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FA offered Leeds arbitration
England - 29 February, 2008
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Ken Bates, chairman of English Leeds, said the club has been asked by the Football League to arbitrate its 15-point deficit. The point deduction was imposed last August by the League because it claims the club did not properly follow the insolvency policy.
That came after the club went into administration following relegation to League One in May last year and was deducted 10 points then.
Since the club is five points off from the play-offs, it served a High Court writ on the League earlier this month challenging the 15-point deduction.
Bates said the League made its offer of arbitration on the day the response deadline was going to expire.
"The letter arrived from the League's solicitors suggesting that this should go to arbitration with a Court of Appeal judge," Bates told the Yorkshire Post.
"To quote their words 'impartiality and independence will be guaranteed and the competence of the tribunal will be par excellence.' "Impartiality and independence is what we have been asking for all along.
"What makes me laugh is that it has taken six months to get to this position, six months in which the League have refused to discuss the matter with us. Only now, with the writ having been issued, do they instruct their lawyers to come back to us," he added.
"It is a long overdue development and the pleasing thing from our point of view is that a Court of Appeal judge will hear it. After a law lord they are the highest in the land. The decision to deduct us 15 points was purely one borne of self-interest on behalf of the other clubs."
The arbitration panel would be composed of a neutral Court of Appeal judge, plus one representative apiece that would be nominated by Leeds and the League.
"We will have to discuss what our next move is," Bates replied when asked if Leeds would accept the offer of arbitration.
The League is not making any comment regarding the legal action but Lord Mawhinney said in a letter circulated to all member clubs, that he would fight the writ 'robustly.'
That came after the club went into administration following relegation to League One in May last year and was deducted 10 points then.
Since the club is five points off from the play-offs, it served a High Court writ on the League earlier this month challenging the 15-point deduction.
Bates said the League made its offer of arbitration on the day the response deadline was going to expire.
"The letter arrived from the League's solicitors suggesting that this should go to arbitration with a Court of Appeal judge," Bates told the Yorkshire Post.
"To quote their words 'impartiality and independence will be guaranteed and the competence of the tribunal will be par excellence.' "Impartiality and independence is what we have been asking for all along.
"What makes me laugh is that it has taken six months to get to this position, six months in which the League have refused to discuss the matter with us. Only now, with the writ having been issued, do they instruct their lawyers to come back to us," he added.
"It is a long overdue development and the pleasing thing from our point of view is that a Court of Appeal judge will hear it. After a law lord they are the highest in the land. The decision to deduct us 15 points was purely one borne of self-interest on behalf of the other clubs."
The arbitration panel would be composed of a neutral Court of Appeal judge, plus one representative apiece that would be nominated by Leeds and the League.
"We will have to discuss what our next move is," Bates replied when asked if Leeds would accept the offer of arbitration.
The League is not making any comment regarding the legal action but Lord Mawhinney said in a letter circulated to all member clubs, that he would fight the writ 'robustly.'
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