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Fans fume as Leeds consider Woodgate sale

Kieran Daley
Wednesday 22 January 2003 01:00 GMT
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Furious Leeds United supporters last night described the Elland Road club's transfer policy as "bordering on insanity" as it emerged that the England defender Jonathan Woodgate was close to a £10m move to Newcastle United and the midfielder Seth Johnson was discussing terms with Middlesbrough over a £4m move.

The Newcastle manager, Sir Bobby Robson, last night confirmed that the club had made "preliminary investigations" into signing Woodgate, who turns 23 today, and the Brazilian midfielder Kleberson, who has also been linked with a move to Leeds.

"All I can confirm to you now is that the club have actually made communication to both clubs in respect of the two players concerned," Robson said. "There's a lot of communication and dialogue will have to go on before anything happens in that respect, but all we've done is made preliminary investigations into those two players."

Although Leeds fans have been bracing themselves for more player sales, Robson's revelation is likely to spark outrage. The Elland Road club last night released a carefully-worded statement "to clear up the speculation", insisting that they had received no bids for Woodgate but barely putting the matter to rest. "We can state categorically that we have not allowed Newcastle United permission to speak to Jonathan Woodgate because the clubs have not agreed a deal," the statement read.

Woodgate, along with the striker Alan Smith and the goalkeeper Paul Robinson, was thought to be one of Leeds' "untouchables" – not available at any price.

Since the summer, Leeds have sold Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Lee Bowyer and Olivier Dacourt, but are still reported to be around £77m in debt. Robbie Fowler's proposed £7m move to Manchester City collapsed last week and yesterday Danny Mills and Ian Harte were the latest names to be linked with moves out of Elland Road.

"If Woodgate was sold there would be uproar, it would be bordering on insanity," said an angry Simon Jose, co-founder of the Leeds Supporters' Forum. "It would be bad business and bad football because you are talking about a player who is the future of the club for years to come.

"It would send a message to the supporters that the board don't care what we think or say. They need to understand the fans will not stomach this transfer.

"We have had to put up with a massive amount of rubbish from this club in recent times with regard to financial decisions, yet we have continued to back them all the way. If they sell Woodgate, it would be like stabbing us in the back. How can you build a team with this sort of attitude from a board who are asset stripping?

"We understand they are in debt, but we were told if they raised around £40m that would be enough, and they nearly did that with the sales of Ferdinand and Keane. We've since lost Bowyer and Dacourt, and now more top names look as if they are going. It's about time the club came clean as to the extent of their debt problems."

Johnson pulled out of a scheduled appearance in Leeds' reserves last night so he could travel to Middlesbrough with his agent, Leon Angel, to meet the Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson, and begin negotiations on a four-and-a-half year deal. Yet, even if he were sold, it appears that would not be enough to appease the club's bankers and prevent Woodgate from leaving.

If Johnson moves, Leeds will be accepting a loss of £3m for a midfielder they signed from Derby County for £7m 15 months ago. Due to injuries, Johnson has made only 20 appearances for Leeds, with just four as a substitute this campaign.

The Leeds Supporters' Club chairman, Ray Fell, concedes to being "frightened" at just who is next through Elland Road's revolving door, which at present is turning in only one direction.

"We are all aware they have to sell players, but we just fear which players they are referring to," added Fell. "If Woodgate does go I could understand it because of the way the market has changed, but it would be with regret.

"We seem to be in a position where our bid for Champions' League football has not paid off and now we are paying for it."

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