Sport

Stirred Leeds still sheikhen

Charlton Athletic - 0 Leeds Utd - 1 Leeds and the Bahrain-based sheikh reportedly preparing a rescue package recoiled yesterday…

Matt Scott at The Valley
Mon Dec 01 2003 - 00:00

Charlton Athletic - 0 Leeds Utd - 1 Leeds and the Bahrain-based sheikh reportedly preparing a rescue package recoiled yesterday from suggestions that the club are set for a takeover this week. There appears to be no prospect of Sheikh Abdul bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa stepping in to save the crisis-riven club and Leeds doubt if he even has the wherewithal to do so.

"This is complete nonsense and I am personally embarrassed being embroiled with this affair," Al-Khalifa told a Bahraini newspaper. "I have close ties with the club chairman John McKenzie, who updates me with the financial situation at the club that I have loved ever since I was a teenager. Anything more than that is just complete nonsense.

"After being notified about the disastrous financial status of Leeds United, I have suggested to start negotiations with some of the main investors in the Gulf region in order to buy the club.

"It is my honour to help out the club passing through this critical phase, now that they are threatened to get relegated from the Premiership. Negotiations with various parties in the Gulf region are still ongoing and I feel happy to be the main broker in this respect."

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In spite of the financial troubles, the Leeds board will have been encouraged by the more positive signs on the pitch. Though Leeds remain bottom of the Premiership, this displayed improvement across the team.

Caretaker manager Eddie Gray ditched all but one of the loan signings of his sacked predecessor Peter Reid and there was cohesion in the side for the first time this season.

Though it was the talented 17-year-old winger James Milner who scored the goal here, no one displayed more improvement than its provider, Mark Viduka.

Given the lone striker's role, as his partner Alan Smith dropped to midfield after the early goal, Viduka kept the entire Charlton defence occupied.

Leeds's joy may be short-lived. They beat Charlton 6-1 to turn around a five-match run of defeats last season, and this win is as unlikely to keep the wolves from their door as it is to keep Gray in the manager's job.