By Andy Baggott
October 6 2003

Peter Reid is supposedly very close to walking away from the Leeds United managers job. Reports are that he may still go today or tomorrow... After a traumatic week, where he escaped the axe by the skin of his teeth, there was talk that he was going to quit directly after the Blackburn game. Apparently, it was once again the support of the fans that stopped him doing this, although it still might happen. Reid held crisis talks with the Prof and Allan Leighton yesterday, and much will depend on what was said. The boss is in a very difficult position, and is allegedly furious about what went on last week. He was very publicly put under enormous pressure, and it was a terrible way to treat him. Head Coach Kevin Blackwell spoke about the American money men who know nothing about the way a football club should be run, making decisions from their yachts – and this is the root of the problem. As I’ve said before, the Professor is a sort of middle man, and mouth piece for the ‘PLC’. He was pushed into what happened this week by the financial institutions, although he has already accepted that he didn’t handle it very well.

Reid must be completely backed by the club now – not for a few games, or the next bad result. He needs to know that he has the full support of the board to take the club forward. That means no knee jerk reactions, no leaking stories to the press, and everyone getting behind the team. The players and the fans did their bit on Saturday – let’s hope the board do theirs…

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