Mighty Leeds Weblog

HE MUST BE DECENT! Written by Rob Conlon As Leeds United were imploding around him in the summer of 2003, Peter Reid had a curious answer to his myriad of problems ahead of a doomed campaign. Leeds fans were trying to understand how Liverpool’s £10m offer for Harry Kewell in January had turned into a £5m sale a few months later, with £2m of that fee destined for the back pockets of Kewell’s agents. But Reid had a plan to cheer up worried fans: sign a Brazilian. Brazil were, after all, the reigning world champions. But which Brazilian to sign? That didn’t seem to matter to Reid. Leeds had talked about signing Kleberson for months, but he was heading to Scum. Reid began focusing on another World Cup winner, Lyon’s Edmilson, who had reportedly rejected a move to Elland Road the previous year. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was insisting Edmilson had no long-term future at his club, but Leeds couldn’t agree a loan deal, forcing the midfielder to stay put, winning another Ligue 1 ...

ESPNSoccernet.com: England: Leeds' future in the balance Talks continue on Leeds takeover Leeds United this morning confirmed 'continuing, constructive discussions' are taking place over the future of the debt-ridden club. In a statement to the Stock Exchange Leeds United PLC claims a number of parties are discussing proposals to buy the company's business or inject funds into the Elland Road outfit. Leeds are thought to be around £80million in debt and are currently second bottom of the Premiership. The statement read: 'Further to its announcement on December 4, 2003, the board of Leeds United confirms that it is in continuing, constructive discussions with a number of parties regarding proposals to purchase the company's business and assets or to inject funds. 'However none of the interested parties' proposals contemplates an offer for the company's shares.' Leeds chief executive and acting chairman Trevor Birch has until Januar...

ThisisLondon   23 December 2003 Leeds acting-chairman Trevor Birch today promised to consider an independent inquiry into the running of the club over the last five years. With John McKenzie stepping down as plc chairman at the annual general meeting at Elland Road, albeit remaining on the football club board as a director, Birch has now assumed overall control and a new job title. Initially appointed as chief executive, Birch will be in temporary charge until at least January 19, the deadline agreed with creditors while a buyer is sought for the club currently £78million in debt. Birch's appointment as a director was overwhelmingly agreed by shareholders, who understandably voiced their anger and frustration at how the club had managed to find themselves in such a financial mess. One shareholder described the Leeds board, primarily harking back to the era under Peter Ridsdale, as "inept" and "incompetent", while another claimed they were now "the lau...

Telegraph | Sport | Leeds maintain Gray impetus Man City (0) 1 Leeds Utd (1) 1 Shortly before 8.30 last night Eddie Gray would have raised a glass at his daughter Natalie's wedding. Not to toast the bride and groom but to mark the latest significant step forward of the Leeds United team who were in a dreadful mess when he inherited them from Peter Reid five games ago. Mark Viduka's fifth goal of the season enabled the absent Gray to savour his fourth reward from that short tenure - a precious point which inches them closer to Premiership safety as the teams around them move in the opposite direction. Manchester City are one of those teams and would have slipped even closer to the danger zone but for substitute Antoine Sibierski's late equaliser which quelled growing discontent among the home faithful. Gray was clearly at the City of Manchester Stadium in spirit as his players continue to respond encouragingly to his new approach to the daunting task of arresting th...

Sky Sports - The Best Sport Coverage From Around The World  Monday 22nd December 2003 Manchester City 1-1 Leeds United A late goal from substitute Antoine Sibierski levelled Mark Viduka's first half opener to give Manchester City a 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Monday evening. Viduka had capitalised on a David Sommeil error to put Leeds ahead after 24 minutes and City looked like losing a game they had dominated until Sibierski headed home brilliantly to seal a share of the spoils with less than ten minutes left. City had started the game brightly and opened Leeds up after just 70 seconds when Shaun Wright-Phillips out paced Ian Harte before firing the ball across the area, but it was behind the on-rushing Nicolas Anelka. Leeds then had what would prove to be a rare chance, but it was a great one as James Milner flighted a free kick into the City area - the ball evaded everyone including Viduka at the back post, who only needed to make contact to score. The home side contin...

Sport News and Results from Sporting Life   Professor John McKenzie was described as "damaged goods" following his decision to step down as Leeds plc chairman. McKenzie has confirmed he will not be standing for re-election at next Tuesday's AGM to ensure there is no conflict of interest should he represent potential new investors in negotiations with the club's advisors or creditors regarding a buy-out. McKenzie, who took over the troubled helm following Peter Ridsdale's resignation at the end of the March, is to retain his role as non-executive chairman, although it is understood he will also relinquish that position at a later date. Dr Bill Gerrard, a professor of sport management and finance at Leeds University Business School and an outspoken critic of the United regime in recent months, feels McKenzie's departure comes as "a relief." Although McKenzie, who is Leeds' largest individual shareholder with four million shares, has been able to s...

Sport  By Steve Tongue 14 December 2003 Give him his due, Trevor Birch is always up for a challenge. This is a man who, bearing the burden of being Bill Shankly's last-ever signing, tried to break into a Liverpool forward-line of Keegan, Toshack and Heighway, with David Fairclough as the regular supersub; then, having lost that battle, had to replace Ian Rush at Chester ("After most games the manager used to come in and lament, 'If only Rushy was still here', which taught me about man-management"); was a 16-year-old school-leaver who took a degree at 23; then jacked in a partnership with an accountancy firm to return to the crazy world of professional football, where the numbers never quite seem to add up. As managing director of Chelsea (estimated debts £98m), he performed such wonders of juggling that not a player had to be sold, and administration was avoided. Just the man then, after being rewarded for his achievements with constructive dismissal (Manchester...