Krasner: Now Let's Stay In The Premiership

Last updated : 20 March 2004 By Kevin Markey
Krasner has rid the club of its major creditors and wiped out more than £80m worth of debt in a deal reported to be worth £22m.

Krasner, a life-long Leeds fan, now heads a six-man board which has taken control of Leeds.

He is joined by Whites legend Peter Lorimer, who will become a director responsible for interacting with the media.

The others are property developers Simon Morris and Melvin Helme, the latter to serve as corporate finance director given his former role at NatWest bank and entrepreneur Melvyn Levi.

The last figure is that of the new commercial and marketing director David Richmond, the son of former Bradford City chairman Geoffrey, who has been acting as an unpaid advisor throughout the negotiations.

Krasner believes he and his board start with a clean slate, saying: "I hope the supporters will judge, not just me but the whole board, by what we do.

"There's been a lot of speculation that we are asset-strippers, which I've denied on a number of occasions.

"We're here, we've saved the club, we're off life support and now we're going to go and try to stay in the Premiership."