The argument that Peel tried to kill off the airport because they were about to open Robin Hood is not born out by passenger numbers.
Passenger numbers had dropped from a peak of 75,000 in 1999, to 60,600 in 2000 to 33,000 in 2001 just as Peel took over ( ie less than 100 pax day in 2001).
So I'm afraid the figures don't back up the Peel Group conspiracy theorists.