A Leeds United supporter has created a crowdfunding campaign to pay the £200,000 fine the club were hit with by the EFL over ‘Spygate’.
The Championship promotion contenders avoided a points deduction after an EFL investigation into claims Marcelo Bielsa’s staff have spied on their opponents ahead of every match this season.
However, the governing body hit them with a £200,000 fine and the club were also warned to not repeat their behaviour, which breached EFL regulation 3.4 stating clubs must behave in ‘utmost good faith’ towards their fellow teams.
Leeds supporters have widely criticised the EFL for their stance towards the club since ‘Spygate’ was sparked by Derby calling the police over a person with binoculars watching Frank Lampard’s side train the day before the two teams met in a Championship clash at Elland Road.
And now one fan, a Mr Jack Platt, has moved to help the club pay off the fine by setting up a crowdfunding campaign.
On GoFundMe.com, Mr Platt’s campaign is titled ‘Leeds United Spygate Fine… read story’, and he has promised to donate the money to charity if the club will not use the funds raised to pay the fine.
“The EFL gave Leeds United a 200k fine for ‘SPYGATE’ and us as fans should show the FA and the EFL that they are corrupt and we are Leeds United we don’t give a Fxxx,” Mr Platt writes. “If the club don’t accept any money raised then the money will be split between Toby Nye fund and LUFC Foundation and https://www.gofundme.com/amy039s-not-ready-to-die.
“I would like to personally hand deliver the club or the chosen charities the amount raised if the club didn’t accept then I believe the money going to these charities would make a huge difference and be split equally.
“I have no relation to any of the charities. I as a Leeds United fan wanted to help our club or our community. Just a normal guy serving in the British Army trying to help, born and lived in Leeds for 24 years now residing in Redcar.”
208 people have already donated to the fund since it was set-up on Monday evening, with £1,841 raised as of 8:40am, Tuesday. It is also one of the trending campaigns on GoFundMe.com.
The EFL are expected to discuss, at a meeting later this month, the introduction of a new regulation prohibiting clubs from viewing opposition training sessions in the 72 hours ahead of a match.