Before Leeds United’s recent demolition of Derby County at Elland Road was served as the main course, Spygate was already forming as an hors d’oeuvre.
It had transpired that a spying sleuth captured lurking in the bushes outside the Derby County ground was a Leeds United employee. As that news bubbled, Leeds United swept the Rams aside in a calculated butchery where the 2-0 scoreline was kind on Frank Lampard and his charges.
Then the moaning started, followed by the disingenuous meddling that the ‘Leeds United employee’ was armed with bolt cutters and pliers. As interest mounted, and with Marcelo Bielsa admitting he’d spied on ALL opponents, things were ramped up.
A letter from the ‘Judas XI’ of Sky Championship clubs was sent to the EFL. It was a letter that demanded all manner of intricacies be explained, right down to hand that was used to grant access to places X, Y and Z. Well, maybe not to that degree.
But an investigation was started, Leeds United asked for their submissions, and convened yesterday at the EFL’s monthly board meeting. It went unfinished. As the EFL meeting ended its second day, here’s what the football authority had to say in a brief statement:
“Following a comprehensive review of all available evidence, it was determined that there remain a number of areas that require further exploration and clarification and these investigations will take place at the earliest opportunity.”
EFL statement extract
All this ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s early kick-off against Middlebrough too. It was a decision that was bound to bring a degree of reaction from Leeds United fans. Here’s how some Whites fans reacted over on Twitter to the news.
EFL spend two days discussing nothing – Leeds United fans react
Before Leeds United fans get their say-so, here’s what talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham said:
“It’s a conspiracy to muck up Leeds United’s chances of promotion.” 😡
“Why would you do this on the eve of a massive game? It disrupts Leeds.”@talkSPORTDrive on the EFL and their handling of #LUFC #SpyGate row 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gRDe2ALd5m
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 8, 2019
This is what Leeds fans thought.
In other words, lets string this out for as long as possible. Absolute shambles of an organisation
— Paul LUFC (@pistol1603) February 8, 2019
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So basically the @EFL cannot find anything wrong with what Leeds have done so they will keep looking until they can it’s an absolute joke
— Liam watson 🏴🍺⚽️ (@Liamwatson005) February 8, 2019
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In summary. Can’t punish them. Need to keep em in this league as they are our cash cow. How do we screw em now then? Let’s make them sweat and hopefully derail their season.
— Steve Jones (@sjlufc) February 8, 2019
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Dragging out to further disrupt the team and supporters. What a bunch of corrupt underhand sneaky gits. Theyll be Praying we don’t get promoted so that they dont have to deduct points to stop us getting promoted.
— christopher leaning (@ginna10) February 8, 2019
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Should just stop cooperating with them now, tell em nothing, actually do a Swansea and don’t pick up the phone to them
— Ell You Eff See (@Dpfproperties) February 8, 2019
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Absolutely, they’d have to suspend the playoffs until all legal channels have finished. Can foresee a legal challenge anyway. Expect the season to officially close in August causing fixture chaos 😈😈
— Russ Johnson 💙💛 (@ruszj14) February 8, 2019
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We are the @EFL‘s cash cow…imagine that league without Leeds in it…it’s unthinkable for Shaun Harvey and the rest of his corrupt minions… #lufc #mot
— White Shirt ● (@RealHudhastings) February 8, 2019
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I never thought I’d write this, but I completely AGREE with @AdeDurham . An intelligent considered assessment of a unnecessarily prolonged, farcical situation, presided over by a mockery of an organisation. @EFL you do nothing to help yourselves #LUFC
— Lee Beckett (@lufcleeb) February 8, 2019
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In a way it is like the Spygate ‘scandal’ is the equivalent of the promised suit of clothes in the tale of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. Here an Emperor, is promised a new suit of clothes by two weavers who say that the clothing remains invisible to those unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent.
Unfit for their positions? Stupid, you say? What’s that, incompetent? Surely you don’t mean the EFL? I mean, they’ve been staring at a naked case for two days! There has to be something of substance it in, hasn’t there?
