The Leeds United employee sent by Marcelo Bielsa to spy on Derby County was in possession of secateurs, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The regional newspaper claim reports stating the staff member had been in possession of “pliers and bolt cutters”, as cited by Derby manager Frank Lampard and Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber, were inaccurate.
The YEP report Leeds are “increasingly frustrated” about the oft-repeated mistruth about ‘Spygate’ but explain the intern “was carrying a pair of secateurs, for the purpose of allowing a clearer view from the public road he was standing on”.
OPINION
This is an intriguing new piece of detail which appears to have been leaked by Leeds to shut down speculation, repeated by senior football figures, about the spying staff member. Naturally, it would be far more serious to try and create a gap in a fence using pliers and bolt cutters. The level of criminality is far higher, as breaking into Derby’s training ground would involve trespassing, sabotage and criminal damage. A pair of common garden secateurs is far less incriminating and indicative of a lower level of intent. Pruning back tree stems or hacking bushes and brambles for a clearer sight of a training ground already visible from a public footpath is worthy of condemnation but not formal charges, or even an especially heavy fine. With Leeds set to find out in the next week the outcome of the Football League and Football Association investigations, this matter could soon be brought to a close.