Cellino to stay away from Leeds matches

Leeds owner Massimo Cellino has declared his intention to stay away from future games in the latest sign that his time at the club is coming to an end.

The club’s fans have become increasingly frustrated with the controversial Italian and vented their anger during last week’s 2-0 home defeat by Blackburn, when the vast majority of the Elland Road crowd called for Cellino to sell up.

“It pains me to make this decision as I have put my heart and soul into this club,” Cellino said in a statement on www.leedsunited.com. “But what I was subjected to at the Blackburn game left me feeling like I had no other option but to take a step away.

“After the time, effort and emotion I have given to the club to try and enable us to move forward, it hurt me a lot to hear the fans singing what they did on Thursday night. The fans made it clear they believe I am no longer the best person for this job, and for the first time I am starting to think that they may be correct.” Cellino’s pledge to stay away comes after Friday’s revelation that he would sell the club to supporters’ group Leeds Fans Utd (LFU).

LFU chief executive Dylan Thwaites is currently in talks with Cellino, who bought the club in April 2014, but there are reports other potential bidders have expressed an interest.

Leeds head coach Steve Evans has welcomed LFU’s desire to buy a controlling stake in the club.“I think when fans are involved in any shape or form in a football club it can only be a good thing,” Evans said.