Bates is ready for grilling on how to run game

The Elland Road chief is one of several football figures due to give evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee during a hearing that will be held at Burnley’s Turf Moor.

Bates will be joined by Clarets chairman Barry Kilby, Crewe Alexandra chairman John Bowler and Julian Tagg, the vice-chairman of Exeter City, in being grilled by a group of MPs investigating the governance of football.

The committee, which includes Conservative MP for Shipley Philip Davies, is also examining whether there is too much debt in the professional game. Also appearing are several fans’ group leaders but it is Bates who is likely to be the big draw due to the Leeds chief being renowned for his strong views on all manner of football topics.

Writing in the United match-day programme for last Saturday’s game against Ipswich Town, he said: “Next Tuesday, I appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee which is enquiring into the governance of football. Should be fun!

“The Sports Minister, Mr (Hugh) Robertson, recently stated that football was the worst-run sport in the country but gave no evidence to support his damning statement.

“Politicians are fascinated by football and there is a suggestion that independent directors should be appointed at all levels.”

Bates went on to deride the jobs done by former FA chairman Lord Triesman, and former Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney, whom he famously clashed with when United were docked 15 points ahead of the 2007-08 season.

The first session, which will include evidence from Bates and the other three football club chiefs, is due to start at 10.45am. The second panel – Supporters Direct chief executive Dave Boyle, plus Malcolm Clarke and Steven Powell of the Football Supporters’ Federation – will be heard approximately an hour later.

John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon and chair of the committee, said: “I am delighted that we are able to hold this evidence session at such a historic club as Burnley.

“The committee were keen to get out of Westminster for this inquiry to see and hear, at first hand, the challenges facing a broad range of clubs of all sizes, divisions and locations.

“We hope at the end of our inquiry to make recommendations to the Government that help preserve a game that arouses strong passions and opinions throughout the country.”

The inquiry into how football is run was set up following the rows sparked by the huge debts incurred by Liverpool and Manchester United after being taken over, along with concerns about whether FA and Premier League regulations are fit for purpose.

Last week, the committee was told by Manchester United chief executive David Gill that he was “comfortable” with the club’s financial situation, including debt and interest repayment levels.

He told the hearing in Westminster that a debt level of £370m plus an annual interest of £45m was not hampering the Premier League leaders. Also giving evidence a week ago were Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn and Stoke City chief Peter Coates.

Meanwhile, Leeds have extended Aston Villa right-back Eric Lichaj’s loan stay at Elland Road until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old American has started each of United’s last seven Championship games and has finished on the losing side just once.

Lichaj was brought in as cover for the injured Paul Connolly, who is nearing full fitness again after a month on the sidelines with a hamstring strain.

Manager Simon Grayson was keen to retain the Villa man, however, due to Connolly being just one yellow card away from incurring a two-match ban.

Lichaj, for his part, is delighted to be staying in West Yorkshire and is now eyeing a possible promotion success.

He said: “I have enjoyed it at Leeds and I wanted to stay.

“It is great being part of a promotion-chasing team – especially as Leeds weren’t really expecting to get promoted when the season started.

“Now that Leeds are in this position, I want to do everything I can to help them go up. I think we should focus on getting there before we think about whether we have the players to play in the Premier League.”

United suffered a slight setback to their plans with a goalless draw at home to mid-table Ipswich Town on Saturday.

The dropping of two points was, however, not as damaging as first feared due to Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City also being held at home and Swansea City losing to struggling Derby County.

Of the stalemate against Ipswich, Lichaj added: “The clean sheet was a positive but we had so many chances that we should have won the game.

“Everyone in the dressing room wanted to win and everyone knows that we should have won. It felt like a defeat because I don’t think they had a clear shot in the second half.

“We were dominating the whole game apart from the first 15 or 20 minutes.”

Leeds’s focus has now switched to Saturday’s Yorkshire derby at Sheffield United, where they will be backed by a travelling army of 3,600 fans after an additional allocation was belatedly offered yesterday.

One player hoping to start against the Blades is Barry Bannan, who has made two cameo appearances from the bench since joining on loan from Villa.

Lichaj, Bannan’s club-mate at Villa, added: “Barry is a very good player with a very good touch – he sees the game very well.

“He hasn’t played much but once you see him play, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

“He is seen as a rising star (at Villa Park) – he is a very good player and I rate him highly.”