The fight by Leeds United to overturn the 15 point penalty imposed by the Football League took a dramatic new twist yesterday when the Football League responded at the final hour with an offer of arbitration. Arbitration would prevent the matter from going to court and may be a quicker solution to the current problems.
Leeds served a High Court writ on the Football League last month after repeated requests for Independant arbitration were rejected by the Football League. The move was seen to force the hand of the League into action after all previous attempts at getting the decision reviewed were largely ignored.
In this latest twist, the Football league appear to have backed down although they have waited as long as possible to respond. Arbitration will consist of a panel of three people hearing both arguements as they would in the High Court but making a ruling that both sides agree to abide by. The panel would consist of a High Court judge plus a representative selected by Leeds and one from the Football League.
Leeds are said to be considering their next move and one stumbling block may by the clubs insistance for the hearing to be public and open.
Why wait for 6 months to offer this ... I hope Bates' doesn't fall for it because there is obviously something unfavourable for the league in going to COURT , so they make sure they delay our proceedings as much as possible and then pull the trigger.
Why wait 6 months ?
Why fear the court ?
Why invite us for an independent hearing now ?
Who would be the neutral person in this hearing ( have they arranged someone ?? ) ??
It would be doubtful a court would rule in our favour if we have already lost at arbitration Dan - unless they was new evidence or proof something wasn't done right at Arbitration.
I think the reality of the choice here is one or the other.
Im guessing the reason why they want to leave it 6 months is because the current season will be over..... what will Leeds have to gain then other than vindication.
I really cant see the FA backing down over these 15 points....
The reason they dont want it to go to court is mainly because if this happens and they lose it will set a precedent for future cases.
Independent hearing will basically slows the whole process down
Neutral persons...... there is no such thing.... lol
this is the first time the league have taken a step
backwards which shows they don't have complete
confidence in what they have done. as soon as it was
going to court and in the public arena they squirm
around until the last hour just like the tax man whose
appeal started the whole thing off.
kb has backed 'em into a corner so let's see if he
can finish the job.
Fids It would be doubtful a court would rule in our favour if we have already lost at arbitration Dan - unless they was new evidence or proof something wasn't done right at Arbitration.
I think the reality of the choice here is one or the other.
I'm not sure that's right Fids.
The idea of arbitration, as I understand it, is to allow a consensus to be reached without the courts ruling on the point of judicial review. That is whether or not the FL have followed their own procedures which were in place at the time they penalised us.
If no consensus can be reached at arbitration the court could still rule on the point of law relating to procedure.
However even if the court ruled against the FL, the court could still not give us the points back; just direct the FL to follow it's own procedures. As long as the FL do that they can then "justly" penalise" us.
I guess I meant that if Arbitration ruled clearly in one direction, the chance of going to court to try a get it ruling in completely the other direction is unlikely.
WE HAVE THE PERFECT ARBITRATOR IN A LIFELONG FOOTBALL FAN WITH NO LEANING TO ANY CLUB OR COUNTRY.
NO PREFERENCE TO PREMIERSHIP FOOTBALL,CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL,OR CCC LEAGUE FOOTBALL.
I GIVE YOU MEEEEEEEEEEE ......FLATTY THE PERFECT ARBITRATOR
CAN YOU GET A MORE HONEST AND UNBIASED PERSON ANYWHERE....
MARCHIN ON TOGETHER,WE ARE LEEDS WE ARE LEEDS,CUMON YOOOO WHITES............
LEEDS UNITED INTERNATIONALLY
FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
@#$%& me we have gone from football supporters to all @#$%& Judge Judy by the way i have just hurt me hand how much money do you think iwill be able to get miss wants to go to the states in the summer
I told you so weeks ago the fls legal team are notorious for cockups,now they are backing down and proposing what we said 4 months ago.Take them to court this time a real one and lets expose their kangaroo court for what it was and I belive heads will roll at fl.Nobody in the history of footie has done more to stay out of admin more than leeds.selling training facilities ,ground ,players,youth team stars. what do they want blood.And to cap it all we could not have pre season to prepare . lets go for it.
This all can only mean one thing - the league are now bricking it as their lawyers have told them we have a case and might win in court - otherwise why else would they have this sudden u-turn?
I say we take the arbitration - see if a compromise of say 10 points is available - then take it - we could still take the f**kers to court in the summer to get ourselves vindicated.
If the league offer say only 5 points, and Bates says fine - we'll see you in court, I reckon they would come back with an offer of 10 - just my guess anyway.
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