Under-fire Ridsdale pledges not to sell Smith

Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds United chairman, has attempted to ease supporters' fears by insisting that the club's England striker Alan Smith is not for sale.

The fans' concern is that Smith, along with Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, will all leave in the summer as clubs look to take advantage of Leeds' sorry financial situation.

Smith is the archetypal Leeds hero to the fans and as, Ridsdale points out, "he is Leeds through and through". But, after watching Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Lee Bowyer, Robbie Fowler and Robbie Keane sold off in the last eight months, the fans are sceptical.

Last summer Ridsdale asserted Ferdinand was not for sale, but Manchester United's £30m-plus proved irresistible. Woodgate was also viewed as one of the key players at Elland Road but was allowed to join Newcastle for £9m at the end of the transfer window in January. Since then Ridsdale has been the target of abuse and criticism.

When asked if Smith would still be at Leeds next season, given that Liverpool are reported to be interested in the 22-year-old, Ridsdale replied: "If people carry on as they are carrying on, then you might have to ask somebody else that question. But if I'm chairman I fully expect Alan Smith to be a Leeds United footballer for next season and for many seasons to come.

"The fact is Alan Smith is not for sale. We have never suggested that we have to sell players this summer. We took the money in January so we didn't have to. Last summer I said Rio wouldn't be sold and we got a £30m bid. Do I want to sell Alan Smith? No. Is he for sale? No. Is he Leeds United through and through? Yes, and he's just signed a five-year contract."

Ridsdale has considered quitting in response to the flak he has faced, but insists he will not be hounded out by what he describes as "bully-boy tactics". Nine days ago he was forced to watch the second half of Leeds' 3-2 home defeat to Middlesbrough on a television in the safety of the boardroom, as he was the focus of fans' frustrations.

Along with the high-profile player departures, last week's sacking of Terry Venables has again brought Ridsdale's stewardship into the spotlight. But the 50-year-old is keen to stay and fight. But, when asked if he had thought about quitting, he responded: "Of course you think about quitting. When your family wake up to the stories like in the papers and you look at your two little girls who are six and five and they're putting up with the stuff they're having to put up with, you wonder if it's worth it.

"But what will people do the day after if they succeed [in ousting him]? What are they going to do with Leeds United then? Just leave us alone for a change? Maybe, and if that's the price I have to pay and if the club are better off, well then maybe I will go, but in the meantime I've got a job to do."

He added: "Just at the moment there appears to be an unequivocal, concerted campaign to undermine everything I've ever done for this football club and to get me out of my job, and we will find out whether that campaign is successful or not.

"I think I've done the right things more often than not for this football club and I will carry on doing that as long as I am allowed to."