Grayson happy to remain at Elland Road as stock rises

(david ashdown)

As a cautionary tale it should be pointed out that the last Leeds manager to win at Old Trafford lasted a further 16 months before leading the club to relegation. Simon Grayson does not plan to share Allan Clarke's fate and, despite becoming one of the most marketable young managers in the country, does not intend to use the short-term glow of victory over Manchester United to pursue a career away from Elland Road.

"My commitment to Leeds has never been in question," he said after the club's first victory in the red half of Manchester since 1981. "I left Blackpool a year ago to come to a club I supported as a boy. This is a fantastic club and I am not interested in going anywhere else."

However, at the age of 40, Grayson's stock is very high and not just in Yorkshire. He came to Leeds after guiding Blackpool to promotion via the play-offs and has lost just one of the club's League One fixtures this season. And he agreed with Sir Alex Ferguson's comments that at Leeds he had "found his target in life".

"Stages like Old Trafford are where we want to perform regularly and I certainly want to be back there managing Leeds in the Premier League," said Grayson. "The proof of what we are about will come in the next six months with us getting back into the Championship. Beyond that we'll have to wait and see. But if these players can perform at Old Trafford, there is no reason why they cannot make themselves a career in the game."