Massimo Cellino has today been disqualified from owning Leeds United by the Football League due to his tax conviction last March. This would seem a disastrous announcement but really it's just another average day in the life of Leeds United fan.
Crisis time - The Football League announces that Massimo Cellino is disqualified from owning Leeds United. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
The Football League says Cellino has been banned over the tax conviction imposed on him during the 'Nelie' court case in March. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
The Football League says its board considered the full written judgement from that case and considers Cellino in breach of its rules. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
The Football League says its board voted unanimously to ban Cellino. Chief exc Shaun Harvey did not vote after declaring "an interest".
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
Cellino has 14 days to appeal against the decision to the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC). #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
Statement also says #lufc are being investigated for a possible breach of regulations over the time they took to disclose Nelie information
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
Fact remains that Cellino's conviction will be spent under UK law in March of next year (four months' time). #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 1, 2014
However there is a bit of a plot twist to this. Cellino has 14 days to appeal the decision. Then should he lose the appeal he would have 28 days to resign. His conviction for tax offences will be spent on 18 March 2015. Therefore if he stretches the appeal process out long enough, he may survive anyhow.
What a time to be alive.
Hat-tip: Spoughts
