Leeds United Plc has named Professor John McKenzie as its replacement for Peter Ridsdale who resigned this morning as chairman of the club.
Ridsdale stepped down following the publication of results showing the club lost £17.2 million sterling before tax in the six months ending December 31st, leaving it with a debt of £78.9 million.
McKenzie, a "significant shareholder" in the club's plc, claimed the task of turning the club around was "serious but not impossible".Speaking at Elland Road, he insisted there was "no time for lengthy post-mortems" and revealed there would be a "handover period over the next few weeks".
He said: "I have been appointed as non-executive chairman and my task is to turn this business round and build a structure that can support a fine football team.
"Our first priority is to avoid relegation. We have to balance the obviousneed for further financial prudence and control with the ability to produce afootball squad that can compete in the top echelon of the Premiership. It's atough challenge but one that I relish".
McKenzie, the director of international development at the London Institute, said Peter Ridsdale is staying on board as a non-executive director.
Agencies