Fan paid £500 per month to say nice things about club owner
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Leeds United fan Scott Gutteridge told the Daily Mail he was paid to post positively about controversial chief Massimo Cellino and to help with Facebook group ‘In Massimo We Trust’.
It was an attempt to put a spin on Cellino’s regime and try to persuade other fans to think the same way.
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Hide AdThe Italian has come under increasing pressure with a series of protests and ill will towards the owner from fans.
Gutteride said: “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.
“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 United spokesperson said: “There is nothing in this. But unfortunately, because of the hysteria surrounding Leeds, groups of fans don’t believe what the club say.”
THE SCOTSMAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA