Article submitted by Ben Crampton

I have experienced many wonderful things in the past 32 years that I have supported Leeds United. In recent years the sight of Jonny Howson bearing down on goal to score the winner in the Play Off Semi-final at Carlisle will live long into the memory. Howson epitomised everything that is Leeds United.

So it came as a complete shock to myself and Leeds fans the world over that the current Captain signalled his intentions to jump to a Premier League Club at the first opportunity rather than stay and lead this battle weary crew back up the league.

This has led fans to cry out in anger at the reasons for this sudden transfer but little of the anger has been focused on the players themselves. So here lies my question is it time that fans reassessed who they are angry with. Should we actually start to focus on players who lack the understanding of what their decisions means to thousands of hard working fans.

Country in a mess
It is difficult to look at any media outlet and not recognise that the country is steering against difficult economic times. Unemployment is at a 10 year high and pensions and pay is being eroded in an attempt for businesses to get back on a level again.

However, in the world of Football this could never be so different. Money continues to be bandied about like confetti. Players receive massive salaries and clubs demand large transfer fees for players that are sat in reserve teams with no chance of playing for the club they represent. This is then coupled with increased ticket prices and merchandise that will have no doubt left most families having to make a tough decision about whether to buy a turkey or a football shirt at Christmas!

Captains Role
All jesting aside, I have to start to question the credibility of professional footballers. Howson is a prime example. A local Leeds lad born and raised on the doorstep of the club he watched as a boy. After progressing through the youth teams he made his big break with Leeds in League 1 and became a fans favourite. Forward to beginning of the 2011-12 season Simon Grayson appoints Howson as Team Captain following a great tradition of captains such as Billy Bremner, Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister to name a few. This moved Howson into a different type of player one who fans look to as the driving force for all their ambition and desire for the club. Someone to move the team towards the ultimate ambitions, but this change has changed the man. Suddenly, he deserves more money, suddenly he is deserves Premier League football.

Don’t get me wrong ambition is good – in fact it is great! But here is where I have a problem. Howson and many other footballers are well paid. Yes, perhaps not the £50,000 per week that some players get but well paid. Even at £4,000 a week they are well paid.

If a player earns £4000 per week they gross £208,000 a year before tax and also before sponsorship deals, add ons etc. If they only took home half of this pay they would still take home £100,000 plus. Now like most people I earn nothing like that amount of money in a year. In fact, the Head Teacher of a school might struggle and so might the Prime Minister. So when contract talks stall and a player starts to demand double wages this essentially means the following. I should earn double the amount, so either get rid of someone else from the club and give me their wages or charge the fools that pay to shout and cheer double to get me my money!

This is the cycle that has lost footballers identifying with the fans. Surely, the riches will come if the player is good enough. Surely, on £100,000 a year a player who plays for 10 years can earn upwards of £1 million. More than enough to sustain themselves after football when they have retired and we fans continue to work towards 68. With the next set of talented upstarts ready to come and demand their bumper wage.

So, for Mr. Howson the privilege of having the ultimate position that 30,000+ dream of achieving each week is not enough. He will leave for extra money and the potential disappointment of having maybe nearly made it. Whilst Leeds fans will be left to lick there wounds and remember the days when players were really committed to a team. Thinking back on a player who could have driven us to greater things but essentially jumped ship for greater riches!

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A comedy of errors sees Leeds gain 3 points they did not deserve against Ipswich! Fan at the game report as usual on this weeks show. Howson gone – Delph returns. Other player transactions, including Rogers work permit news – plus excellent news from Reserves, U.18s and LUFC Ladies games and Ken Bates has been seven years at LUFC this week. Soundbytes from a fantastic song made to commemorate this “wonderful” occasion!

Comments on all of the above, along with an absolute plethora of listener emails this week and comments from the 1st team and Academy managers.
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