News: Leeds United chairman Professor John McKenzie has put his reputation on the line by resisting his instincts and handing his manager, Peter Reid, an unexpected stay of execution at Elland Road.
Reid was informed his services were to be retained in a 7.30 am telephone call from McKenzie yesterday and the club issued a vote of confidence to the stock exchange. But with fixtures against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the next month, it remains to be seen how much longer the plc board will continue to support Reid.
McKenzie's initial reaction to Leeds's 4-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday, coupled with the side's recent poor form, had been to sack Reid after barely seven months. That resolve was tempered after conversations with his vice-chairman, Allan Leighton, and subsequent talks with supporters' representatives, including John Boocock and Ray Fell, chairmen of the Leeds United Supporters' Trust and the Supporters' Club, and Simon Jose, the co-founder of the Leeds United Independent Fans' Association.
"We were concerned about our position in the league table and we needed to look into that," said McKenzie, who met Reid at a hotel near Halifax on Tuesday evening for talks centring on a possible severance package.
"We needed time to talk to Peter and to check out with the fans, players and the shareholders what their views were. We came to the conclusion that Peter should remain as manager. The final decision was the board's and it was unanimous."
Reid, who took training as usual at Thorp Arch yesterday insisted: "The support I've had from Leeds fans has been fantastic. Now we need to go out and win football matches for them. When we are all dead and buried, Leeds United will still be here."
But that existence would be threatened should the club be relegated. The annual financial results, due in a fortnight, expect to show little inroad made into £78.9 million of debt. If Leeds were demoted, they would slip into administration and struggle to re-emerge.
Meanwhile, Arsenal yesterday revealed their hope of starting construction work on their new stadium early next year.
The club has still to finalise funding for the delayed £410 million Ashburton Grove project, but director Danny Fiszman insisted, at the club's a.g.m., that the project will go ahead.
Fiszman said: "We now have a stadium design that is fully developed and we have a fixed price contract agreed with (contractors) Sir Robert McAlpine. Depending on financing, we are ready to start construction in the first quarter of next year."
The project has been on hold for the past few months as Arsenal search for sufficient City backing for the project.
The Premiership leaders are believed to require in the region £260 million for the completion of the project, but managing director Keith Edelman is confident funding will be secured.
"In terms of funding it is a complicated process. We are dealing with a number of banks who have to go off to credit committee. We are making good progress and we would hope to be able to come to some kind of conclusion by the end of the year."
In other Premiership news, Alan Curbishley refused to rule himself out of the running for the vacant job at Tottenham.
"I could categorically say I am not interested, I could categorically say I would be interested if I did get offered it - it is a load of nonsense at the moment.
"Who knows what Spurs will do? They haven't made an approach and I don't think they will."
In other Premiership news, Steven Gerrard has insisted he will "definitely" sign a new contract with Liverpool.
The midfielder claimed that talks with the club "are progressing well" and that he did not "foresee any problems at all because I am definitely going to sign a new contract".
At Manchester United, Promising midfielder Darren Fletcher has signed a new contract which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2007.
In Spain, David Beckham, who missed Real Madrid's3-1 Champions League win in Porto on Wednesday with a foot injury, is expected to resume training with his team-mates today.
