It's War! Gillingham Chairman vs Leeds' Ken Bates

[QPR Report]

And, refreshingly, this is on the LEEDS Official Site

Leeds United Official Site - SCALLY - UNITED CHAIRMAN HAS ISSUES 17 Sep 2009
Paul Scally accuses United chairman...

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has accused United chairman Ken Bates of "having issues" following the last meeting between the two clubs at Elland Road in May 2008.

United sent Gillingham down that afternoon, Gills boss Mark Stimson is pictured, and many of the 38,000 crowd took the opportunity to remind Scally of comments he made publicly in support of the 15-point sanction imposed by the Football League, and supported by the chairmen, that ultimately cost the club automatic promotion.

But, while the United chairman has welcomed Gillingham's "charismatic chairman" in his programme notes for Saturday's Elland Road clash, Scally has vented more frustrations on the eve of the game.

"He had some issues but he wouldn't come over and have them out with me," Scally told the Kent Messenger.

"I'm not bothered about the fans because they will latch onto whatever they are fed and they were fed a lot of rubbish.

"Most fans know that their problems lay with their own board and the chairman, and not the Football League.

"I was already resigned to relegation and I wasn't even particularly disturbed at that because relegation enabled us to re-group. Ken Bates rambles on and says things he shouldn't."

Asked for his response to the Kent Messenger story, the United chairman told the paper: "Scally is short for scallywag which has been my nickname for him for a long while now.

"He's probably forgotten the time he asked for my advice about a proposed move to a new site to emulate Chelsea Village that would have seen a name change to Medway United."

www.leedsunited.com/news/scally-united-chairman-has-issues-20090917_2247585_1800918

[QPR Report]

Kent Messenger

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally blasts Leeds' Ken Bates ahead of Saturday's League 1 clash
by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has reignited his feud with outspoken Leeds counterpart Ken Bates ahead of Saturday's big League 1 clash at Elland Road.

Leeds sealed Gillingham’s relegation to League 2 at the end of the 2007/08 season and Mr Bates used the occasion to openly criticise Mr Scally (pictured) in his programme notes before the game, after the Gills chairman voted in favour of the South Yorkshire club’s 15-point deduction.

An overwhelming majority of chairmen, including Mr Scally, voted to uphold the penalty handed out by the Football League at a specially convened meeting in London. Leeds were handed the points deduction after failing to comply with the League’s policy for clubs entering administration.

The points deduction eventually denied Leeds a promotion spot.

Mr Bates believed that the opportunity for his side to send the Gills into League 2 was "poetic justice" and Mr Scally hasn’t forgotten the occasion.

Mr Scally believes that Mr Bates was rude and he claimed that Mr Bates refused to talk to him in the boardroom. Mr Scally was also subjected to a torrent of abuse by the home fans throughout the game.

Mr Scally, who is planning to attend the game on Saturday, said: "He had some issues but he wouldn’t come over and have them out with me. I’m not bothered about the fans because they will latch onto whatever they are fed and they were fed a lot of rubbish.

"Most fans know that their problems lay with their own board and the chairman, and not the Football League.

"I was already resigned to relegation and I wasn’t even particularly disturbed at that because relegation enabled us to re-group. Ken Bates rambles on and says things he shouldn’t."

Mr Bates said: "Scally is short for scallywag which has been my nickname for him (for) a long while now. He’s probably forgotten the time he asked for my advice about a proposed move to a new site to emulate Chelsea Village that would have seen a name change to Medway United."

Thursday, September 17 2009




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Visitor Comments
Where is Leeds?
9/18/2009 8:26:26 AM
by Paul
Please note that Leeds is not in South Yorkshire!! It is in West Yorkshire or, more correctly speaking, Leeds is in Leeds... Mr Scally sums himself up by stating that he is not bothered by fans!

west yorkshire
9/18/2009 9:20:20 AM
by antony
scally scally scally, whatever next? surley the gills fans are sick of him too? he will get his usual abuse when he comes to us (leeds.) surley he knows that nobody can bad mouth our club and not expect a reaction, oh well, lets wave him bye again at the end of the season.

Scally
9/18/2009 11:15:28 AM
by Heather
It must be 2 years now since the game when Leeds helped Gillingham on their way down to League 2 and now, this guy starts the row up again. What a fool. He is clearly still smarting about it. Ken Bates was right to give him the cold shoulder for voting in favour of the 15 point penalty. Why should a chairman who happily voted in favour of a penalty that harmed Leeds as a club and also its fans be made welcome in the board room. If I had been Ken, he wouldn't be allowed in the ground at Elland Road - period. By the way, Leeds is in West Yorkshire

scallys a plank
9/18/2009 11:17:27 AM
by steve
not bothered about fans or disturbed about relegation?! i thought we had it bad with bates but this blokes... hope we can help in sending you down again scally, just to regroup of course.

Scally Bashing
9/18/2009 11:23:00 AM
by John Hay
1. As Paul says, Leeds is West Yorkshire. Please do not insult us by moving it to the area frequented by Sheffield and Barnsley fans. 2. No Luke, it is not a "big League 1 clash". It is just another game, at least to us. 3. Scally is a hypocrite. He did not limit his dislike for Leeds to voting for the 15 point penalty, (his right, I guess), but then went on TV and radio to openly criticise the club that we love. His comment clearly shows disdain for the fans, and is unliklely to be limited to just Leeds fans. Are you Gills fans happy with him? Clearly not, judging by the flack he is receiving for the Chris Dickson saga. MOT to prmotion.

Scally v Bates
9/18/2009 11:27:43 AM
by Paul
All I can say as a lifelong Leeds fan is the sooner our club rids itself of this chairman the better. It was the actions of Ken Bates that earned us the 15 point punishment and no one else should be blamed. His arrogance and petulance have brought nothing but embarassment to our great club and I for one cant wait to see the back of him.



www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2009/september/18/scally_bates.aspx