OPINION
Leeds have come out of their latest spat with the authorities with a £5,000 fine, which is slightly better than their £200k spygate fine from the EFL, but fans are still not happy. Leeds accepted the charge of failing to control their players during the recent game against Bolton, with the visitors coming out slightly worse. Bolton, in financial difficulties already, were fined £8,000 and manager Phil Parkinson was fined an additional £3,000 and given a two-match touchline ban. No individual players were punished, including Mateusz Klich, who inflamed the situation by pouring water down Bolton’s Joe Williams’ back. One fan came back with the very amusing, “Water off a Klich’s back” while another fan said it was a “joke” and that if you take the passion out of the game, what’s left? Our view? It was handbags and it was over almost as soon as it had started. Yes, players are supposed to set an example on the field, but this was a crucial game between two clubs at the opposite ends of the table, battling for very different reasons. A warning to both about future conduct would surely have sufficed?
Leeds United have been fined £5,000 over the touchline brawl with Bolton last month. Bolton fined £8,000. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) March 7, 2019
Here are the best reactions from Leeds fans:
water off a klichs back
— Adonis Storr (@theadelites) March 7, 2019
So we get fined 200k for doing nothing and 5k for not been able to control our payers? ????
— Fat Leeds Fan (@FatLeedsFan) March 7, 2019
Announce bolton cant pay so leeds pay 13k its only fair @EFL
— ???The Adventures of Tin-Tin & Murphy? (@karltrinity1873) March 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/realdealash/status/1103618985487204352
https://twitter.com/jack88lufc/status/1103619581418065920
https://twitter.com/RickySp59446580/status/1103616912695672832
https://twitter.com/SupremeJansson/status/1103612207798071296
https://twitter.com/markrikko/status/1103613703218442240
I hope we pay Bolton’s fine too. Would be a classy touch given the situation they’re in.
— Paul Sawyer (@thesawyershow) March 7, 2019
Whole thing is a joke, let's applaud the passion! The ref "saw" it all and made his decision yet we now get this. In other cases on the pitch when the ref takes action they say no further action can be taken because the refs dealt with it. It's all garbage. #lufc
— David Watkins (@DaveLUFCWatkins) March 7, 2019