Blackwell happy to spend Bates' cash

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell will have no qualms about spending his transfer budget, if and when new chairman Ken Bates provides him with one.

Blackwell has so far held only preliminary discussions with Bates over the way forward at Elland Road where the 73-year-old former Chelsea patriarch has acquired a controlling stake on the back of his estimated £10m (€14.4m) investment in a club burdened by debts of £24.5m (€35.2m).

Bates is set to outline his plans at a 3pm press conference arranged for Elland Road this afternoon with Blackwell then expecting sit down for dinner and a detailed discussion with United’s financial saviour this evening.

And Blackwell said: “There has been a lot of things we have had to deal with at Leeds over the last few months but throughout it all, the players’ spirit has been strong.

“I am pleased with my players and proud of every one of them so if anyone wants to criticise them, they had better come and see me first.

“There have been 24 players who have made their debut for Leeds already this season but if the new chairman wants to give me some money for new players I will not have a problem. So what if we set a new post-war record for debutants? I will not have any problems with that.

“Everyone focuses on Leeds because we are such a massive club but what about Rafael Benitez at Liverpool? People say he should be given time to get things right but he has gone in there, taken over a team who were already a good side and also been given some money to buy players.

“I think I should be given some time too. The reality at Leeds is that we are in a rebuilding situation and I hope the new chairman will be bringing some money in. If we add one or two quality players to the squad we have got then I think we will be a very good side indeed.”

Bates had been absent for Leeds’ 2-0 defeat to Derby last night but present among the onlookers was Scotland coach Walter Smith, who saw goalkeeper Neil Sullivan beaten by Tommy Smith and a deflected Adam Bolder effort.

But the Leeds shot-stopper also pulled off spectacular one-handed saves to earlier deny Smith and Rams captain Ian Taylor.

And Blackwell, a former goalkeeper himself, said: “Neil has been superb this season and if I was Walter Smith I would know who my Scotland number one would be. I think he is the best Scotland goalkeeper but Walter Smith will make up his own mind.”

Meanwhile, Rams manager George Burley was left to reflect on a victory - Derby’s first over Leeds in 18 years – which catapulted his side into fifth place in the Coca-Cola Championship table.

But the Pride Park boss sounded a note of caution, saying: “We have the quality to remain in the play-off places but it is a question of whether the squad holds up. It is not a question of where we are now but where we finish the season and there is still a lot of hard work to be done.”