money. 2. Informal One's ready cash. tr.v. bank·rolled, bank·roll·ing, bank·rolls Informal boss Kevin Blackwell's summer spending spree Noun 1. spending spree - a brief period of extravagant spending spree, fling - a brief indulgence of your impulses . Blackwell has been able to splash out splash out Noun to spend a lot of money on a treat or luxury: she planned to splash out on a good holiday almost pounds 2m on strikers Rob Hulse and Robbie Blake, and has also landed former Premiership players Ian Bennett and Steve Stone on free transfers. Former Chelsea supremo su·pre·mo n. pl. su·pre·mos Chiefly British One who is highest in authority or command, as of an organization. [Spanish and Italian, supreme, supremo, from Latin Bates feels he has amply demonstrated his commitment to the club - and now he wants the fans to follow suit. Bates, who runs Leeds from his tax haven in Monaco, said: "The fans are concerned only with next Saturday, while chairmen have to take a more Olympian view. You have to think immediate, short-term, mid-term, and long-term. "What amuses me is that people pay increased council tax, petrol, every other tax you can think of and don't complain. But put the price of their season ticket up and they go apes**t. "So I've said 'this is the price of watching Leeds - if you want a Leeds.' If we do well, the fans will come back. That's the challenge facing us." Many fans have been turned off by the rise in prices and by yesterday only 19,000 tickets had been sold for tomorrow's Championship opener against Millwall. Last season Leeds averaged 29,000. Manager Blackwell said Leeds fans should acknowledge the cash Bates has spent over the summer and turn out this season to support their team. "The chairman has been terrific over the summer and has shown his ambition by backing the deals to bring in players and build a squad," he said. "I believe we will get back to where we should be - in the top flight. "But we need all the supporters to get behind us and make Elland Road a place to be feared. There's nothing like this place with a good atmosphere - it's inspiring. "The fans have shown amazing loyalty in sticking by this club in great numbers when it would have been easy to walk away and I hope they'll do the same again this season. "We're all very proud to be involved with Leeds United and are working hard to get back to where we belong." Bates has given Blackwell his full backing as the new season begins, although it is clear he expects results. "Kevin has got the players he wanted," he said. "We pushed the boat out and it's up to him now. "It's a great opportunity for him to stamp his mark on the game. He's one of the best-qualified coaches in the game and Sam Ellis is his foil. "The important thing isn't just getting up, it's making sure that when we do get up we stay in the Premiership." CAPTION(S): FLASH THE CASH: Fans salute Ken Bates, but he's told them that a place in the Premiership comes at a price; BACKED: Boss Kevin Blackwell |
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