‘A rubbish excuse’: Ken Bates on Leeds’ George McCartney

Sunderland left-back McCartney, 30, on loan at Leeds for most of the season, has angered Bates with comments made in a local newspaper about some of Simon Grayson’s players “being out on their feet after playing so much this season”.

Bates said: “I see he’s rather unwisely been giving an interview in which he says the players are tired, a sense of jadedness among certain players has proved telling.

“Well, I don’t quite understand what he means by that because when we play QPR we’ll have played 50 games, but everybody at the club will have played at least 48, 46 league games and two cup matches.

“I don’t understand what he means by players being ‘out on their feet’ after playing so much this season. It certainly doesn’t apply to him. As far as I can see, looking at the fixture list, as far as I know, he has only played twice in the last six games.

“So I don’t think fatigue can contribute to his contribution, which I haven’t been particularly impressed with.”

Bates added: “As I understand it, he has been fined more than once for turning up late in training.

“So perhaps if he turned up on time and showed a bit more commitment then he wouldn’t feel quite so tired.

“I think it’s a rubbish excuse for him and anybody else who wants to swing that one.”

McCartney initially arrived on loan at Elland Road in September after recovering from long-term injury and his stay was extended until the end of the season in January. The Northern Ireland international has made a total of 32 appearances for the Yorkshire club.