Leeds United’s players have been heavily criticized on social media after footage of them ignoring fans at the team hotel went viral.
Piers Morgan is one of thousands of people who have called out the players, calling them “selfish arrogant pr*cks” on Twitter.
The Leeds squad was traveling from the team hotel on Sunday morning ahead of their Premier League clash against Bournemouth.
A small crowd of fans had gathered in the hotel players to see off the players. Some of them had notepads out in the hope of grabbing a quick autograph, while others would have loved a selfie or even a high-five.
However, all the supporters were ignored by the players, who walked straight past the hotel exit.
Some of the players had headphones on and stared at their phones as they walked past the fans without even glancing at them.
One boy, dressed in his Leeds kit, even waved to a couple of the players with a smile on his face but was ignored.
Video: Leeds players ignore fans at the hotel
Watch the viral footage here:
Leaving the hotel 😳#LUFCAway pic.twitter.com/TyL9D25F1r
— ian (@igrattan) April 30, 2023
It’s hard not to feel sorry for those fans, especially that one young lad.
Mail Sportsay they have contacted Leeds United for comment.
The Athletic’s Adam Crafton tweeted: “Maybe this happened under previous managers too and just didn’t see it but sadly from outside this seems to encapsulate how Leeds have departed from the leadership of [Marcelo] Bielsa, who seemed to so value players having a full appreciation of the sacrifices of the ordinary supporter.”
Needless to say, the damning footage has sparked a huge backlash on Twitter.
Many people – Leeds fans included – have vented their anger.
Why did Leeds players ignore the fans?
The footage appears shows a member of the Leeds staff instructing the players to walk through.
Intentionally or not, he then positioned himself directly in front of the young boy who was waving to the players.
The players may have been instructed to ignore the fans and make their way to the team bus due to time constraints. Leeds were kicking off at 2pm. However, this is unclear as things stand.
To make matters worse, Leeds went on to lose 4-1 to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The travelling supporters made their feelings towards the players clear, chanting “you’re not fit to wear the shirt”.
Leeds currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, just one point outside the relegation zone with four matches remaining.