Some Leeds United fans have flocked to a tweet that was recently posted by a Whites fan which shared an image of ex-Leeds owner Ken Bates, along with the words “if 2020 was a person”.
It may be fair to say that this post is less than complimentary about Bates, considering that many English football fans may not rank 2020 among their favourite years, following the postponement of the professional game in England as a result of the current viral outbreak, along with Euro 2020 – a tournament that England had qualified for and were set to host the semi-finals and final of at Wembley Stadium.
Read the reactions of some Whites supporters to this post about Bates in the tweets below.
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If 2020 was a person #LUFC pic.twitter.com/1IDfUO2Wb1
— ??? (@ciancallaghann) April 14, 2020
He made me hate football for a while ?
— Robbie Hyett (@HyettRobbie) April 15, 2020
I hoped never to see his face again
— SiJRa (@SiJRa2) April 14, 2020
@paddyhayton ??
— James Byrne (@Byrne07Byrne) April 14, 2020
All that money and no Dentist ?
— james ivory (@jamesivory9) April 15, 2020
One of my favourite photos of all time. Absolutely perfect.
— Matt Scott (@gingerfreakb3ta) April 14, 2020
Can’t forget hockaday
— Sam Quinn?? (@Sam_Lufc23) April 15, 2020
What do we think?
As per The Independent, upon completing his takeover of the club in January 2005, Bates was reported to have saved Leeds “from the threat of administration”. The Independent claimed that the Whites were in £25m worth of debt prior to Bates’ takeover, with Leeds United nearing administration and a 10-point deduction that “would have plunged the club into the relegation zone”.
This article from January 2005 was published at a time in which Leeds United were sitting in 14th place in the 2004/05 Championship table, eight points clear of the relegation zone. Leeds ultimately ended up finishing that season in 14th place, exactly 10 points above 22nd-placed Gillingham in the relegation zone.
With all of that in mind, it may be fair to say that Bates’ takeover of the club might have played a role in helping Leeds to avoid relegation from the Championship in the 2004/05 season, as his takeover reportedly helped the club to avoid an impending 10-point deduction at the time.
As a result, it may be somewhat harsh of some Leeds fans to be overly critical of the Bates’ time at Elland Road, considering the circumstances that existed upon his arrival at the club.