AFTER being forced to listen to chants from thousands of home fans that encouraged Leeds United’s Italian owner to return to his homeland forthwith, Massimo Cellino has announced he won’t attend any more Leeds United fixtures.
Last Thursday’s defeat by Blackburn Rovers, when new manager Steve Evans saw his honeymoon last for exactly 17 seconds before Leeds United went behind, stirred up vitriolic abuse against the club’s controversial owner.
Within 24 hours, Leeds Fans United announced they had reached an agreement “in principle” to buy a majority stake in the club – although no price had been discussed – and now Mr Cellino may have watched his last game at Elland Road.
In a statement issued on the Championship club’s website, he said: “It pains me to make this decision as I have put my heart and soul into this club.
“But what I was subjected to at the Blackburn game left me feeling like I had no other option but to take a step away.
“After the time, effort and emotion I have given to the club to try and enable us to move forward, it hurt me a lot to hear the fans singing what they did on Thursday night.
“The fans made it clear they believe I am no longer the best person for this job, and for the first time I am starting to think that they may be correct.”
Leeds Fans United, led by internet entrepreneur Dylan Thwaites who sold his business Latitude for £55m in 2007, was set up last December to promote fan ownership with the aim of raising £10m to buy a minority shareholding in the club.
It had targetted the 25% stake held by former club owner Gulf Finance House (GFH) but events have meant the fans group could now take control.
More information about the fans’ group’s plans is expected later this week.
