@IanWaterhouse1
Here we go again, another year draws to a close but another ban has been inflicted on Leeds United’s flamboyant owner.
After taking over the club in April 2014, Italian Massimo Cellino has been the centre of continuous controversy during his tenure at the famous Yorkshire Club.
In 2014, Cellino was suspended by the Football League after being found guilty of tax evasion in his native Italy, after failing to pay taxes on his yacht. He has had to do battle with a Leeds United group called ‘Time to go Massimo’ who claim he is ruining the once giant of English Football.
In 2015 he faced another suspension for breaching the football leagues rules for owners and directors and announced he was considering selling the club after feeling like a failure.
This time he has been charged with breaching the FA’s football agency rules over the £11 million fee in 2014 and suspended from all football related activities for 18 months.
(McCormack joined Fulham from Leeds)
He has also been fined £250,000.
The ban starts on February 1st 2017 and he is due to attend an FA education programme covering the duties and responsibilities of an owner and director of an English football club from April 30th.
The agent involved in the transfer Derek Day has also been for 18 months and fined £75,000 for his role in the deal.
The ban comes at a time when off field problems do not appear to be effecting on field performances with Leeds in their highest league position since Cellino took charge in a promotion chasing Fourth place in the Championship.
A run of games which starts away at Brighton on Friday night sees Leeds take on Reading, Brentford and Preston before ending 2016 with a tricky away tie at Aston Villa.