Bates: United Against The World

Last updated : 10 August 2007 By Kevin Markey
Bates said on Yorkshire Radio: "We're considering a number of options and one of them can be an appeal to the Football Association.

"One of the things we'll consider is that the Football League in its constitution have no power to do what they did.

"But we're thinking about it very carefully and we'll be advised by the best people in the business.

"In the Premier League, which the FA helped set up, any problems of a serious disciplinary nature are decided by an independent tribunal.

"That means that you come up with a decision that is at least independent. No club has an influence or a bearing on the punishment or otherwise of a fellow club.

"Yesterday everybody was prejudiced, they all had their own best interests, which is quite disgraceful.

"The whole procedure was a farce from beginning to end. We had a situation where the chairman Lord Mawhinney chaired the meeting and also at the same time presented the League's position.

"So you had a situation where the judge was also the prosecuting counsel for want of a better phrase, which was very peculiar.

"I don't think he handled the meeting very well. The case was full of inaccuracies.

"In my history in football I've always fought for the small clubs, but they (the other Football League clubs) turned up having already made up their minds.

"It will be interesting for me talking to visiting chairmen when they come to Elland Road this year.

"At the end of the day if we don't succeed then that's one club less to win promotion.

"The irony is that the Football League said they don't like the Inland Revenue's attitude towards football and were already making representations to the Government to change their attitude.

"But it was the Inland Revenue's attitude that prevented us from coming out of administration in the usual way.

"If the taxman hadn't opposed us we would have got our share back without any sanctions.

"Because the taxman made it impossible for us to come out (of administration) in the normal way we've been docked 15 points. It's bloody ridiculous.

"But now we've got to get together and be united against the world."