Leeds cling to a sudden sense of stability

Ridsdale's re-election and a tenacious team display in Malaga buy time for the Venables reign

Johnny Giles, a character who understands a thing or two about the psyche required to run Leeds United, having observed Don Revie do so at close quarters for 11 years, posed the rhetorical question recently whether Terry Venables still has the heart for a fight. The former Irish international left it unanswered, except to suggest that the present incumbent of one of football's most pressurised positions will be asking himself, at approaching the age of 60: "How much do I still want it – and how much grief is it worth?"

Those of us who have watched him closely over the years know the answer. That he would walk before pushed, but that such a moment is probably some way distant. The events of the last three days may have not exactly been defining moments, but his team's tenacious, spirited performance in Malaga – the goalless draw in the first leg of the third round providing Leeds with a platform for further Uefa Cup progress – and the re-election, just a few hours later, of club chairman Peter Ridsdale as a director of the plc by a 96.7 per cent majority, could just prove to be the stabilising influences so desperately needed within the environs of Elland Road.

Venables is by nature a sensitive man, despite the ready repartee with his critics, but after a career in which he has been in roughly equal parts lionised and demonised, he has become immune to criticism, although some of that emanating from a section of the Leeds faithful has certainly shocked him. However, he is "determined to fight things through", as someone close to him put it last night. "It was a really gutsy performance against Malaga, and he was very happy with the players' attitude."

That might all change at home to Charlton today, of course. Alan Curbishley's team have a decent away record, and Leeds' performances at home are in urgent need of repair. But barring another collapse at Elland Road, Venables has purchased time to achieve the enhancement of the squad that his predecessor, David O'Leary, bequeathed him. Yet stability has to be regained, and much of that is dependent on a chairman and board working in harmony with the manager, as happens at Highbury and Anfield.

In that respect, Ridsdale's decision to resign from the board of the Football Association, as well as from the FA Cup and international committees of the FA and FA Council, were significant actions, and not inconsiderable sacrifices from a man of high ambition. But as he told the meeting, in typically AGM-speak: "Some of the disquiet that has been reflected in the recent public examination of the skills of your management team, and specifically myself, have served as a timely reminder of our responsibility to deliver our strategy for you, our shareholders. You have the assurance of the board that management are totally committed to deliver, and we will."

Having arrived back from Malaga at just after 6am on Friday and travelled straight to Elland Road to prepare for the annual meeting, it proved to be a stressful few hours for Ridsdale, although, despite reports to the contrary and a readers' poll in one tabloid establishing him as the supporters' bête noire rather than Venables, there was never the faintest chance that he would be ousted as a director. He and other directors flew back with a group of some 50 or 60 supporters, the majority of whom were apparently determined to shake his hand, not his neck.

The mood of the annual meeting itself was relatively benign, the only controversial issue being the non-selection of David Batty, who has not appeared since April this year. Ridsdale emphasised that, but for the wear and tear on the former England midfielder's knees, he would still be playing. "All I can tell you is that Terry Venables has decided that David is no longer capable of playing at the top level," said Ridsdale. "David O'Leary also said the same thing at a board meeting in May."

There will be those who have never for a moment questioned his motives, but have suggested that, in endorsing O'Leary's purchases totalling around £100m, he allowed his supporter's enthusiasm to rule his businessman's head. That, and the failure of Leeds to qualify for the Champions' League for two successive seasons, are what is understood largely to have accounted for the club's debts. "If anyone criticises me for being too close, all I can say is that, if that's the case I wouldn't have sold Rio Ferdinand," he told me recently. "I did what was right for the shareholders. I'd have been very disappointed if any of the business decisions were not the same I'd take if I wasn't a fan. I'd be very disappointed if anyone thought any decision was based on my emotion as a fan. My responsibility is primarily to the shareholders."

Fifteen Premiership games have gone, with only five won. But Ridsdale prefers to concentrate on the points that can be garnered from the 23 remaining. "What's slightly surprised me is that, after five years, with different managers, a start that has been disappointing is suddenly a crisis. We are only 15 games into the season. We have to remain focused on what we want to do because we've got a very good squad of players," he stressed to me. "We are determined to deliver that strategy, particularly because we are a public company and we owe those who have put the money in the club, which is the shareholders, and we believe we will. But we also want the supporters to be happy. It's an interesting balance keeping both happy. We believe we can."

Today, both he and Venables will walk into Elland Road for the match against Charlton buoyed by recent achievements, on and off the pitch. Regeneration, they both know, will be a long-term process. More immediately, stop-gap improvements are essential. Forthcoming fixtures against Fulham, Bolton, Southampton and Sunderland provide Leeds with the opportunity to elevate themselves from their present ignominious position. If they fail to do so, then maybe even the redoubtable Venables will begin to ask himself certain pertinent questions.