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Well, we had a lot of fun with the Sunday Mirror’s “exclusive” about the Canadian company MLSE’s secret negotiations to buy Ken Bates but it appears it was all fiction - how unusual for a red-top to make up the news!

Leeds United have issued a statement that the story is “completely untrue and no talks have ever taken place“.

The MLSE chief executive Richard Peddie was equally emphatic when quoted in the Canadian National Post, “It’s pure fiction. I’ve never met with the Leeds people“.

Oh dear, another nail in the coffin of British journalism at the Mirror Group then…

Back to preparing the “Welcome Freddy Shepherd” banners then?

“We’re planning to give Jonny Howson a new contract,” said Leeds United chairman Ken Bates on the club’s offcial website.

“If it hadn’t been for the play-offs it’s something we would have looked at already.

“Obviously there have been other priorities and we’ve had to delay discussions slightly, but we’ll look to sort it out quickly.”

20 year-old, Morley-born, Howson has played 35 times this season and even captained the side as stand-in for injured Jonathan Douglas. He came closer than anyone to scoring for Leeds in the Play-Off Final defeat to Doncaster Rovers but at least he knows he will be a first-choice starter next season under Gary McAllister.

The Sunday Mirror is reporting that Canadian outfit Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment is in talks with Ken Bates with a view to buying him out. MLSE owns, amongst others, the world-famous Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, and Major League Soccer club Toronto FC.

The Mirror reported that unconfirmed preliminary talks between Bates and MLSE have already taken place.

The legal embargo on Ken Bates selling club after buying it out of administration ends in July this year.

MLSE president Richard Peddie and CFO Ian Clarke visited England last month and definitely met other clubs known to be on the market, particularly Southampton and Reading. But in terms of world-branding neither can hold a candle to Leeds United, who are already well-known in North America and have North American supporters’ clubs in place.

The bad news for Leeds United fans is that Toronto FC play in a red strip - the colour of the maple leaf in the Canadian flag. Toronto Maple Leafs, however, play in a blue strip. So will Leeds be rebranded the Leeds Maple Leafs (Leaves?) and play in fake Liverpool or Chelsea kits?

And you thought having Ken Bates as Chairman was bad?

It is clear that Leeds Utd have messed up badly in the sale of tickets to those who queued at Elland Road overnight.

The club and police allowed the overnighters to be displaced by latecomers who pushed into the queue this morning. As usual, the police and club wrung their collective hands and did nothing constructive and allowed the genuine fans to lose out the selfish, “me-first” parasites who are such a prevalent party of the welfare society in the country. Understandably, there were ugly scenes when the “sold out ” signs went up.

It is incredible that the club were unable to fairly distribute the tickets in the 21st century. They could have spent £50 on cloakroom tickets and handed them out to the overnighters, thus preventing anyone buying a ticket the following day until all such tickets had been redeemed at the ticket office. What’s up? Too difficult to think of? Couldn’t find an employee willing to spend overnight with the REAL fans handing out the tickets?

While we support Ken Bates on this site wholeheartedly, we have to say that on this occasion he, or his staff, screwed up big time and it is not the sort of mistake that is quickly forgiven, especially by parents whose offspring lost out on a chance to see the Whites at Wembley. He owes those who lost out a public apology - over to you Ken…

As a sop the club have announced that the Conference and Exhibition Centre at Elland Road will be open to show the game live on big screens. Not much consolation for the genuine fan screwed by the behaviour of the shameless minority.