It must be nearly Christmas, because Peter Ridsdale is pulling out the stops to plug his new book "United We Fall".

The book, which Ridsdale is believed to have pledged the profits to charity, gives Ridsdale's account of the "meltdown" at Leeds - which has seen the club go from Premiership and Champions League contenders to the verge of extinction in six short years.

Ridsdale clearly feels that he has been fingered for the mess somewhat unfairly and explosive passages from the book, which have appeared on an Australian website reveal he points the finger of blame squarely in David O'Leary's corner.

Having appointed O'Leary as manager in 1998, the pair were thought to have a cast-iron relationship, but the world was stunned in July 2002 when Ridsdale sacked O'Leary, replacing him with Terry Venables.

Passages from the book claim that O'Leary LOST the dressing-room with his handling of England Keeper Paul Robinson, now with Spurs and the final straw was his book "Leeds United on Trial" - which gave a warts an all account of the turmoil at Elland Road during the 'Safraz Najeib' trial when Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate were charged with ABH and affray. Bowyer was cleared, Woodgate received community-service for affray.

Ridsdale said: "The first crack was just before our FA Cup game against Liverpool in January 2001.

"As the team left our hotel for the short trip to Elland Road, I saw Paul Robinson looking thunderous and close to tears.

"I hurried up to him and tried grabbing his arm to ask what was wrong.

"'Don't talk to me now', he said, 'but I'll tell you this - I'll never play for that b*****d again'. Paul was young and still learning but one thing was true - he never did play for the manager again.

"Managers often have spats with players but, in such a closely-knit dressing room and involving such a popular young member of the squad, this seemed like the first red flag being raised from a spirited dressing room."

But the book was the final straw, according to Ridsdale who also claims that TEN players would have quit if O'Leary had stayed. He writes: "It galled me to see O'Leary promoting his book Leeds United on Trial, which came out in January 2002. He broke the sacrosanct code of the dressing room by criticising players.

"From my chairman's office I could almost hear the team's respect breaking up.

"O'Leary denied there was a dressing-room revolt.

"But towards the end of the season a senior player asked to see me in my office and he said 'Mr Ridsdale, unless you change the manager I won't sign a new contract. I also feel I represent the mood of most of the dressing room, the lads have lost it with the gaffer'.

"Lee Bowyer, Danny Mills, Rio Ferdinand all criticised the manager for washing dirty linen in public.

"The manager's book was the cause and effect of the crisis that sent the club over the edge. Ten players, either directly or indirectly through their agents, said they'd be looking to move elsewhere if David O'Leary remained as manager for the 2002-03 season."

The book is due for release on November 2nd.

To be quite honest, I, like many Leeds fans I suspect, are really sick to the back teeth of reading about this ill-fated period in our club's history - so much so, I am questioning my own sanity in writing this very article. If Rids can make a few bob for charity then fair play, but really this sort of stuff should be relegated to the annals of history. Its all in the past now, we are still suffering the legacy of the boom and bust years - so lets move on!

Photo: Action Images

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