When clubs go bad

Keep an eye on what’s happening at Leeds United.  The club is under offer from ‘colourful’ Italian, Massimo Cellino, who will become owner if the Football League decide that his conviction for defrauding Italian tax authorities is not sufficient to make him an inappropriate person to control a football club.

If Cellino is declared unsuitable by authorities in England I am told to expect a coordinated media campaign to have people with similar backgrounds hounded out of the game here.  The is a dirty war underway for control of one of Scotland’s newer clubs.

Leeds have historically been a club which it’s difficult to feel sympathy for but I genuinely feel for their fans, who suffered for the lack of a director to say ‘No more money’ amid the clamour to reach ‘the next level’, whatever that was at the time.

Now they are a massive club but lose circa £15m per year, making it impossible for them to compete with clubs far smaller than them.  Being subject to the attention of convicts is a direct consequence.

On a completely unrelated matter, I read Phil Mac Giolla Bhain today use the word “Wonga” in relation to Newco Rangers’ recent attempts to finance.  That was exactly the word used to me to describe a potential financer who is set to meet the club tomorrow. The campaign to oust the club’s current owners is significantly undermining their ability to do their jobs.

Well done to Big Yogi and the Highlanders for their unconventional route to the League Cup Final.  It must have been an absolute sickener for Hearts fans to lose to nine men.  Absolute.  Utter. Sickener.  Oh well.

I read Barcelona lost on Saturday for only the fifth time when Messi had scored.  Can anyone name another occasion?

Sean’s Trust, the charity founded by the family of St John Doyle (George Ryan) in memory of Sean, who was stillborn in 2000, is holding a dinner with live entertainment on Friday, 4 July, at the Fullarton Suites, Tollcross Road.

Sean’s Trust aims to raise funds to provide holiday homes to provide respite for families bereaved through stillbirth.  The Trust will also raise awareness and tackle misinformation surrounding the issue.  To book at ticket (£35, discount for tables of eight), email Linda at lindacroker@googlemail.com
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