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Reid tenure at Leeds depends on Portsmouth result

Alan Nixon
Tuesday 04 November 2003 01:00 GMT
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Peter Reid will be sacked as the Leeds United manager if his side remain at the bottom of the Premiership this weekend.

Reid's fate hangs on the result at Portsmouth on Saturday, when a poor performance will end his brief reign. Discussions have taken place involving the plc chairman, Allan Leighton, and the football club board, and Reid still has their confidence - but for only one more match.

Reid was never going to be dismissed on the back of the tough run of fixtures the club has just come through, but the game against Pompey - in decline themselves - comes before the international break.

Leighton is trying to raise finance for the impoverished side who are rooted to the bottom of the table. The board know that Reid has support inside the dressing-room.

Mark Viduka's career at Elland Road is hanging in the balance. The striker is facing a fine of two weeks' wages, believed to be £130,000, after arriving late for training and then being late for a team meeting before Saturday's defeat against Arsenal, for which he was dropped.

The Australian forward turned up on time at Leeds' Thorp Arch training ground yesterday, but is expected to meet Reid to discuss his actions. The manager refused to be drawn on what action may be taken against Viduka, although he revealed that dropping the striker was the first step. "It was a difficult decision, but there just can't be rules for one and different rules for others," Reid said.

Jody Morris has returned after his suspension and leave of absence, and will be back in training today. Last month, Morris was arrested and bailed by police investigating allegations of sexual assault.

He was suspended by the club, who said it was not related to the police matter, for two weeks after consultation with club officials and Morris's solicitor. Morris then agreed to take a 10-day leave of absence to allow Leeds to conclude an internal investigation. That has been completed, but no further details have been made public.

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