Venables urges Leeds team to make fresh start

It was easy to forget, with all the talk of long-term bonds, debt repayments and asset stripping, that Leeds United also play football and yesterday Terry Venables said he was prepared to oversee that side of the plc's operation until the end of the season.

Venables confirmed what he had hinted at in Friday's joint press conference with the Leeds chairman, Peter Ridsdale, that it would be "irresponsible" to walk away. He hoped, vainly perhaps given the expected weight of protest, that tonight's FA Cup fourth-round replay with Gillingham could be a fresh start for a tortured club.

"Making the decision was a weight off my mind," he said. "I don't like the 'will-he, won't-he' sort of thing. I tried to give a quick answer on the Friday which got me into a bit of trouble because I was trying to be too quick. The whole situation has been very unfortunate, but now we've no alternative but to look forward and the main thing is to move on. I've got a few things off my chest, everybody knows how I feel and there's no point in revisiting that situation."

In his newspaper column, Venables said he felt "contempt" for Ridsdale when the news of Jonathan Woodgate's transfer to Newcastle was broken to him, adding that he considered the Leeds chairman had never cared over much what his manager thought. Saturday's defeat at Everton brought fierce anti-Ridsdale demonstrations but Venables, once scapegoated by the fans for Leeds' decline, wanted no further protests.

"The supporters showed at the weekend how they feel but we all have to move forward, playing football," said Venables, who told his players on Sunday that he was staying as manager. "It has been as hard for the group as I have ever known. You are talking of good players and good friends who have been through a lot together. They were a bit down but then so was everyone but they are fine now."

Venables is unlikely to get his wish. Ridsdale, dubbed "the most popular football chairman ever" by the company which marketed his video of reminiscences, now has bodyguards to protect him from the wilder fringe of supporters and they will be out in force tonight. His comment that, for financial reasons, it would be preferable to lose 10,000 season-ticket holders than keep Woodgate was not calculated to please the fans.

"It's going to be a rough ride for Mr Ridsdale and his chums," said John Boocock, chairman of the Leeds United Supporters' Trust. "But there will be a lot of people demanding his resignation."

Simon Jose, the founder of the Leeds United Independent Supporters' Association, said he had recruited 1,000 members since Friday. He said: "People are worried that come June or July yet more players will be sold so the bottom line is that this won't be a short-term protest. The board will be challenged every step of the way."

Even without this, tonight's replay would have been difficult. There is plenty of bad feeling between the clubs following Mark Viduka's sending-off in the 1-1 draw at Priestfield while, having sold Woodgate, Leeds may be without their remaining high-quality central defenders, Teddy Lucic, Dominic Matteo and Lucas Radebe.

The first two are suffering from concussion and a knee injury, respectively, while Radebe jarred his knee slipping on ice as he put his dustbin out. Venables might have been tempted to laugh if it were not so serious. Harry Kewell is also doubtful with a strained hamstring.

Leeds have reached a settlement with Venables' predecessor, David O'Leary, who was sacked in June. His case for compensation was due to go before a Premier League tribunal next month. The tribunal might have cleared up the reason why O'Leary was sacked.

O'Leary argued it was because he opposed the sale of Rio Ferdinand; Ridsdale claimed it was for failing to take Leeds back into the Champions' League. The statement issued by the club at the time suggested he had lost the support of the dressing-room.