Russell Crowe's dalliance with buying Leeds United
Date
February 26, 2015 - 9:49AM
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Ben Rumsby

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Life-long fan: Russell Crowe has followed Leeds United since his school days.
Life-long fan: Russell Crowe has followed Leeds United since his school days. Photo: Getty Images
Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe is considering a dramatic offer to buy Leeds United after being begged by fans to take over the club.

The 50-year-old Gladiator star asked his 1.67 million Twitter followers on Wednesday whether it would be a "good idea" to invest in the side he has followed for more than 40 years after a request by a desperate supporter.


That followed Tuesday's announcement by controversial Leeds president Massimo Cellino that he had divested himself of his shareholding in order to fight the legality of a Football League ruling banning him from running the club until April.

Responding to a message imploring him to buy Leeds, Crowe replied: "Anybody else think this is a good idea?"

The co-owner of 2014 NRL Premiers side South Sydney Rabbitohs, who is visiting England to watch his team take on St Helens in the World Club Series, a match they won 39-0 on Sunday, has been conversing with Leeds fans on the social media site for the past couple of days and his question was met with an overwhelmingly positive response.

Leeds Fans LLP – a group supporting fan ownership of the club – told Crowe they wanted a "fan voice on the board" and that they "would love to have" him involved.

Crowe responded by saying that South Sydney set up a member company with seats on the board.


He said: "There has to be a singular vision. There has to be one voice that sets the tone. Every thought and every decision has to be about success on the field."

Crowe, who used to watch Match of the Day beamed to Australia from the UK, said in 2010: "I have two English teams – Leeds United and Bristol City.

"I started following Leeds in the early Seventies and Bristol after meeting a friend in the late Eighties who loves them.

"Both teams can be heartbreakers, but that's the joy of sport."

As recently as Saturday, Crowe tweeted following the club's surprise victory over Championship leaders Middlesbrough:


Cellino, 58, is barred from running Leeds until April 10 after the Football League obtained documents from an Italian court which had found him guilty of tax evasion.