Leeds fan: I was paid to praise club
A LEEDS fan has claimed he was paid by the club to post supportive messages on social media about beleaguered owner Massimo Cellino.
Whistleblower Scott Gutteridge alleges he received £500 per month for his work with the Facebook group ‘In Massimo We Trust’ in an attempt to persuade disillusioned Elland Road fans that Cellino is not as bad as some say.
Gutteridge says: ‘I was approached because of my IT/ website design background by an unnamed member of Leeds United to assist in the creation and running of a group called Cellino In (now known as In Massimo We Trust).
‘I was told I would receive a nominal payment depending on activity and contribution. It balanced out at £500 per month. The club felt that a positive influence from a small number of fans could go a long way and sponsoring this group would be worth their time.’
Gutteridge was later dropped from the group for leaking information. He added: ‘I started to realise what was going on behind the scenes. This was nothing more than propaganda with the wrongdoings being covered up by the club using the Facebook group to counter arguments. Leeds is a club rotten to the core.’
A Leeds spokesman said: ‘There is nothing in this. But unfortunately, because of the hysteria surrounding Leeds, groups of fans don’t believe what the club say.’ A number of other Leeds sources insist Gutteridge is telling the truth.
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