FUN AND GAMES AT LEEDS UNITED
StrumSolo > 03/07/2014, 16:08
Leeds don't seem to have much luck when it comes to owners. They were on to a good thing under Peter Ridsdale for a while there, but it wasn't long before the Seth Johnson incident (£35,000 a week, in 2001!) and an overspend on goldfish sent them spinning in to financial oblivion.
Then it was Ken Bates (a billionaire who didn't want to spend anything) followed by GFH Capital, the only Bahrainis without any oil.
Massimo Cellino is the latest man at the helm, and despite a chequered past (though what's a spot of tax evasion between friends?) at least he cares, right?
Well, there is such a thing as caring too much, and if you're also a mental then problems may arise.
Cellino's a superstitious chap, can't stand the number 17. In his 20 years as Cagliari owner they only avoided defeat once in games that were played on the 17th of a month, and they wouldn't have even managed that had the colour purple (also unlucky) not cancelled it out.
“The whole stadium was purple on the 17th. We won because I think that bad luck is like algebra: minus and minus is positive. Purple and 17 … they became positive and we won. That’s the only time.”, he maniacalled.
It got to the point that all seats numbered 17 at Cagliari's ground were changed to 16B.
So imagine his horror when he discovered that Leeds goalkeeper Paddy Kenny was born on the 17th May. Hint: He was horrified. New head coach Dave Hockaday has been instructed not to pick him and the former Sheffield United man has been left out of the club's pre-season tour of Italy too.
Now's probably a good time to point out that the decision is definitely not financially motivated. Yes, the club have enforced cost-cutting measures such as closing the training ground canteen (packed lunches all round) and made the players pay to have their kit washed, and yes, Kenny is their second highest earner on £10,000 a week. But that's purely coincidental, honest. Unfortunate timing.
Stuart Taylor (born 28th November) has been signed as his replacement.