Leeds United Removes Cardboard Cutout Of Osama Bin Laden From Elland Road Stands

A British football club has removed an 'offensive' cardboard cut-out from its stands - after an eagle-eyed fan spotted his image...next to Osama Bin Laden.

Championship club Leeds United had allowed supporters to pay £25 ($31) for a photograph of themselves to appear in their usual seats in the form of a cardboard cut-out.

But one prankster used a picture of the former al-Qaeda leader and an image of 'life-size' Bin Laden was erected in the stadium ahead of the side's clash with Fulham on Saturday 27 June.

Bin Laden began to trend on social media after one Twitter user spotted the cut-out of the former world's most wanted man, who was the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York in 2001.

Some fans questioned whether the original image was photoshopped before one Twitter user noticed that his 'crowdie' was placed directly next to ex-militant leader.

He tweeted: "Thanks @lufc I'm next to Bin bloody Laden!!!" before revealing that he had expected a cut-out of his son to be next to him - not the notorious terrorist.

Comedian and Top Gear presenter Paddy McGuinness weighed in on the picture, tweeting: "Nothing surprises me anymore in 2020? Leeds United - Hold my pint."

Another Twitter user wrote: "Bin Laden... How can the staff be ok with displaying that regardless if it was paid for?"

Comedian David Baddiel said: "What's amazing about this is that someone at Leeds is educated enough to realise that even a fake crowd should not be entirely white, but not educated to know who Osama Bin Laden is."

Some fans saw the comical side of the cut-out, while others pointed out that Bin Laden was actually believed to have been an Arsenal fan.

One social media user posted: "Can't get over the fact that someone has paid 25 English pounds to put a cardboard cut out of Bin Laden at Elland Road and even more so that the club have done it no questions asked."

A spokesman for the club this afternoon said the 'crowdie' has been removed and that 'checks are in place to ensure there are no more offensive images' in the stadium ahead of the upcoming Fulham match.

Topics: SPORT, News, Football, Leeds United

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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