It could genuinely go either way a source said

“It could genuinely go either way,” a source said.Birch could sell players to the value of £5m, which is the amount Leeds need to keep afloat until the end of the season, but is loath to weaken the squad. Another plea to the players to take a 30 per cent wage deferral is likely to face resistance. His third option is to persuade the creditors that a viable rescue plan is in the pipeline.The consortium’s bid hinges on whether they can do a deal with the club’s major creditors involving Elland Road. Instead of Leeds paying all the £60m they owe to bondholders, they would forfeit ownership of Elland Road.

The bondholders would then lease the stadium back to the club.. No one at Leeds has any idea whether either men are involved in the new offer.The consortium’s bid, despite being faceless, is being taken seriously. Club insiders feel there is a “50-50 chance” of administration within a fortnight. The club’s chief executive and acting chairman, Trevor Birch, needs to buy more time or face turning Leeds over to administrators tomorrow. Leeds’ latest deadline to stave off administration expires at midnight tonight. Substitutes not used: Sullivan (gk), Johnson, Huth.Referee: B Knight (Kent).Bookings: Scarborough: Hotte.

Chelsea: Melchiot, Terry.Man of the match: Terry.Attendance: 5,379.. Leeds United are considering an eleventh-hour £20m bid by a mystery consortium of four Yorkshire-based businessmen. Deep sleep.Goal: Terry (10) 0-1.Scarborough: (4-4-2) Walker; Lyth, Cryan, Hotte, Baker (Capper, 14); Marcelle, Kelly, Kerr, Sestanovic; Whitman (Senior, 72), Quayle. And how shaming it will be if, when he does finally take his leave of this world, he is honoured more in Italy than in the United Kingdom.Rev Williams is bang on the money. Substitutes not used: Sollitt (gk), Williams, Downey.Chelsea: (4-4-2) Cudicini; Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Cole, Nicolas (Oliveira, 66), Lampard, Gronkjaer (Petit, h-t); Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink.

If there was some substance in Steve McClaren’s testy assertion that the good work Middlesbrough put in for 45 minutes was cancelled out by careless defending, the outcome of their third encounter with Arsenal in two weeks proved to be another humbling experience. Sir Bobby Robson, the Newcastle United manager, held discussions with the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, last night amid claims he was considering resigning from the club.
Robson had been infuriated bycriticism in a newspaper report of the departing striker Carl Cort that included quotes attributed to a club insider suggesting that his £7m signing had been a waste of money. Reports yesterday claimed Robson had threatened to resign if the mole was not sacked, but a statement issued by the club last night claimed the problem had been resolved.”Following reports of Sir Bobby Robson quitting which have appeared in today’s Sunday papers, Sir Bobby confirms he has been to see the chairman privately .. regarding the stories,” the statement read. “As far as both the chairman and the manager are concerned, the matter has been resolved amicably and the subject is now closed.”Cort, whose £2m transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers was confirmed yesterday, was introduced to the club’s supporters on the pitch before the 3-1 FA Cup defeat to West Ham United. Cort said: “Wolves have given me a second chance to show what I can do and I honestly do think I’m capable of playing at the highest level. I feel this is a chance for me to relaunch myself, it’s another test, it’s another challenge.”I’m a confident person and I go out each time believing I’m going to score goals, it was just unfortunate I never had the run of games which allowed me to prove myself at Newcastle and show I could do it at the highest level …”Obviously I’ve not played a Premiership game for a while which means it’ll take me time to get back into it, but I don’t think it’ll be too long.”.