Episode 4 Late Kick Off Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

It has been a weekend full of stories and a day full of one great

big one. It is time to talk and reflect on Late Kick`Off. The

Football League says no to Massimo Cellino. What now for Leeds?

The Wembley`bound birthday Blades ` making plans with Nigel. And the

battle for promotion from League Two is on.

It is on all right. So are we. Lots to go at tonight. With me is the

Yorkshire Post's chief football reporter Richard Sutcliffe and our

very own John Hendrie. I am sure you will want to get your point across

in the week as well and you can do that via Twitter. Off we go. We

simply have to start tonight with the news today that Massimo Cellino

has been disqualified from buying a majority stake in Leeds United. The

Football League, and its owners and directors test, have unanimously

voted against the Italian businessman being allowed to take

over at Elland Road. Richard, whilst that does not come as a complete

surprise, it does leave a whole load of unanswered questions. What on

earth happens now? The big thing is the end of the week when the wages

are due. It is my understanding that Massimo Cellino will fund that as he

has done for the last two or three months. He is going to try and get

the deal through, but they are going to try to tell the Football League

that he is not the majority shareholder any more, it is actually

his family that is taking over the club, but the Football League will

not fall for that, I am sure. That is the statement that was on the

Leeds United official website this afternoon, that they will continue

to be in discussions with the Football League and Elanora Sport to

find a solution. Is that viable? You wouldn't have thought so. I was told

last week that the application included both scenarios, whether

Massimo Cellino got it through on his own but if that was turned down,

this is what the club will be saying would happen next. When I was told

that, I thought, how is that going to work? You can't say on one hand

he should get the club, but on the other hand, if he doesn't, this is

how we planned to do it in the first place. It is just a mess. It has

been a mess for a while. For many of us on the outside looking in, we

think, this is a good thing longer term. But will there be a longer

term? It looks like a nightmare scenario for Leeds. It is a

nightmare scenario, but I think they will be OK in the end. If they don't

get anyone else coming in, because you look at it, there is two battles

to fight here, one on the pitch and one off the pitch. They got a good

result on Saturday. They are 15 points clear if, dare we say it,

they need to go into administration. If they are deducted ten points,

they are on the brink of the draw. Yes. But I just feel they have got

enough there to sort of see out rest of the season. For Brian McDermott,

first and foremost, his job was under threat. Cellino had already

sort of gave him the bullet. If Cellino got the job, would he have

given him the bullet again? Is Brian McDermott a happy man? It is

unbelievable, isn't it? Every twist and turn brings something new. The

Together Leeds Group, we are expecting something from them in the

next couple of days. We are. GFH have indicated they don't want to

deal with them. Their initial bid was for seven million with add`ons.

If they go into promotion and that sort of thing. Leeds were bought for

?20 million by GFH, they want to get their investment back. Selling it

for ?7 million, that doesn't make any sense. If it is back to square

one and GFH are now having to fund the club, how long can they do that

for? How deep are their pockets? If they are deep enough, they will get

them through many months, if not, they will go into administration. I

have been assured that will not happen. GFH cannot allow it to

happen because if it does, their investment goes down the Swanee. So

what next is the big question. How has it come to this for one of the

biggest clubs in English football? Ten years ago this weekend, Leeds

beat Manchester City in the Premier League. What different paths those

two huge clubs have taken since. For City, wealth and honours, for Leeds

a succession of owners, managers and players and failures. The only

constant has been the fans and one of them, author, playwright and

Sunday Mirror journalist Anthony Clavane, blames a condition he calls

"Leedsness". By Leeds City station, I sat down

and wept. I am a Loiner and whenever I come back to the city, I always

look up at the famous sign that once bored a legend, Leeds, the Promised

Land Delivered. A sign of hope and optimism. Which, like the famous

team I have supported for 40 years, is no longer there. Robinson,

Woodgate, Hart, Kilgallon. As the train pulls into the station and the

glittering sets of residential towers lining the river coming to

view, I always look for the cantilevered football stadium, the

city's great monument to metamorphosis. A temple to the glory

and the doom, the pride and the shame, the optimism and the

pessimism of the self`appointed capital of God's own country. Once a

stage for the performance of heaven, a citadel of power, a shrine to

modernity, a beacon guiding all of the diverse tribes of Leeds to their

predestined end. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But now, a

time capsule. A nostalgia`drenched enclosure for a second`rate football

team whose passionate and loyal fans continue to drift in and out,

shifting and mingling in stands and drinking in bars, named after old

folk legends and a warrior kings. Little Billy, Sergeant Wilko, The

Don. The Don, the damp, dirty Leeds, the dominant narrative of Leeds

United. Smack the damned. Howson, Milner, Delph, Lennon, Smith. Smith,

who ten years ago kissed the badge and made us cry and then swanned off

to that swaggering, cocky lot of winners across the Pennines. A

decade of young home`grown talent gone to waste. Or, if you prefer,

Norwich. Norwich. Norwich! An early team in an early city, formed 110

years ago and then kicked out of the league. Reinvented by Revie and then

conned out of the European Cup. Marching on together under Sergeant

Wilko, the last English champions were then born again as O'Leary's

babies with a licence to spend, spend, spend and burn and crash.

Publicity Pete living the dream and then living the nightmare of debt

and collapse and meltdown. A decade of exile. A decade when our

forty`year rise to the top ground to a halt and then went into reverse. A

decade when we sought solace in the past, took refuge in our ugly

beautiful mists and embraced the relentless rain, the dark skies and

the unending gloom of a mythical vanishing Leeds, Leeds, Leeds.

Kewell and Beckford upfront. A decade of despair. Relegation,

administration, point deduction, Uncle Ken Bates and all. And Uncle

Ken Bates and all. The man who called us morons, who sold us to the

only Arabs without any money, and the only Arabs without any money

were made an offer they could not refuse by an Italian now found

guilty of tax evasion. And the Italian sacked the manager and then

reinstated him, and he wasn't even the owner. Sad, strange, strung out,

dirty, cheating, damned Leeds. And a team which has already spent a

decade outside of the top flight is now on the edge of darkness. A team

which has suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous owners awaits

an Armageddon which will prove once again, to those of us who are and

always will be Leeds, Leeds, Leeds, that the world is and always will be

against Leeds, Leeds, Leeds. We just cannot win. And even when we do win,

six trophies under the Don, we still believe that the gods, the fates,

the refs, the hacks, the good, the bad and ugly men who rule football

will always conspire against us, stitch us up, make our teams, like

that Promised Land sign, disappear. But I have no time for conspiracy

theories. I have no time for the Damned United. And I want good,

clean, attractive football from my captain, starting next week at the

Charity Shield. A great book but a mistaken narrative. And I have no

time for the bizarre notion that we are doomed to suffer for the sins of

our past. It is true that we could have been contenders. And we could

have kept the promised land sign hanging over our station. And we

could have kept our young home`grown talents. The team that never was. In

the stadium that football forgot. Robinson, Hart, Kilgallon, Woodgate,

Houston, Milner, Delph, Lennon. Smith, Kewell, Beckford. But there

was nothing inevitable about the demise of one of the country's most

famous football teams. Based in one of the country's biggest cities and

boasting the country's most fanatical supporters. We are not

really the damned United. Thinking we are, however, is part of the

problem. Powerful stuff. I don't normally

like the arty stuff, when you mix it with football but that hit the spot.

It was like an advert almost, for a genuine Leeds fan with plenty of

money, it is there for them. That is all there. It has got to be plenty

of money. They need someone with megabucks to come in and just blow

it at the football club. What are you buying into? You have got the

fan base, terrific fan base, the history of the football club, a

great club. OK, you don't have the training ground, what they need is

for some Arabs to come in but Arabs who have got big dough. You are

buying a name. A big name. High time we got some goals on the programme.

And with wins for Leeds and Doncaster, but woe for the Owls,

Terriers and Tykes, here is Neal Morrow with the Championship. After

an horrendous week off the field for Leeds, the 90 minutes of football

action against Millwall on Saturday came as light relief at Elland Road.

United took a somewhat fortuitous lead after 18 minutes. Matt Smith's

flick header leaving the goalkeeper stranded in no man's land. Just

before the break, Ross McCormack scored his 26th goal of a prolific

season, the keeper will feel he ought to have done better. Millwall

made a game of it in the second half. This blistering volley gave

the goalkeeper no chance of making a save. Leeds held on for a

much`needed win for the under pressure Brian McDermott. Tough run

since December. Everything that is going on, the uncertainty, we want

it to go away and we want to concentrate solely on the football

and the sooner this ownership situation is sorted out, the better.

A trip to Blackpool for Huddersfield on Saturday, but it all went wrong

for the Terriers in the fourth minute. This goal was to prove the

winner. Huddersfield huffed and puffed but could not find an

equaliser. They are now without a win in their last four. Doncaster

welcomed Sheffield Wednesday to the Keepmoat Stadium for the South

Yorkshire derby and the home side took the lead after 30 minutes,

Chris Brown tapping in for his eighth goal of the campaign.

Sheffield Wednesday had few clear`cut chances to score an

equaliser and this result means Doncaster continue to climb away

from the danger zone at the bottom of the Championship. The same

certainly cannot be said for Barnsley. The Reds probably deserved

a point against Bournemouth on Saturday. Martin Woods should have

put the Reds one up but hopes of a repeat of last season's great escape

are surely fading around Oakwell after a heartbreaking last`minute

goal gave Bournemouth all three points. Luke Steele's superb reflex

save deserved better. Steve Cook bundled the ball home.

So, a welcome win for Leeds has them moving up again, no dramas despite

defeats for Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield, and the big new sis

nearer the bottom. Dash`mac the big news is nearer the bottom. Doncaster

move further away from the bottom, their form means one less team that

Barnsley could realistically catch. Let's start with Doncaster Rovers.

They are four unbeaten. They are hitting form at the right time. It

has to continue. The next two away games are tough, Burnley and Leeds.

They have got to go on. Yes, and their away form has not been great.

This season is all about staying up for Doncaster. What has been going

on in the background has not been an easy job with the boardroom

shenanigans but I think the manager is doing an amazing job. It is a

small squad, not great resources. It looks like he is going to

comfortably keep them up. Billy Sharp, we have mentioned before, his

return has been key. Absolutely. Billy coming back, that was a big

transfer. Ten points out of 12 they have picked up out of the last four

games. Things like this, 95th minute, this is a killer blow for

the boys. They have conceded, I think only Millwall have conceded

more goals than them and they are up at the other end. Goals have always

been a problem for them. One thing with Barnsley, with Danny in charge,

knowing what he is like as a character, those guys will not throw

the towel in. It is going to be tough. He was quick to praise at the

weekend their commitment and enthusiasm and he wants it to

continue. That is the bare minimum. It has got to be like that. The

players feel bad enough losing to a last`minute goal. The last thing you

want is your manager having a go at you. He has got to back them as much

as he can and try to build them up because they have still got to

battle on for the remainder of the season. Richard, a quick line on

Huddersfield. It is almost like season over at the moment. It is. I

went to see Mark Robins this morning, he just wants them to

entertain the fans again. It had not been good enough in the last four

games, they are just tailing off a bit.

Coming up: the Blades bring up 125 years but it's a day of defeat for

Clough and co. And joy for Scunthorpe and York as

the race for a League Two promotion hots up.

And we're off to Bramall Lane now for a great big birthday party. And

what a build`up to the 125th anniversary of Sheffield United's

existence it has been. With win after win turning what looked to be

a season of suffering into one to savour. The play`offs, not

impossible. And an FA Cup semifinal at Wembley to come. Largely thanks

to Nigel Clough. Nathan Lord spent time last week with him.

It was a poor start to the season for Sheffield United, to say the

least. Having failed to secure a single win, manager David Weir was

sacked. REPORTER: Do you feel it's

embarrassing to have had this run of results for Sheffield United?

Yes. And it was looking like they'd be

fighting a relegation battle to stay in League One.

When Nigel Clough was appointed in October, it wasn't an immediate

transformation, but a couple of months in, things were looking up. A

remarkable FA Cup run spurred the Blades on in the League. And with an

incredible 11 games unbeaten in all competitions, and breaking a club

record for eight clean sheets on the trot, Clough couldn't have asked

much more of his players. Up until the last few weeks, we'd

have taken third from bottom. The remit was to stay up and after the

defeat at Crewe, it was looking iffy. But now we're in the top half,

we like to stay in it. If we can challenge that sixth position, then

great. It is out of our hands, largely. It's up to Peterborough.

It's a challenge because we can't do too much training. It's about the

matches, resting, preparing at this stage of the season when we are

playing so many midweek games. So we can't do too much on the training

pitch. It's trying to keep them mentally fresh. We took them away

for a couple of days to Spain, to try to give them a break and a

reward for recent endeavours. We can't fault their workrate and

effort at the moment. The spirit within the camp can get you in a lot

of results. Spirits in the camp were at their

highest after their emphatic win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup. It

seemed to be the catalyst for an amazing run of form for the Blades.

It has been a help, not a hindrance in the Cup so far. When we drew

Colchester in the first round, people said we should rest a few

players because we were fighting relegation. But no, we want to win!

We want to win every game we play and get our strongest team out

there. We'll concentrate on League games. To have eight League matches

between the quarterfinal and the semifinal is a pretty heavy

schedule. But we'll try to win the majority of them and go to Wembley

in good spirits. When you get the top of the League

coming to you, you know, they've scored plenty goals recently. They

are top for a reason, because they are the best team. They have a lot

of firepower. It's a big one for us because if we are going to maintain

our challenge, we need to win home matches. Also, the fact that it is

the 125 anniversary game. Two teams playing against each other not so

long ago in the Premier League. So, it's a big one all round. We hope

for a good crowd. We've done well when there is a good crowd and

atmosphere in the last few weeks. And the birthday party atmosphere at

Bramall Lane didn't disappoint, as the celebrations were in full swing.

For all of us to come down and celebrate 125 years, especially with

the run we're on now, makes it better.

I've been brought up supporting this club since I was a baby, so coming

here on a day like this is just amazing.

I've had a season ticket 45 years, so for me it's a big thing.

I haven't seen all the 125 years, I hasten to add! But I have seen quite

a lot of it, and I suppose that next to your family, your club is the

thing. The first match I ever saw at

Bramall Lane in 1961, and they were playing Wolves. It's a great

coincidence and good to see all the Wolves and United fans here today.

It was a historic day for all involved, and players were welcomed

onto the pitch by living legends. Some of the former players started

with the Blades as far back as 1941. But for Nigel Clough it was more

about the present than the past. The Blades came close to getting

their first goal with Scougall's left footed strike denied by Ikeme.

But it wasn't long until Wolves took control of the game and 13 minutes

in, Edwards did just enough to help James Henry's deep ball cross sail

into the far corner. The Blades came close to an

equaliser when Brayford's effort inside the six yard box was cleared

off the line. In the second half, Henry crossed in

for Edwards, who got a touch this time and made it 2`0 to Wolves. So

the birthday candles were blown out early at Bramall Lane, ending an

11`game unbeaten run to the League leaders.

But the Blades supporters still have plenty to look forward to this

season, including a trip to Wembley in three weeks' time.

So, first disappointment in a while for United. But what of Rotherham

and Bradford? We start off in League One at Peterborough, where the

Millers marched on. Sheffield United's defeat means of

their promotion hopes are hanging by a thread. But Steve Evans' Rotherham

had the chance to do the Blades a favour by beating sixth`placed

Peterborough. In the spirit of South Yorkshire neighbourliness, the

Millers duly scored the game's only goal just before the break. Ben

Nugent brought down Kieran Agard, and Agard stepped up to convert from

12 yards out, his 18th goal of the season. The Millers will surely be

in the play`offs in May. Bradford City had a great

opportunity to practically seal their League One place for next

season, when they went ahead against Shrewsbury with just 11 minutes

remaining. Andrew Davies squeezed the ball home. Within seconds, the

Shrews levelled things, John Taylor with the equaliser against the

Bantams' defence that had gone to sleep. With the last attack of the

game, Shrewsbury took all the points. Shaun Miller, making his

debut after joining on loan from Sheffield United, scoring the

winner. The Bantams still need a few more points to be certain of safety.

Rotherham will be in the play`offs but Wolves and Brentford keep

winning too. So no real change. Maybe the play`offs and Wembley will

be too much to hope for Sheffield United. Whilst I keep saying that

Bradford will be fine, after Saturday they are a point closer to

trouble. I still think there are too many

clubs in the way for Bradford to be in trouble. But you're not totally

convinced they are safe yet? No, you're right in what you say.

They have a good cushion there. But, results like Saturday's are bitterly

disappointing. You're on your travels and you go 1`0 up with ten

minutes to go. Then you switch off and concede two late goals. I'm sure

Phil Parkinson would've been raging on the back of that one. I still

think they need five points to get to that magic 50 points.

A long way back from Shrewsbury when you've lost. Back to Sheffield

United. Is there enough praise for us to shower Nigel Clough with? He

has been unbelievable. He's done a remarkable job. Bearing

in mind he was licking his scars after being let go at Derby County.

He will structure that club from top to bottom. We said that before. He's

like his old man with respect to certain attributes. He took the boys

away to Spain for a mid`season break. Everything is black`and`white

with him. You know where you stand. He's done ever so well.

Those comparisons are inevitable and I guess for Nigel, he's had that

since he was a player under his dad. But are they relevant? Aren't they

like chalk and cheese? Straightforward, yes. But he's not

his dad, is he? Absolutely. You've seen the traits

when he was a player and as a manager. His brother, who is on the

staff at Bramall Lane, was quoted as saying that with every passing day

he sees more and more of Brian in Nigel. Whether Nigel agrees, I'm not

sure. But he's done a fantastic job, he really has.

If they have got 'Brian mark two' then for Sheffield United, the sky's

the limit! What I like about Nigel Clough's

teams, is he let's the players express themselves. They have the

freedom to go out there and attack. Defending comes second. He's done a

great job and the crowd are behind him.

A different kind of manager for Rotherham in Steve Evans. He gets a

bad rep from fans of pretty much every other club. But if he is at

your club, good things happen. I think it's fair to say he can rub

opposing fans up, and managers and coaches. But you can't doubt what

he's brought to the football club. Wherever he has been, he always gets

results. And the proof is in the pudding. He left Crawley to come to

Rotherham there. Got promotion last year and have kicked on again this

year. Yes, back`to`back promotions for

Rotherham would be unbelievable. And they could yet reach the top two.

Time for League Two. A happy division for us, with none of our

site tasting defeat this weekend. Promotion treble, anyone?

Because it was an early kick`off, Chesterfield briefly went back to

the top of League two after this goalless draw at Mansfield. Mark

Richards missed their best chance. The lack of wins is starting to be a

worry, but Spireites fans will be out in force again at Wembley for

the JPT on Sunday. Scunthorpe took advantage of

Chesterfield's slip to go second with this win over Burton. Burton

thought they had cleared it, Paddy Madden's cracking volley gave Scunny

three points. The very idea of Portsmouth being in

the same league as York would have seemed as ludicrous as their mascot

not long ago. But on Saturday, 800 City fans went to the South Coast

expecting to win, and they did. Michael Coulson with the early goal

proved to be the only goal. When Pompey were reduced to ten men at

the start of the second half, a straight red for Ben Chorley's

tackle on Wes Fletcher. York where happy to settle for 1`0, their fifth

win on the bounce. In the table: Scunthorpe leapfrogged

Chesterfield to go second, and it's now just one win in six for the

Spireites. And York City now in a play`off place. I might have to tell

Mrs Mowbray that holiday plans could be changing!

Yes, there may be trouble ahead. I don't want to think that far ahead

yet! Let's start with Scunthorpe United. That was an important win.

To get back`to`back wins over the last couple of weeks after all those

draws. When you get a few wins, it makes

those draws look a bit better. It's when you get losses that you start

to worry a bit. All credit to Russell Wilcox and his team there.

They've done remarkably well. It's important that they hang on in

there, particularly beating their rivals.

Chesterfield have started to struggle. Well, not struggle, but

results have not been going their way the last few weeks.

Yeah, that one win in six there. Have they got an eye on Wembley? I'm

sure Paul Cook will say to his players: listen, our rival teams are

playing next weekend. We won't be because we're playing the JPT Trophy

final. It's important that they win this.

On York City, Richard, I want you to tell me that this can keep on going.

But the pessimist in me says they cannot possibly keep this run going

forever. It's showing no signs of letting up

yet. That's the big thing for them. Also in their favour is Nigel

Worthington. He has his feet on the ground and hasn't veered from what

he said. 52 points just for safety was his first target. After that,

everything is a bonus. If anyone can drive them forward, it's him.

He's a defender as well. So, what he'll be delighted in is seven clean

sheets in eight games. He will say that it was all his making.

Absolutely. At the other end, a new striker signed today. Calvin Andrew,

ex of Mansfield. We've got a full programme of games this week: Leeds

at Bournemouth, Doncaster at Burnley, and Huddersfield play

Middlesbrough. Barnsley need a surprise win at Reading. And it is

Owls versus Seagulls at Hillsborough.

In League One: Bradford host Walsall. Sheffield United go to

Crawley. And there is a big one at the New York Stadium. Could a

Rotherham win over Brentford reignite hopes of automatic

promotion? In League Two: Scunny are

Cheltenham. Chesterfield at home to Morecambe. York City home to bottom

club Torquay. Gentlemen, which fixtures for

tomorrow night catch your eye? Chesterfield and Morecambe, for the

simple fact that it's a big week for Chesterfield.

The last time the sides met they were 3`0 up and lost 4`3. That might

be on their mind! Richard? For me, it's Rotherham and

Brentford. I can't see anyone stopping Brentford or Wolves winning

automatic promotion. But this is a big test for Rotherham. If they win

that, they really can start believing in the play`offs.

Will they make automatic? I don't think so. But I think

they'll go up in the play`offs. That's not yes or no, but we'll take

it. As ever, live commentary and reports

from all those games will be on your local BBC Radio station. Remember,

we're on iPlayer for seven days, as are the other regional variations of

Late Kick`Off. We don't know where Leeds United will be at next Monday,

but we will be back here. Good night.