Massimo Cellino has won his appeal against the Football League’s decision to prevent his ownership of Leeds United.
As LS reported last month, the Italian lost his initial case to take the football club over following his court conviction over unpaid tax. The conviction had meant that Cellino fell foul of Football League rules over club ownership.
Today (April 5), the Cagliari Calcio owner won his appeal, and now moves a step closer to holding a 75% stake in the Elland Road club.
The news comes as a great relief to Leeds United fans, who had feared the worst with possible administration looking increasingly likely without Cellino’s backing. Players at the club had not been paid full wages last month, and Cellino had been providing some financial support to the club despite the Football League’s original stance.
Over February and March, BBC Sport reported that Cellino had pumped £6million into the club, and that under the current owners Gulf Finance House Capital the club was making a loss of more than £1million each month.
The off field situation had also been having an effect on the way the team had been performing on it. United have won only once in their last 11 fixtures, and the news of Cellino’s successful appeal broke just minutes after a 1-0 away defeat to promotion hopefuls Wigan Athletic.
Cellino’s successful appeal may have come at the right time for Leeds, who will now look to steer clear of any relegation trouble in the last six games of the season.
However, a Football League statement confirms that they are disappointed with the overturning of their decision by an independent Queen’s Council. “We are disappointed at the outcome of the appeal hearing, however we would like to thank the independent QC for his diligence in reviewing this decision.
“This was never about individual personalities, but instead was a matter in which we were obliged to uphold the integrity of our regulations having considered the issue in detail with our advisors.
“It was always an extremely complex matter in which a different interpretation of a judgment made under Italian law could lead to an entirely different outcome in the context of our regulations. Ultimately this has proven to be the case.
“The independent QC has concluded that Mr. Cellino’s recent conviction in the Sardinian Court did not involve conduct that would ‘reasonably be considered to be dishonest’ based on information available to him at the current time.
“The Football League will now consider the findings of the hearing.”
As a result, the case may not be over, but Leeds fans will be hoping that the issue can be resolved sooner rather than later to prevent the club from going into administration and being punished by a 10 point deduction.
Ste Topping
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