Dorigo: Leeds were right to fight

lil eva · Dorigo: Leeds were right to fight

Tony Dorigo today defended Leeds United's decision to fight their 15-point penalty to the bitter end, insisting: "Every other club would do the same."
The former Elland Road defender claimed United were "blameless" for the time taken to settle a dispute which may not be resolved until 48 hours before the final game of the League One season.

Leeds and the Football League have been locked in arbitration since last Wednesday as United attempt to overturn their 15-point deduction. Both parties made final submissions to the three-man tribunal panel in London yesterday.

The panel has promised to return a verdict on whether the League's decision to dock 15 points from Leeds was justified by May 1, just two days before the season is due to finish.

Swansea City captain Garry Monk described the situation as "ridiculous" yesterday and Doncaster Rovers chairman John Ryan claimed four clubs should be promoted if Leeds are elevated to an automatic promotion position nine months after their penalty was imposed.

But Dorigo, who played for Leeds between 1991 and 1997 and was a team-mate of current United manager Gary McAllister, told the YEP: "As much as I understand why other clubs are worried about the effect it might have on them, they can't blame Leeds for the uncertainty.

"If people are unhappy with the timing of this – and I agree that it's crazy – then they have to take it up that argument with the authorities. Leeds are blameless when

it comes to the fact that a decision might be made two days before the season's supposed to end.

"Any other club in their position would have done exactly the same.

"If you think a penalty's unfair and you think there are reasonable grounds to challenge it then why would you sit back and do nothing? It wouldn't make sense.

"I've never seen anything like this before but it's best that it's sorted out one way or the other. Fifteen points is a massive penalty."

United's players have maintained their push for the League One play-offs despite the potential distraction of the off-field dispute, and Dorigo said: "They've been extremely professional in the way they've handled themselves.

"If anything, their form has improved in the last month or so and they've obviously been very attentive to the job they've got to do.

"When players cross the white line, a game of football is a game of football and you do what you do week in, week out – you look to win.

"They'll have decided from the start that there wasn't much point in holding out for a good decision. In fact, I'd bet that every one of them is assuming they'll get nothing.

"It speaks of good management and good professionalism among the squad, and Gary McAllister and his players deserve a lot of praise for that."