Fans persuade McDermott to return as Leeds United manager

McDermott is back at the Thorp Arch training ground and preparing the team for their next match against Yeovil this Saturday after confirming that he has been reinstated as Whites manager following his sacking by phone on Friday night.

Supporters made their feelings known with a demonstration outside the ground in support of McDermott and sang his name throughout the game with Huddersfield, which ended in a 5-1 victory for Leeds.

A statement issued by the club during the game said that McDermott was still the manager, but speaking for the first time today he said that he had been told he had been “relieved of his duties.”

He is now back at the helm, for how long no-one could confirm with the 75 per cent takeover of the club by the Cellino family agreed, and told an eagerly awaited press conference: “I’ve been reinstated.

“The personal support I got from the fans on Saturday was incredible.

“It would have been very easy for me to walk away. That was the advice I had, but there was no way I was going to, all it has done is to give me more drive.

“Why would you walk away from being Leeds United manager? It makes no sense.

“I spoke to a lot of people who said ‘you shouldn’t go back’, but if you saw the support the team and staff got on Saturday, it was incredible.

“Nigel Gibbs proved what a class act he is, the way he conducted himself, the way the players played. Our captain scored a hat-trick I was completely proud of the payers and fans. They all came together. That’s why I’m back.

“It’s the fans’ football club. This club doesn’t belong to anyone except the fans and whoever takes this club on has to have those people first and foremost in their minds. Nothing else matters.

“I’s been very difficult, but the performance on Saturday tells you everything you need to know. The most important thing for us is to come together and move forward.

“Let’s put this to bed. The ownership issue needs to be resolved very, very quickly.”