Today the details about the 25% refund promised by Signor Cellino have been released, this despite all the nonsense from the naysayers who just could not bring themselves to think that our owner would be good to his word. The Doubting Thomases, who right until the details were posted on the Leeds United website, were still intent on stirring the proverbial toilet bowl with the same boring stick they have been using the last few years. This is where I need to reiterate, MY thoughts and words are my own, not the branch, not the LUSC, mine and mine alone. Regular readers will know, I was sold the moment Massimo said he wanted to buy Elland Road back. I have and still do support Sig. Cellino, despite the fact that he is as mad as a box of frogs, because when push comes to shove, I want what he wanted. I want Leeds United to become great again, I want the ground and the training ground back, I want to see us promoted. I want to see us be where we belong, out of the mire of the last decade and forward, viribus utilis. But this is not just me, this is more people than would care to admit it. Like that scene in the famous film, with Tony Curtis the chief initiator of the crowd, I am Spartacus.. and then the rest without prompt, I am Spartacus, I’m Spartacus or should that be I am Cellino….

After years under the rule of someone who categorically said he “would not rest until Leeds United were kicked out of the football league”, then backed by allegedly the “largest voice of Leeds United fans”, the poorest arabs on the planet were introduced as the new saviours. Not like Negan’s Saviours from The Walking Dead either. These “saviours”, with the help of Shaun Harvey, got us into more debt that Ridsdale ever could have done with ten thousand gold plated fish tanks.

We had the chance to put all of this behind us, a fresh start, who wouldn’t want it? An owner who was happy to stand on the terraces and have a cigarette with normal fans, instead of calling us “morons” and using the matchday programme for his own personal vendettas and propaganda. An owner who was interested in football and had a proven head for business.

Massimo wanted to buy Leeds United. What he actually got was…… well what did he get?

He got the team and the stadium itself but not the ground it stood on.  He wanted to buy back Elland Road and Thorp Arch, but was thwarted at every attempt, by “whoever” it was who owns them. He got the LUFC name, but not the TV rights and certainly didn’t bargain on Yorkshire TV and Yorkshire Radio, like Klingons on the starboard side. No match day catering income, as that had already been farmed out, but he got the shell of the doomed Howards Way restaurant. I think someone once said “it’s not about the 20 days of football, it’s about the 340+ other days of the year” or something like that. To our illustrious Italian owner, it must have been like buying a house and then someone telling you that you can’t get your mates round and play in the garden without someone else’s permission.

He thought we had a team of half decent players with a decent manager in McDermott. But when it was clear we were continuing with our mid-table mediocrity, going nowhere fast and Fat Ross decided he would rather sell himself on transfer deadline day to the highest bidder via Sky Sports News HQ, what would any man think? Even though McDermott was hardly on a promotion winning run, fans admirably thought it fit to defend him to the hilt, resulting in the famed “West Stand Siege”. Brian got a stay of execution, but ultimately he was removed and since then, has hardly managed a ripple in managerial pool. Was this a sign of things to come? Then the torrid times of Hockaday, Redders, Darko, Redders again, and Rosler, until we settled with Big Steve Evans. What a gamble, but it paid off to some extent!

Two years of testing times, run ins with the FA, the Football League, being told by un-fit and im-proper people that he wasn’t fit and proper… cue pot, kettle,black. Then Sky, believing in bettering their viewing figures so they could get a bumper advertising revenue in when Leeds United are playing. The people who are actually in charge of the EFL playing musical chairs with the fixture lists, flouting the rules in the faces of the fans who fork out their hard earned cash to watch our beautiful game.

On top of all that, people who thought they could run a football club better than he could. People who constantly moaned at what he did, whilst only speculating about what he was doing, because of course, no one knows exactly what was going on. People who would rather spend their money on the East Stand equivalent of Blackpool Illuminations, posters, coffins, fly bys etc.etc.etc. and the obligatory slating of fellow fans. People who would rather turn fans against fans, spend 90 minutes chanting anti Cellino songs instead of getting behind the team and generally massaging their own over-inflated egos, with plenty of self congratulatory back slapping and chest bumps. At the same time proclaiming that they have a consortium of funds, that never actually materialised into anything substantial.

So, it looks like the end is nigh for The Massimo Era. With Signor Radrizzani waiting in the wings, will it be the case of better the devil you know? Who knows?

Signor Cellino –  Grazie e Arrivederci..

I have been humming and ha-ing over whether to do an article in the run up. This has been the trial season of the website and this blog, and in parallel with Leeds United really, it’s been ok. In fact, in reality, it’s been pretty darned good. So in the words of that other Housemartin…..

“We’ve come a long long way together, through the hard times and the good.

I have to celebrate you Baby.

I have to praise you like I should”

This will be the quickest blog I have done, as I am setting off for the last home game of the league imminently, but I feel that I need to just quickly  reiterate what I have said most of the season. I never expected us to do as well as we have. The players that Garry with two Rs has brought in have been some of the best we have seen for a while. Who had even heard of (Captain) Kyle Bartley, Luke Ayling, Pontus Jansson last season? But now they, along with the outstanding Beradi, have well and truly stamped their authority on the Old Division 2.  In Chris Wood we have the highest scoring goal scorer in the league, I hope he gets 30 this season, two games to do it in. Phillips had a brilliant partnership with O Kane at the start of this season. Vieira and Bridcutt, as well as Roofe, Sacko, The Duke and Hernandez have made their marks, along with the new boy Pedraza. Monk and his team have managed to get a fantastic team spirit going. The only sore point was Sutton..

Up until 6 games ago, it was looking good. I am disappointed that we dropped our form, but there is still hope, especially if we go for all out attack from the start. It isn’t insurmountable, but it is out of our hands realistically, but there is still hope if the results go for us.

2016-17 has passed so quickly, it has been a long ride, quarter finals in the FA Cup for the 1st time in ages and some memorable games, like the hardest ever fought 1-0 slaughter of Derby at home, the penalty shoot out against Norwich in League Cup, last minute winner at Norwich from the Magic Hat.

We have well and truly flicked the V’s up at The EFL, The FA and Sky and every other club, pundit, newspaper hack and keyboard warrior who doubted us at the start of the season. They who condemned us to relegation before the season had even started after we lost to QPR.

It isn’t over til it’s over

The Chairman has asked me to specifically refer to these minutes and draw attention to the “Any Other Business” section, as this was the first official reference to the decision to change the branch name from Knaresborough to Harrogate. At least I think that is what he said, or it could be the “Adjourn to Jimmys for more alcohol” bit?

Anyway, they warrant a page to themselves instead of being tagged onto the end of one.

Apologies for the delay. The Chairman had passed these on at the Newcastle game but alas the carnage that ensued from that game resulted in the MPO needing to take some time away. The Chairman has also asked that his endorsement of Leicester Forest East KFC be mentionned, in fact he wholehearted would like to pledge his support for KFC as the means of satisfying the hunger of any Leeds United fan on the way back from an away game. I am not entirely sure if we need to put this to a vote at the AGM before I advertise this any further, given it is only The Chairman who expresses this at this moment in time. The Chairman is also keen to share “memory match” info, so The MPO will endeavour to do this next season, as The Chairman seems keen to continue with this section.

So, here are more memories from years gone by, which in his own words, The Chairman found at the bottom of his drawers.

From another year…bit of topical European interest..

and finally, something that The Chairman thought was very interesting

So we have 5 more games left, and we are still in with a chance of going up either in the play offs or a very slim chance at automatic promotion. There is no way any Leeds fan could ever have dreamt that we could be in this position in August 2016, but let’s all just take a deep breath, and here we go…

After two losses on the trot at Reading and Brentford, most fans could be forgiven for fearing the worse. After all, history tells us that the Leeds United team tends to falter after an international break. Normally players get injured or concentration lapses, and any pre break momentum hits the proverbial brick wall.

For those individuals who slated those wishing to express their concerns, please note, in this country we still have freedom of speech (within the remits of political correctness of course). Everyone has the right to say what they want without discourse. As long as it is within reason and they don’t take to death threats, name calling, social media abuse etc. and political correctness of course. I have seen some of the comments and can I please just ask people to just have a think before they start tippy tappying on their phones? Some stuff I have read is appalling, and the worse thing is for some bizarre reason, after these keyboard warriors have slagged off fellow Leeds fans, they then sign off “All Leeds Aren’t We” or “Marching On Together”. Oxymoron anyone?

Before anyone starts with the pot, kettle, black, I admit I had a bit of a pop after Sutton, but that was an exception, and it took an awful lot for me to do that. It also wasn’t personal, it was aimed at the group of people who think that they are better than anyone else, and those people know who they are. Plus, come on! Sutton! For crying out loud!

So back to the football. After Reading and Brentford, Garry made the changes that were needed on Saturday for the return of prodigal son, Simon Grayson. The midfield has been crying out for a bit more of a holding midfielder, and Kalvin Phillips duly stepped up. Ayling was back on form after his untimely absence (timely for Mrs and Baby Ayling though), and after hanging fire on the substitutions against Reading and Brentford, bringing on Dallas and The Duke gave Roofe and Wood a well deserved break. Wood had just got booked, and frankly Roofe played his (rolled down) socks off, in his first start for the team for a while. With Newcastle dropping points as well, it just goes to show that anyone can win a game in this league. It will be funny if we end up getting promotion and Newcastle fall at the last fence.

For those who have been backing 2-0 and 2-1 at home most of the season, the signs were all there when Wood hit the bar and Captain Kyle’s header was cleared off the line. After Roofe and Pablo’s two efforts, which both incidentally felt like they took an eon to cross the line, Fate was finally sealed by The Duke, putting everyone out of their misery. Even my postman backs 2-1 at home! I am just sorry that Wood didn’t bag one of them, I hope he gets his 30 goals this season, he completely deserves it.

Speaking of which, after years of not knowing who to pick for Player Of The Year, basically because no one has actually deserved it for the last few seasons, there is a raft of candidates. Wood, obviously, fans favourite Jansson, and the outstanding Beradi and Ayling. Green has put in a good shift as well, so it is going to be difficult to pick one player, and even harder for the fans across the board to agree on it. I have said this before, and will say it again, what a brilliant position to be in, as a Leeds United fan!

After the game on Saturday, the whole team came out and applauded the 30,000 strong crowd in what can only be described as a mini lap of honour. Every single player looked like they were playing for the shirt and more importantly, playing for the fans. yes, it was brilliant that we won, and had won 3-0, but it was a fabulous feeling to see fans crowd at the front of each stand, applauding the players and the players reciprocating.

There is real camaraderie in that team, even if there are a few little niggly differences in opinion. The fact is that on the pitch they are playing as one.  After decades, we may finally be Leeds United.