As a die-hard Leeds fan, I can't deny that Uncle Ken is hardly the most welcoming of Chairman and he often pays little or no notice to the appropriate decorum for his matchday column. We knew this long before he came to Leeds, and as unpopular as he may be (including at Elland Road) it's just the type of person that he is. After a while you learn to laugh!

As for the apparent ignorance when it came to welcoming and indeed acknowledging Lincoln, well I can't deny that this was partly due to arrogance on our part and partly due to the fact that no-one really cares about the League Cup. We were hardly going to welcome you with open arms for a First Round tie on a Tuesday night, were we?

And yes, we don't care what people think about us. In fact we almost embrace the fact that everyone hates us. The whole "us against the world" thing, it only strengthens your passion for the club. Even the great Don Revie side of the late '60s and early '70s are known as "Dirty Leeds".

I can't say we aim to make Elland Road a welcoming place, but isn't that part of football? And besides, it's not as if we're made to feel welcome on our travels...

Marching On Together. Good luck in the league.

In my experience Leeds fans, unlike Millwall's, desperately care what people think of them. The levels of paranoia and "why does everyone hate us" bleating that emanates from Leeds fans is possibly the most enjoyable thing for a neutral to observe about them

In my experience when it comes to Leeds United nobody is a neutral. A fact verified by some of the 'neutrals' need to pass comment.

Matt, Just to clarify, I wasn't complaining about Elland Road not being a welcoming place - it's more a begrudging admiration, with a touch of envy. Ian.

@ ad joc: In all the years of being a football fan and a Leeds fan, I have never heard a Leeds fan ever say "why does everyone hate us?" We know you do and we love it. And, chances are, we don't give a f**k about your football team.

1919: They maybe don't use those exact words, but I do hear an awful lot of that sentiment implicitly or explicitly. (And frankly, I don't - hate Leeds that is - and until the last few years my sentiments were on the broadly sympathetic side of the continuum. Those last few years of Bates, Wise and fan whining, have tipped the balance though).

ged: Thanks at least for backing up my theory

"What, no warnings against complacency? No cautious words about there being no easy fixtures in competitive football?" I am guessing you haven't seen Lincoln play much in the last few months Ian, Ken had little to fear. My 16 hour round trip to Leeds to watch Lincoln had misplaced optimism nicely punctured within a minute at Elland Road. However at £12 to get in it was significantly cheaper than I would have paid to watch at Sincil Bank. Sitting in the home end I found the fans to be friendly and they joined in the cheering of Lincoln fans for each succesful pass the Imps made and booed when Leeds got it. They asked how Lincoln were doing and complimented our wingers. Don't judge a crowd as a single enitity thinking alike.

Yes, the Lincoln forward line looked a bit more lively the second half, especially after they brought Facey on (I like his old-fashioned fourth division bustle), but Leeds were cruising by then. Re. your point about not judging a crowd - the 'ironic successful pass' cheering was kept up for maybe a minute or two, but it was somewhat less intensive than the massed spite at goal kicks from the home end. And to reiterate, I'm not "judging" the Leeds crowd, I'm leaning more to admiration for them making Elland Road a place where visitors don't want to come (re-reads own article for sixth time just to check that point was made). I much prefer that than to be patronised.

I agree you weren't judging as such and the point was clear that it is nice to be treated as a significant other team, but want to make the point that they were still a friendly bunch underneath the chants and shouting.
Facey could certainly be described to have bustle, along with those XXL shorts.

Ah, the lovely Ken Bates! Does anyone read the insane rantings of this elderly lunatic? His page is one to skip when reading the programme. How can ANYONE be taken seriously when he himself doesn't know whether he not he atually owns the club. Ken: you don't and you're just a front man for some faceless offshore investors. Given the FA's track record I have no doubt there will be some short statement that the "board" has passed the "fit & proper persons" test but I reckon no names will ever be published so the poor punter will be none the wiser about where the cash is coming, or more importantly, where it's going to. We're locked in to our club but Leeds, like so many (Portsmouth/Newcastle etc etc) simply rip off the poor punter. Sad, so sad!

Ken is an embarrasment and does not speak for the majority.

ad hoc QED Thanks for backing up my theory, stay neutral eh!

@ AH.
Concentrate on your rabble being the best team in Sheffield, heh?

And 99% of Leeds (& all football) supporters think Master B*tes Snr.is a ****.