Elland Road fans video: New man can get us promoted this year, says Bates

The 42-year-old’s reign as United manager came to an end yesterday morning just 12 or so hours after his side had crashed to a desperate 4-1 home defeat against Birmingham City.

Bates, who returned to his Monaco home yesterday after a holiday in South Africa, felt the time had come for a change and Grayson was told the news at Leeds’s Thorp Arch training ground.

Assistant manager Glynn Snodin, first-team coach Ian Miller and goalkeeping coach Andy Beasley have also left.

Academy manager Neil Redfearn has been put in temporary charge while the search for Grayson’s successor gets under way.

Former Halifax and Scarborough boss Redfearn is expected to be in the dugout at Bristol City on Saturday but the likes of Neil Warnock, Roberto Di Matteo and Gordon Strachan have already been installed as early favourites to take permanent charge.

Bates said: “What I don’t understand is why we are where we are with what we have spent.

“When we lost 4-1 at Barnsley (on New Year’s Eve), their wage bill was £4.5m. Ours was £11.5m so clearly we are not getting value for money.

“Therefore, we have decided things aren’t working. We have 18 games to go and can still get into the play-offs. Automatic promotion is probably not on but we are looking for a fresh start, fresh attitude and fresh look.

“Simon told me in November that we were going to win promotion. These players haven’t become bad overnight. We have got a problem there somewhere.

“I was a little bit disappointed after the Birmingham game to hear Simon say he was managing under financial constraints.

“He is nearly 30 per cent over budget.”

Bates has come under fire from a section of the Elland Road crowd this season. Protests took place before the home games against Middlesbrough in August and Ipswich Town last month, while a march is also planned for the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion on February 11.

The sacking of Grayson has led to further criticism coming Bates’s way on internet messageboards and Twitter, the main accusation being a failure to provide sufficient transfer funds.

United’s chairman said: “Contrary to some of the nutters on Twitter, we have backed him all the way.

“The first time I said no to a player Simon wanted to buy was last Thursday. He wanted to sign a player who would cost us £600,000 per year.

“I said, ‘You have already got six centre-backs, all of whom you signed’. We have one of the largest squads in the Championship at 30, while our wage budget was £9.5m this year but Simon has spent over £12m.

“So these people who are blaming me for the results, they don’t know what they are talking about.

“Every penny we have made on transfer fees has gone back into the team. Don’t forget, even if you sign a player on a free transfer, if he earns £500,000 a year then with tax that is £600,000.

“If he then gets a three-year contract, that is £1.8m. That is a tremendous amount of money for a Championship club.

“We have six strikers at the club and six centre-backs. What I can’t understand is why they are suddenly not good enough and we have three teenagers in the back four. The manager decides who he wants to buy; we as a club just pay for it. But the fact is we have conceded more goals than almost any other club in the Championship.

“Since the present system isn’t working, we need a fresh outlook. Having said that, we say thank you to Simon and his two assistants for what they have done in the past.”

Among the demands of those involved in the protests against Bates is a hope that a new owner can come in and take charge.

The United chairman, however, has a cautionary tale for his critics that involves Joseph Cala, the American-Sicilian businessman who recently failed to deliver on his promises to buy Portsmouth – something that has left the south coast club facing the prospect of being placed into administration for the second time in as many years. Bates said: “There is a guy who has failed to take over Portsmouth recently. I met him three months ago at the request of someone else because he was supposed to be interested in investing in Leeds. These people come through, every week of the year and month.”

On supporter opinion, Bates added: “Sixty two per cent of season ticket holders renewed (before Tuesday’s deadline) so thank you to them. It demonstrates that despite the vociferous minority, people can see what we are trying to do long-term.

“We are building a club first and a team second. And we are making progress at a time when so many others are in financial difficulties.”

As Redfearn prepares to take training for the first time today, United’s search for Grayson’s successor will be stepped up.

Bates added: “Neil is a tough character. Look how well the Academy has been doing under his control.

“We have seven Academy players in the first-team squad. Neil will bring a fresh face. It gives us time to rethink and move on.”