The Hindu : Ridsdale quits troubled Leeds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Ridsdale quits troubled Leeds

LEEDS March 31. Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale resigned on Monday with the former powerhouse club deep in debt and close to the Premier League relegation zone.

John McKenzie, the club's second largest shareholder, took over as new chairman.

Leeds is teetering just four points from relegation to division one. West Ham, the top club in the trio of relegation sides, has 30 points with Leeds on 34.

Ridsdale, who has come under fire from fans for selling off many of his top players, said the intense criticism convinced him to go.

``In a high profile role, when results are not up to expectation levels, you rightly expect criticism,'' he said in a statement.

``This comes with the territory. When this criticism becomes so intense that it affects your family and health it requires clear reflection on the right way forward.

``The intensity of personal criticism has led me to conclude that the best decision for myself, my family and the company is that I step down.''

Ridsdale called it a ``very tough six months'' and justified selling high profile players ``to balance our books.''

Leeds announced debts through the end of 2002 at £78.9 million ($123.1), a huge blow for a club which reached the Champions League semifinals in 2001 and topped the Premier League standings just 14 months ago.

Since then, the club has been in a freefall.

Leeds fired manager David O'Leary in June and then, to shrink the payroll and pay off mounting debts, sold star players Rio Ferdinand (to Manchester United), Robbie Keane (to Tottenham), Lee Bowyer (to West Ham), Olivier Dacourt (on loan to AS Roma), Robbie Fowler (to Manchester City) and Jonathan Woodgate (to Newcastle).

Former England coach Terry Venables, who replaced O'Leary, was fired less than two weeks ago by Ridsdale and replaced on an interim basis by Peter Reid. Reid was fired at Sunderland earlier in the season.

``It has been a disastrous season,'' said Ray Fell, chairman of the supporters' club.

McKenzie is a director of international development at the London Institute. He is also an adviser to the Shanghai municipal government, the Tokyo cultural institute and Sarawak University in Malaysia.

``First of all we have to get through the next six weeks,'' McKenzie said.

He said turning the team around was a tough task ``but not impossible.''

``It's going to be a difficult trick to pull off, but if everyone stands together we can succeed,'' he said.

``We have to balance the obvious need for further financial prudence and control with the ability to produce a football squad that can compete in the top echelon of the Premiership. It's a tough challenge but one that I relish.'' — AP

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