Leeds United: Fans post '˜Cellino out' billboard on M621 motorway

Twitter pictures emerged today of the billboard, which bears a cartoon image of Cellino alongside a quote, apparently from Cellino, reading: “If I’m not welcome I’m not welcome. I go away and you never see me again.”A supporter said on Twitter that he had driven past the poster on the M621 motorway, which passes Elland Road.

Last month an advert at Elland Road calling for Cellino to sell the club was taken down after the agency responsible was threatened with legal action

City Ads Yorkshire, who agreed to erect an advert paid for by a group of around 70 United fans, removed it after solicitors acting for Leeds and Cellino told the firm it “clearly amounts to harassment of Mr Cellino.”

That advert carried the slogan ‘Time to go, Massimo’ and listed a series of promises which the supporters claimed Cellino had failed to keep in his time as owner of the club. It also featured a caricature of the Italian with a red cross covering his face.

A letter from lawyers Ward Hadaway said: “This poster has obviously been placed outside the entrance to Mr Cellino’s place of work so as to cause the maximum distress to our client.

“This exacerbates the quantum of harassment that is intended to be caused and is malicious.”

The letter said that despite requests from the club, City Ads Yorkshire had initially refused to remove the advert on the “grounds of freedom of speech”.