Leeds fans express frustration at not being allowed in Germany for pre-season tour

Leeds United fans express frustration at not being allowed in Germany this summer for their side’s pre-season tour.

The Championship outfit are heading to Farke’s native Germany for a pre-season training camp, but unfortunately will be without their supporters.

Leeds have been unable to organise any matches that will be open to the public, so will have to play them behind closed doors.

In a statement issued on their website, Leeds confirmed: “Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond control of the club, we have recently been informed that any friendly matches played in Germany have been ordered to take place behind closed doors.

“We understand that supporters will be frustrated at this news, as we are equally as a club.

“We have explored all avenues, however, it has not been possible to overturn this decision.

“As always, we would like to thank you for your commitment and dedication, but in light of the above, we kindly ask supporters expecting to see Leeds United in pre-season training or matches, not to travel to Germany.”

We understand the decision to play behind closed doors was a policing decision. Since the announcement we’ve seen three other clubs announce a similar tour with fans allowed. We are in the processing of escalating this to the @WeAreTheFSA and @FansEurope to get some more info. https://t.co/VCOuCG253u

— LUFC Trust (@lufctrust) June 28, 2024

Through our conversations, it’s been eluded to that post-Euros police holidays & the categorisation of the game as “high risk” (due to English/German rivalry) are reasons for preventing Leeds fans from attending. However, this is not the case four other UK-based clubs. 2/3

— LUFC Trust (@lufctrust) July 4, 2024

It’s since become clear that German police are forcing Leeds’ pre-season games to be behind closed doors due to ‘safety requirements’ including fan segregation.

Leeds will be the only club that won’t be able to take fans to Germany this pre-season, while the likes of Aston Villa, Rangers and Coventry City can.

The Whites have told their fanbase to stay at home instead of making the trip.

As per Yorkshire Evening Post, club chiefs aren’t happy with the situation, the lack of clarity around the reasons for the decision, Leeds missing out on a big amount of revenue from gate receipts, and players not being able to play in front of fans.

The games haven’t yet been announced, but in a statement to the Yorkshire Evening Post, chief police commissioner Pascal Pettinato from the State Office for Central Police Services said the decision is down to safety requirements at the venues.

He said: “As far as I know, these friendly matches take place at smaller sports facilities that do not fully meet the safety requirements (e.g. fan segregation). In order for the matches to take place at all, certain conditions must be met. These include the exclusion of the general public. This means that neither German nor English fans will be allowed to watch. If the other English clubs play at other sports facilities or perhaps even in the football stadiums, these venues can fulfil the security requirements. So it always depends on the individual case and has nothing to do with the club or the supporters of Leeds United.”

The explanation Leeds and the LUFC Supporters Trust have got from German football authorities regarding how the process of applying for fan-attended friendlies works.

Clubs submit applications to the league, this is then forwarded to the German Football Association and subsequently to the police, with ‘structural conditions’, fan segregation and rivalries, part of what can influence police judgments regarding friendly fixtures, while Germany’ also being host nation, putting strain on police resources for ‘high risk’ matches from a law enforcement perspective.

In a statement issued on on Thursday, LUFC Trust criticised the lack of ‘proactive engagement’ from the relevant authorities, saying: “The Trust have now been in contact with numerous groups including the German Football League, the club’s travel company and we are still waiting to hear from the German FA. We still haven’t been given an explicit reason as to why Leeds United fans can’t attend our games in Germany. Through our conversations, it’s been alluded to that post-Euros police holidays and the categorisation of the games as “high risk” (due to English/German rivalry) are reasons for preventing Leeds fans from attending. However, this is not preventing four other UK-based clubs having travelling fans in attendance. How are Leeds United fans expected to interpret this decision?

“We are continuing to push LUFC to work with the authorities to get some answers at the very least. If this decision isn’t going to be overturned, at a minimum we expect some form of broadcast via official club channels. The lack of proactive engagement with fans from the relevant authorities is, quite frankly, insulting.”

As mentioned, Leeds fans express frustration at not being allowed in Germany for pre-season tour…

@Jodiest74046187: Leeds should cancel this trip and go where we went last year to see are fans over there

@Charlie_B_LUFC: You would think @LUFC @49ers would engage with the fans to explain this properly.

@lufcjaack: Let’s be real, if Coventry, Rangers, and Villa fans can travel, but ours can’t, then it’s got to be down to the fact that our travelling fans just show insane support, and the whole ‘Leeds would’ve taken more’ shite 😂

@roykearsley: Cancel the tour

@dazrebo: So the club have also shunned you?

@dutchkippax_oss: So you still dont know where and who they play….. bit strange isnt it 🤔

@ToughThanRest: Thanks for representing us. Please keep trying. They can’t treat Leeds fans like shit, we are the most loyal in the world and only want to see our team and enjoy ourselves. Nothing to be scared of.

@RussCowlingFoto: “Leeds risk” 😂😂😂 we always get shafted

@snoozedoggydog2: Ridiculous decision

@leedsthat: Everyone else does a revenue generating trip somewhere, we go behind closed doors in Germany, leeds that.

@aarons1308: Well don’t go to Germany then, find somewhere else so the fans can actually go

@Wellyousaythat: Appalling disregard for fans, especially those who follow ‘everyehere’ and treat with contempt. Very, very poor Leeds

@jimbobalula1: Spain, Ireland, France, ANYWHERE but Germany. It’s a big wide world but Leeds couldn’t be arsed sorting anything for the fans apart from a thousand tickets at Harrogate . Pathetic from #lufc

@hopey550: Great planning from the club!

@clc7__: All games behind closed doors and not allowed to travel? Yeah nice one embarrassing from German authorities

@ItsLiamSharp: Logic says don’t have it in Germany then?

@hannahbrad: Why do you guys refuse to come to the US? We’ve been promised for years now. This is such a weird decision.

@LUFCjamie1919: Surely if that’s the case then you find a alternative destination. Ridiculous from the club.

@CurtHicks5: Finally get a decent pre season tour and it’s behind close doors🤣

@ashleighlaurenn: Leeds as fuck this

@Jackclufc: Pre season tour in harrogate 🤣🤣🤣 some club

@LiamHalliwelll: Honestly. A normal fucking day for this club is all we ask. Behind closed doors 🤣🤣

@AntonyMay_: Could simply go somewhere else but no fuck the fans eh 🤣

@dzialowskimatt: What a shower of shit 😂

@bethgabriel_: Cannot stress enough how very leedsy this is

@WhitesHearts: scraped together a squad last minute, fucked up promotion, fucked up playoffs, got thousands and thousands of fans still supporting them despite them fucking everything up and they can’t even let the fans enjoy a preseason. shambles.

@ConBea92: What a shambles! So far out of touch with the fans it’s ridiculous!

@BfDeano: A terrible summer so far and fans can’t go to Germany 😂😂 @redbull @49ers fuck off

@KyleIOWromans: Fuck sake what a joke.

@GeorgeWest69: This is really shite

@Pitbulls_Ghost: Struggle to think of a club that has as much disdain for their fans as ours does.

@hopey550: Translated – we had US planned ready for promotion but our arses fell out so we’re having to play behind closed doors in Germany instead & fans are missing out yet again

@bryn_may: The country is hosting an entire Euros but a few thousand Leeds fans aren’t allowed. Nice one lads 👍

@Tdp0709: Wouldn’t you just go somewhere else?

@Joe_tiff25: I have to say this is quite poor from Leeds United, a lot of fans don’t get to see Leeds play that often. Hopefully the streams that are put in place are free and not something fans have to pay for.

@lufclucas__: Why the fuck tell us if you can’t go to the games?

@aidenlufc: Our pre season is Harrogate away and Valencia at home, they even manage to let the fans down during the summer. Wankers

Was ‘not in Germany’ an avenue?

“Hey fans, just letting you know we’re off to Germany and you cant come or watch it so lol deal with it” pic.twitter.com/NTYyIFhFmK

— RB 49ers (@RB49ers) June 25, 2024

Leeds fans are advised not to travel to Germany

Leeds fans……pic.twitter.com/00CJcYAq25

— BARNEY 🦚 (@BarneyLUFC21) June 25, 2024