The news today is that there is no news. We were all expecting a decision on Massimo Cellino’s appeal to be made at 6pm today, but that has now been delayed, so we still don’t know where we stand.
None of those involved in the appeal have commented on why the announcement has been delayed. Brian McDermott said "All I know is that there’s an appeal and there will be a result. That’s the only fact I have.” The appeal was heard on Monday by Tim Kerr QC, who ‘reserved judgement’ after a 6 hour hearing.
Kerr is a member of the FA Premier League Panel of Arbitrators and the Sport Resolution UK Panel of Arbitrators, and runs a sports law practice which acts as an arbitrator in domestic and international sports related civil disputes. According to a testimonial on his website, "he's a good academic lawyer who gives sound advice on difficult questions”, so that should come in handy whenever he finally makes his mind up.
Whilst all of this is going on, there is of course the small matter of a game taking place tomorrow lunchtime at Wigan, which will now be yet another match overshadowed by the long drawn-out saga taking place off the field. Our best hope of avoiding a hiding will be that the Wigan team will be feeling a little bit worn out after the large number of matches they’ve had to play lately in various competitions.
You don’t need to be Nostradamus to predict that Leeds will delight the nation with yet another despairing performance in front of the Sky cameras and that Brian McDermott will again say that the takeover situation has got to be sorted for the sake of the team.
Oh, and I’ve also heard that our old friends at HRMC are getting twitchy about our growing debt to them, and could issue a winding-up petition, which is nice. That could force us to go into administration whatever David Haigh might promise, so look out for that one.