Leeds board the gravy train

  • by Staff Writer
  • Tuesday, 17th March 2009

Leeds United chairman Ken Bates has confirmed that they will be the next club to attempt to claim compensation from West Ham United in the wake of the Carlos Tevez affair.

The League One club - who left hundreds of local businesses out of pocket to the tune of £35million when administrators seized control of the club in 2007, before selling it straight back to owner Bates - have confirmed this lunchtime that they will be seeking damages in respect of 'contingency payments'.

Leeds claim via their website that they 'missed out on payments in relation to Premiership survival for the transfers of Rob Hulse, Matthew Kilgallon, and Ian Bennett' - whilst Bates, speaking on Yorkshire Radio this morning added:

"We sold a number of players to Sheffield United with contingencies. When they got relegated on the last day of the season we missed out on a substantial sum. That's what we lost and if they are being compensated for their loss we believe we should be compensated for our loss.

"There are other clubs in the same boat who have similar claims. Ours is the biggest claim and it would be nice to collect that and strengthen our squad. We are currently taking advice on it and won't be commenting further at this time."

Leeds, Yorkshire neighbours of Sheffield United were in the Premier League as recently as 2004 but ended up in the third tier of English football after being relegated from the Championship in the same year as the Blades lost their Premier League status.

Once it became clear that they were going to be relegated from the Championship the club applied for administration, an event that cost them ten points and relegation but also millions of pounds in lost revenue for all the clubs and organisations associated with the club - including the local St Johns Ambulance who were left £165 out of pocket.

* Bolton chairman Phil Gartside has this morning ruled his club out of making any compensation claims in regard to the Tevez case.

When asked whether he would be following up an earlier comment in which he suggested that other clubs whose Premiership prize money may have been affected by West Ham United's final placing in the 2006/07 season and may therefore have reason to claim compensation, Gartside replied that his statement had been 'tongue in cheek' - and that Bolton had no interest in 'pursuing the matter'.

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