Ridsdale tells supporters Leeds will build again

Peter Ridsdale, the under-fire Leeds United chairman, met disgruntled fans at Elland Road yesterday and promised them: "We will build again."

Leeds fans have vented their anger on Ridsdale at recent matches following the £9m sale of Jonathan Woodgate to Newcastle United during the January transfer window.

Woodgate was the sixth international to leave Leeds since Terry Venables took over as manager – Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Lee Bowyer, Olivier Dacourt and Robbie Fowler were the others – and his departure was the final straw for many supporters.

But Ridsdale claims the club's "ambition is undiminished" despite the recent selling spree and Leeds will "regroup and go for it again".

Ridsdale added: "However difficult it is at the moment, only by taking the painful decisions can we build again. We will build again, there is no doubt about that. The only thing that matters is that we do build again and that every Leeds fan gets the success that their loyalty deserves.

"Football finances are changing. The income streams previously enjoyed in many areas can no longer be taken for granted. The TV deal with BSkyB expires at the end of next season and the European Commission is examining the format of the collective Premiership contract." He explained that having only four live games on Sky this season against 11 last had cost the club £3.6m in income.

"Our ambition is undiminished. Our commitment to our supporters is unaltered. We have done the right things to protect the future."

Ridsdale was determined to use yesterday's meetings with fans to explain the reasons behind the drain of talent away from Elland Road. "At the beginning of February I met with officials of the Leeds United Supporters' Club and over the last few days I have started a series of meetings to meet as many other supporters as possible," he said. "Today saw a further series of meetings with larger groups of supporters coming to meet me. During the rest of the week there will be further opportunities for other people to get together, including representatives of the recently-formed Independent Supporters' Association."

There have been rumours that Leeds will have to sell in the summer and Ridsdale last night said: "We've tried to get in a position where any player sold from now on is to enable the manager to bring in another player that makes the club stronger. What we don't want to do in the future is to be forced into selling. What we hope in the summer is the gaps identified by the manager can be filled."