Bates keen to promote a brighter future for Leeds fans

AS a small army of construction workers beaver away to get Elland Road in shape for arguably its biggest game of the season, Ken Bates admits to having mixed emotions over the past few weeks.

The Leeds United chairman is showing the Yorkshire Post round the new East Stand development that, for the first time, will be partially open tonight when the new 24 executive boxes that adorn the front of the upper tier will welcome guests as Manchester United come to town in the Carling Cup.

All the newly-created 288 corporate places have been sold at a price of £225 (plus VAT) per ticket, much to Bates’s satisfaction. He is also proud of the building work that has gone on at Elland Road since the end of last season, the £7m development to transform the East Stand coming during a summer that has also seen around £300,000 spent on re-figuring the West Stand in preparation of visiting fans being moved there for the first time when Portsmouth come to West Yorkshire on October 1.

As pleased as Bates is, however, with the progress United have made, he also admits that one off-field aspect of running the club has left him doing a passable impression of Victor Meldrew. Namely, the on-going attempts to strengthen Simon Grayson’s squad.

Seven signings have been made since the end of 2010-11 and another is expected later this week with an initial loan deal for Danny Pugh that will become permanent in the next transfer window being all-but agreed with Stoke City.

The return of Pugh, who netted six goals in his one full season at Elland Road, will significantly add to Grayson’s options, not least as the versatile 28-year-old can play left-back, left wing and central midfield.

Nevertheless, Bates said: “Simon and I have both been very frustrated with the setbacks we have had in terms of bringing players in. I have been involved in football for many, many years and it has been one of the most frustrating times I have known.

“At times, I have felt like Victor Meldrew and found myself saying, ‘I don’t believe it’ as another demand comes in from an agent just when we thought a deal was done. Or a chief executive has changed his mind on a deal.”

United’s frustrations in the transfer market can be forgotten tonight when their most bitter rivals visit Elland Road for the first time in eight years.

Around 30,000 tickets have been sold and the atmosphere is likely to be white hot as Leeds look to repeat their stunning FA Cup triumph of a little over 20 months ago.

Bates said: “When Shaun (Harvey, chief executive) rang me about the draw, he said, ‘Are you sitting down? We have got Manchester United at home’.

“Financially, it is an unexpected bonus and one that we appreciate. It is also another taste of the big time for everyone at the club, including our supporters.

“In a way, we can’t lose as no-one expects us to win – other than Simon and the team, of course. So, the pressure will be off.”

Tonight’s third round tie is the first of a tough double-header this week with Friday night bringing a trip to high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion.

The game was brought forward due to the University of Sussex, who share the car parks at Albion’s new stadium, holding an open day on the Saturday, meaning that once the Carling Cup draw was made there was a possibility Leeds might have to play twice in three days.

Instead, it is Gus Poyet’s side who are facing that draining schedule due to their third round tie against Liverpool having been selected for live transmission tomorrow night.

Bates added: “Manchester United playing at home to Chelsea on the Sunday meant they could have asked for the game to be on the Wednesday. That would have caused us problems as we are at Brighton.

“But, happily for us, they were okay with the Tuesday. We have been pleased with ticket sales, especially as we didn’t have very long to sell tickets. We lost a few days due to having to get the safety team in to decide whether we could open the East Stand.

“The capacity will be 35,000 due to issues with emergency exits and segregation.”

The building work on the East Stand has been a major bone of contention among supporters this summer, with many asking why so much has been spent at a time when only a fraction of that sum has been invested in the team. It is an argument that is set to rumble on with fans voicing their opposition to the club’s approach on a game-by-game basis this season. Bates, however, remains unrepentant that the work will pay for itself in the long-run and is crucial to the future viability of Leeds United.

He said: “I know fans are only interested in results but we are financially secure and the club is run on sound and prudent principles.

“For the Manchester United game, we have sold many more corporate tickets than was possible when our previous capacity was 1,100.

“What we are doing is getting the ground ready for when we are in the Premier League. Can you imagine what it would be like to get in the Premier League and have the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea come here?

“The ground would be under siege. This way, we get the ground in a condition where people will enjoy coming to the game.

“We want to give people an experience they won’t forget and not just a football match.”

Tonight, Leeds fans will be hoping to enjoy both.

Keeping up appearances

The summer building work has seen 24 new executive boxes at the front of the upper tier of the East Stand.

Each box can accommodate 12 guests and padded seats are provided on the balcony area in front of the box, where guests will watch the match. Tonight, guests using the boxes will dine in the Pavillion on the other side of Lowfields Road. However, once the development is complete in December, guests will eat inside the boxes.

Once completed, the new development will add just under 1,500 to the club’s corporate hospitality guest capacity. It will also be the home to the club’s new museum.

Elland Road’s capacity is set at around 35,000 for tonight’s Carling Cup tie, but once the East Stand is finished that will be raised by around 2,000.