Massimo Cellino Disqualified from Owning Leeds United by Football League Board

Leeds United President Massimo Cellino has been disqualified from owning the club after the Football League's board of directors sought "full disclosure" from the Italian court that previously found him guilty of a tax offence.

Rob Harris of The Associated Press confirmed the news:

The Football League issued an official statement, confirming "the Board considered the reasoned Judgment of the Italian Court against Mr. Cellino," before agreeing "unanimously" that he is "subject to a disqualifying condition" under the Owners' and Directors' Test.

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Cellino now has two weeks to appeal the decision, with Harris providing information on how he may be able to eventually lead the club:

Cellino also spoke about the decision, via Sky Sports:

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'I will respect everything but I am going to appeal and show them that they are wrong,' Cellino told Sky Sports News HQ.

'If I am not allowed to run the club I will buy a ticket and sit with the fans but I am not going to run away.

'The fans deserve something very nice - they are very clever because they trust me. I will do everything I can, by the law, to protect this club and I promise them that.'

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Leeds have suggested they wish to avoid a situation in which Cellino is allowed to regain control, per BBC Sport: "The steps that the Football league wishes the club to take - to remove Mr Cellino—only to reappoint him in three months' time will be destabilising for the club, its supporters, sponsors and cannot be in the best interests of any party."

The 58-year-old—a former chairman of Cagliari in Serie A—was previously arrested for "attempted embezzlement and fraudulent misrepresentation" into the building of the Italian side's makeshift stadium in 2013. The case remains unresolved.

Leeds are currently 15th in the Championship, having won six of their 19 league games this season. Cellino's seven months at the club has already seen three managers sacked, with Brian McDermott, Dave Hockaday and Darko Milanic getting the chop prior to Neil Redfearn's appointment.