If it all becomes too much, what can Leeds fans do? Rob Freeman looks at how they could really give Ken Bates something to think about

The past four months have probably been the most turbulent in Leeds United’s history: relegation to the third tier for the first time, a very messy administration, a transfer embargo lifted days before the beginning of the season and two sets of points deductions, meaning that at the time of writing they have a 100 per cent record, but are four points adrift at the bottom.

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As Leeds have lurched from crisis to crisis, outsiders have wondered why fans have not become more militant. For Duncan Young, it’s because there’s no question of a move from Elland Road

As this summer’s Leeds United pantomime ran its course, I was increasingly confronted by passionate supporters of other clubs, incredulous that Leeds fans have not risen in righteous anger and deposed Ken Bates, or at the very least made a stand against him. How much humiliation would it take before we finally seized control of our own destiny rather than accept a constant diet of wailing and gnashing of teeth?

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Roger Lytollis reports on an odd sacking at Carlisle

It felt as if we’d seen it all. There was the talking alien who spoke to the chairman (“Michael, don’t be afraid”), the goalkeeper who kept us in the League with the season’s last kick, and the curry-house waiter who staged a bogus takeover. After a decade of owner Michael Knighton, Carlisle United fans are well versed in absurdity. But even these battle-scarred veterans found themselves stunned by events on the first Monday morning of the season. And all it took was a few words on the official website: “The board of Carlisle United Football Club regret to say that they have lost confidence in Neil McDonald and are ­terminating his contract forthwith.”

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The FA have introduced regulations for agents, reports Neil Rose

The summer 2007 transfer window may have been the most bountiful ever, but for agents it may be the last off-season of plenty. The FA’s new Football Agents Regulations came into force on September 1, but agents should be grateful that they at least had this summer – only the threat of legal action stopped the changes going live in May. It is a sign of the disquiet over agents that the FA have revised their rules – which came into force as recently as January 2006 – so quickly. A review began shortly afterwards and its proposals went through several redrafts in an effort to reach an agreement. But the FA eventually realised that some would object whatever.

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Arsenal are attempting to control their fans' nickname, as Jon Spurling reports

With the media gleefully fanning the flames of boardroom discontent (described as a “civil war” in the Daily Telegraph), the last thing Arsenal need is a protracted conflict with sections of their own support. Yet with the announcement that the club has applied to trademark the word “Gooner”, a damaging legal struggle could ensue. The battle over the club’s financial direction could rumble on for a long time – Arsène Wenger and chairman Peter Hill-Wood’s desire for self-sufficiency within five years is in marked contrast to the David Dein-chaired Red and White Holdings’ urge for a rapid injection of cash. The war against global capitalism in N5, however, was lost long ago. Arsenal’s plan to register a word that was coined by supporters over 30 years ago is further evidence of the club’s frequent heavy-handedness when it comes to exploiting their commercial potential.

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