Leeds unite around under-fire coach Kidd

The man who took Rovers down to Division One in 1999 - and was largely seen as responsible for keeping them there - has few friends in the stands at Ewood Park for his record in charge of the club following his appointment from Manchester United in December 1998.

United went on to win the treble in 1999, but Kidd took them out of the Premiership the same summer, finally leaving Rovers in November with the team languishing in 19th place in Division One, having won just three of their 14 games despite starting the season as championship favourites, spending £30m along the way.

But Kidd always conducted himself with humility despite not being able to rescue Rovers' alarming slide from grace.

After a year in the wilderness, Kidd joined Leeds United as Academy director, taking many of the coaches from Brockhall with him.

He was appointed first team coach last season - a decision that surprised many Leeds fans as that effectively meant demoting Eddie Gray, who had been at manager David O'Leary's side during the club's rise to prominence.

Early indications were good, but Leeds have struggled of late and some Leeds fans - especially those who have a deep-seated hatred of anything that emanates from Old Trafford - have identified Kidd as the problem.

A distraught Kidd offered to quit following Sunday's scenes at Goodison Park where United fans barracked him as their frustrations at the team's failure to win since New Years' day turned to anger.

It is understood that he offered to walk away if it made life any easier for the rest of the squad and management - a suggestion which was swiftly shot down by O'Leary and the players.

O'Leary says Kidd's influence is vital and is now planning to join him on the training ground as they work together to halt the alarming slide in results.

"Brian is going to be there for training, but I'm going to take the sessions from the very start," said O'Leary. "When the boss is not there, training is never the same. There's always more tempo when the boss is there.

"Brian's sessions are interesting. But if he is one per cent short from being the complete coach, it is that he could be a little bit more confrontational with players. He lets them get away with things that I don't think he should."

Kidd is so highly thought of within the Leeds camp that two of the international stars who signed new deals in the summer, understood to be Olivier Dacourt and Mark Viduka, only agreed to stay under the assurance that Kidd would remain as head coach.

And Alan Smith and Rio Ferdinand joined Nigel Martyn at a specially-arranged press conference on Monday, aimed solely at showing the levels of support Kidd has among the players.

And they demonstrated that again last night during the 2-0 win at Ipswich.

Robbie Fowler opened the scoring then, following Ian Harte's 77th minute spot-kick, the Republic of Ireland international led a posse of players to the dugout as they mobbed Kidd in another public show of affection.

O'Leary then expressed his delight for Kidd in the after-match press conference and added: "Sunday was a bad day in many ways, but maybe it will turn out to be a good thing.

"A lot of people needed to know what those of us within this football club think of Brian and what the players did for him tonight was again marvellous.

"I think they demonstrated tonight just what they think of Brian, while the crowd were also marvellous to him, so maybe - in a roundabout way Sunday might be good for us.

"I hope we can look back on this game and see it as a turning point in our season which has been a difficult one and we will all be delighted when it finishes."

A goalscorer on his 19th birthday in the European Cup final against Benfica, the young Manchester United defender has seen life at the very top and enjoyed every minute of it.

The days at Old Trafford as number two to Sir Alex Ferguson re-ignited a footballing giant and made them into one of the most dominating teams of modern football.

Kidd played a huge part in that transition - guiding the development of such stars of the future as David Beckham, the Neville brothers, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs through the youth team.

A host of Premiership titles, FA and League cups followed with the Cup Winners' Cup adding a touch of European spice to the Old Trafford trophy cabinet.

He has seen tough times as well. Assistant manager to Lou Macari at Swindon and a torrid spell as boss at Preston are all strong in the memory while his ill-fated rein at Blackburn is a more recent scar.

His decision to quit Manchester United in 1999 and take over the hot-seat at Ewood Park came as a bitter blow to Sir Alex and a shock to the home supporters.

Coming just months before the club achieved the unprecedented treble, Kidd's departure would herald a huge split between himself and Sir Alex.

Indeed it was the beginning of the end as far as the duo were concerned. Remarks in Ferguson's autobiography suggested that his former number two would never be able to manage a team properly - less than two weeks later the Blackburn directors agreed and sacked him.

His failure as a manager left him out of work for a year until he was snapped up by O'Leary to run the Leeds Academy and then first team coach.

But while there have been rumblings of discontent among the supporters since nothing could have prepared those within the camp for what happened at Goodison Park.

The man who had guided some of the greatest players ever to grace the Premiership through the ranks was now charged with doing the same job in West Yorkshire.

On the face of it the United supporters had reason to be grateful that a man who had been there and done it already had been hired to join the manager's team of coaches.

But when the decision was made to make more of Kidd's coaching skills and promote him ahead of Gray as head coach the undercurrent of discontent started to ripple through Elland Road.

Leeds legend Gray, no doubt, had his nose put out of joint by the appointment of Kidd, which was announced on March 2 2001 - the day before the home match against Manchester United.

While there have been rumblings of discontent among the supporters since nothing could have prepared those within the camp for what happened at Goodison Park.

FACTFILE

1949: Born May 29, Collyhurst, Manchester, into a family of Manchester United supporters.

1966: Turns professional at Old Trafford

1974: Leaves Old Trafford to join Arsenal after making 264 appearances for United and scoring 70 goals.

1976: Joins Man City in July.

1979: Leaves Maine Road to sign for Everton in March.

1980: Joins Bolton and then goes to the United States for four years where he played in the NASL.

1984: Returns to England to become manager of Barrow.

1985: Appointed Lou Macari's assistant at Swindon before he becomes number two at Preston.

1986: Manages Preston for three months from January to March.

1988: Alex Ferguson brings him back to United as junior coach and director of the school of excellence in May.

1990: Becomes youth development officer and helps nurture the club's current crop of young stars.

1991: Steps up to become Ferguson's assistant following Archie Knox's decision to join Walter Smith at Rangers.

1993: United end their 26-year wait to lift the title before winning double following year.

1995: Manchester City refused permission to speak to him about their vacant manager's job in June.

1996: United win double for second time.

1997: United win fourth title in five years.

1998: United rebuff Everton's attempts to lure him back to Goodison.

1998: Appointed manager of Blackburn following the departure of Roy Hodgson.

1999: Contract at Ewood Park terminated.

2001: Taken on at Elland Road as Academy Director.

2001: Moves up t take the role of Head Coach at Leeds United.