Leeds verdict may not be until end of season

[Dirty Dave]

Leeds United might have to wait until the end of the season to find out if their appeal against their 15-point penalty has been successful.

An independent tribunal considering the deduction will go into a fourth day of deliberation on Monday.

Sir Phillip Otton, chairman of the three-man panel, said the verdict might not be delivered for another three or four weeks.

That could be as late as 19 May, with Leeds' final league game on 3 May.

BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope said: "What we do know is that the arbitration is going to go into a fourth day.

"It was meant to finish on Friday but it's now going to go to the end of next Monday when closing submissions from the Football League and Leeds United will be submitted.

"Leeds are saying that the 15-point sanction is unlawful and last night I was told by chambers that Sir Phillip Otton said that the verdict will be given three to four weeks after the last day of the hearing."

The panel could back the Football League's ruling and uphold the penalty or if they find the penalty unlawful they may reinstate all 15 points.

Another option could see the panel return a proportion of the lost points, with five being the most likely added to Leeds' current total of 67.

606EBATE
Should Leeds get their points back?

Leeds are demanding a maximum return of points, as they see the punishment as disproportionate.

The West Yorkshire club had already been docked 10 points for originally entering administration while still in the Championship, so in total they have had 25 points taken off them.

If Ken Bates' club were to receive all 15 points back, as things stand they would move up to second in League One and could clinch automatic promotion back to the Championship with a win at Millwall on Saturday.

However, this outcome would upset other League One clubs.

Promotion hopefuls Carlisle United and Doncaster Rovers have already hinted they would take legal action if the hearing ruled in Leeds' favour.

Pope said: "Unless they come out with a quicker verdict, we're not going to know who's going to be promoted automatically, who's going to be in the playoffs and who's going to miss out come the end of the season.

"According to this timescale we're not going to know any of that until the earliest date, which is 12 May."



Isn't this just asking for trouble!

 

[Seasider]

What the hell would happen if us or walsall got the sixth spot then during the playoffs say after one leg it was decided that leeds should get enough points back to take them into sixth. Absolute bloody shambles

 

[Wardy]

thats the play-offs f***ed then

 

[steward 433]

No it's good as Leeds if they do get any points back won't get them this season

 

[Wardy]

No it's good as Leeds if they do get any points back won't get them this season

But they cannot give them back next season, since it will all but hand them the league.

 

[steward 433]

But they cannot give them back next season, since it will all but hand them the league.

Maybe so but what other way can you see them doing?

Maybe they are just waiting until after the leeds millwall game?

 

[countrygull]

No it's good as Leeds if they do get any points back won't get them this season

This can't be right because what happens if they go up in the playoffs? Do they start in the Championship with a 15 point lead? Shambles from start to finish.

 

[saltash seagull]

saw andy ritchie on the tv the other night and he said it might be easier if they waited to the end of the season and if leeds finished 6th it would be easier to give them 5 points or so back when it isnt really affecting other teams to much other than who plays who in the play off's

 

[Simster]

If the appeal is successful after the season ends, the only solution is for Leeds United to be PAID an amount in compensation.

 

[imissworthing2]

saw andy ritchie on the tv the other night and he said it might be easier if they waited to the end of the season and if leeds finished 6th it would be easier to give them 5 points or so back when it isnt really affecting other teams to much other than who plays who in the play off's

That would be such a f***ing cop out.

 

[Wardy]

That would be such a f***ing cop out.

But this is the football league we are talking about so it is about par for the course.

 

[Skint Gull]

That would be such a f***ing cop out.

But it is effectively exactly what they did at the end of last season!

 

[Hiney]

This is getting more and more hilariously pathetic with every passing day

 

[Simster]

This is getting more and more hilariously pathetic with every passing day

There will nothing "hilarious" about it, if it means Albion losing a play-off spot.

 

[Dirty Dave]

You've got to feel for Carlisle and Doncaster as well. One of those teams should be celebrating promotion to the Championship on 3rd May but they won't be able to as it will have to be confirmed in a bloody court room after the season's finished!

 

[Arthur]

But they cannot give them back next season, since it will all but hand them the league.

What if they go up regardless of them getting the points back?

Now you may say well it doesn't matter but I'm sure this legal action is costing them a pretty penny AND I'm sure the prize money for the league is worked out on where you finish. They will want some sort of recompense surely?

They can't have a 5, 10, 15 point head start in a higher division

 

[bhaexpress]

If the appeal is successful after the season ends, the only solution is for Leeds United to be PAID an amount in compensation.

Like if they got awarded £100,000 they'd get in to Ken Bates terms, £1000 ? Seems reasonable to me.

 

[fozzie's headband]

Once the final ball has been kicked on the last day of the season and the promotion/play off issues have been decided then there is no way the FL can start changing league positions. That would be absolutely farcical!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Setting aside any Albion aspirations, let's look at a possible (nay, a quite likely) timetable of events.

The published League Table after the matches on 3 May:-

1 Swansea
2 Carlisle
3 Doncaster
4 Forest
5 Southend
6 Leeds

Playoff games are arranged

Weekend of 10 May
Leeds v Doncaster
Southend v Forest

Midweek around 14 May
Doncaster v Leeds
Forest v Southend

Doncaster and Forest qualify for the final

19 May
Leeds get their 15 points back and get automatic promotion, having failed to get to Wembley

Carlisle are denied the opportunity to win promotion through the playoffs



What happens next?

Option 1:- Promote Swansea, Leeds and Carlisle?

Option 2:- Promote Swansea, Leeds and the winner of the Wembley game?



If Option 1 is selected, who thinks it is a BRILLIANT idea to assemble 80,000 aggrieved Doncaster and Forest fans at Wembley stadium on 25 May?

If Option 2 is selected, presumably the FL will write a nice letter to Carlisle, thanking them for their interest this season and wishing them better luck next year.

 

[Wardy]

Setting aside any Albion aspirations, let's look at a possible (nay, a quite likely) timetable of events.

The published League Table after the matches on 3 May:-

1 Swansea
2 Carlisle
3 Doncaster
4 Forest
5 Southend
6 Leeds

Playoff games are arranged

Weekend of 10 May
Leeds v Doncaster
Southend v Forest

Midweek around 14 May
Doncaster v Leeds
Forest v Southend

Doncaster and Forest qualify for the final

19 May
Leeds get their 15 points back and get automatic promotion, having failed to get to Wembley

Carlisle are denied the opportunity to win promotion through the playoffs



What happens next?

Option 1:- Promote Swansea, Leeds and Carlisle?

Option 2:- Promote Swansea, Leeds and the winner of the Wembley game?



If Option 1 is selected, who thinks it is a BRILLIANT idea to assemble 80,000 aggrieved Doncaster and Forest fans at Wembley stadium on 25 May?

If Option 2 is selected, presumably the FL will write a nice letter to Carlisle, thanking them for their interest this season and wishing them better luck next year.

The only thing that they could do is to postpone the play-offs until after the result is announced, unless they already know the result but are waiting until the end of the season to see what it will do to the table.