Bates attacks 'media vultures'

Leeds chairman Ken Bates has rounded on the media as speculation over the club's future gathers pace.

The Yorkshire club were all but relegated to Coca-Cola League One over the weekend and reports have claimed they could be heading for administration within seven days.

Bates, who insisted he had been "overwhelmed" by the level of support in the last 48 hours, has neither confirmed nor denied the claims but told Yorkshire Radio: "It's beyond my wildest expectations and it's very encouraging and that contrasts with the vultures of the media. The piranha fish of the media have been feeding off each other's stories."

He added: "Meanwhile, we're just trying to get on with the business. We've been looking at budgets, reviewing our costs and reviewing where we can save money to make sure that next season we're profitable and can improve the team.

"It's encouraging that memberships are still coming in and, what's even more important, we're getting phone calls from people asking when are we going to have season-ticket application forms, we're running late, which is great.

"This is a great club on hard times. We'll be back again sooner or later, but how quickly will depend on the fans.

"But don't forget I was at Bramall Lane when Sheffield United got the winning goal that won them the (old) Fourth Division title.

"Aston Villa, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bolton, Wigan - they've all been in the old Third Division and so have Middlesbrough.

"Little clubs are always little clubs and big clubs are always big clubs. Big clubs fall on hard times, but they always rise and that's what Leeds will do."

Bates revealed the club's wage bill next season will be reduced by "more than half" as they will no longer be paying out £1-1.5million to subsidise former players' wages.