Premiership: Leeds stars back under-fire Kidd

Leeds’ stars today banded together in support of under-fire head coach Brian Kidd.

United supporters yesterday rounded on Kidd during the goalless draw against Everton at Goodison Park in the Barclaycard Premiership.

At the final whistle, the fans’ criticism prompted chairman Peter Ridsdale to walk round the touchline and speak with the few hundred supporters who had yet to leave the ground.

Ridsdale told them that manager David O’Leary, the players and the club were fully behind Kidd.

The fans blame the former Manchester United assistant to Alex Ferguson for Leeds’ recent collapse, which has seen them stretch their winless streak to 10 matches.

But today in an unprecedented show of support goalkeeper Nigel Martyn, captain Rio Ferdinand and striker Alan Smith voiced their backing for Kidd.

The trio confirmed it was their decision to hold a noon press conference at the club’s Thorp Arch training complex, with no prompting needed from either O’Leary or Ridsdale.

Martyn said: ‘‘We are doing this to put things straight because people have got the wrong impression that Kidd is the reason why things are going wrong.

‘‘The way the supporters are reacting is borne out of frustration, because after doing well at the start of the season we cannot seem to find a win since the turn of the year.

‘‘They have a right to be frustrated, but it’s not right to accuse one coach. So we have decided to underline our support for Brian before the situation gets any worse.

‘‘I heard what was said during the game and I was quite shocked.

‘‘I know Brian heard it as well and that he was upset by what was being said.

‘‘It would be easy for him to go in front of the cameras and say what he wanted to say. But people would probably think that is just retaliation, so we are speaking on his behalf.

‘‘We want to make it clear that we want Brian to stay.’’