DISMAYED Ken Bates has called for the Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney to leave his job after hearing the findings of the arbitration panel looking into Leeds United's 15-point deduction.
The Leeds chairman called the decision not to uphold United's appeal "extraordinary" and would not accept criticism that the club had dragged its feet in going to a tribunal.
The timing of the appeal has been put forward as one of the reasons for
Leeds' failure, but Bates insisted that the Football League would not agree to arbitration initially then the Football Association "dragged its feet for four months" before passing on the matter. Only when high court action was threatened did the Football League finally agree to look at the points penalty again.
Bates pointed out that Football League procedures were criticised by the tribunal, particularly their solving of a dispute with a meeting of football club chairman - some of who were bound to have a vested interest.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, he said: "No matter how gentlemanly they put it, the tribunal criticised the appeals procedures of the Football League.
"We had to appeal to the other clubs, all of whom had a vested interest and many of them have admitted they voted for the 15 points, not because it was right or wrong, but because it served their own selfish interests."
"I think in the circumstances and in view of the criticism of the bad flaws in the Football League's procedures, the directors of the Football League board should consider their position.
"I think Lord Mawhinney should resign and go back to Northern Ireland.
"You have to have leaders you can trust and respect and I'm afraid that is no longer the case as far as Leeds and as far as many other clubs, who haven't got the guts to say so."
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney said: "On behalf of the Board and the League I welcome the panel's findings in its entirity.
"It has found that the actions we took were reasonable and appropriate in these unprecedented circumstances and that we had the power to act as we did.
"Now I believe we should draw a line under the whole process.
"Leeds United are a valued member of the Football League family. We should all now get back to the business of football and enjoy the climax to what has already been an exciting season."
