Leeds director of football Orta went on to claim he was abused after his phone number was circulated among angry fans. “The last few months have been very difficult for everyone at the club. I suffered a lot of abuse in person, in writing and over the phone, after my number was deliberately given out last month,” he said.
The widely regarded Spaniard one of the architects of the promotion of Leeds to the Premier League in 2021, vowed to control his emotions going forward after the backlash.
“I love and respect Leeds United fans,” he added. “The atmosphere at Elland Road and across the country in every game is second to none and has helped us cross the line on many occasions, I thank the fan base for that. I will be sure to try to keep my emotions under control in the future.
The LUFC Trust supporters group previously said they would alert the club to the footage. “There is passion expressed and there has been disrespect to your own fans,” they wrote on social media. “Will send these comments to the club.”
Leeds’ early-season struggles saw sections of supporters turn against Orta and manager Jesse Marsch, who replaced the hugely popular Marcelo Bielsa as manager last season.
Fans chanted ‘sack the board’ as Leeds suffered a fourth consecutive defeat at home to Fulham last month, although back-to-back wins over Liverpool and Bournemouth last week eased the pressure on Orta and Marsch.
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