David O'Leary has sensationally claimed Leeds United would have been better off if Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate had been sent to prison.

The pair were both charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and affray after an incident outside a nightclub in Leeds two years ago.

Bowyer was acquitted of all charges and Woodgate ordered to serve 100 hours of community service.

But the Elland Road boss insisted: "It would have made it easier if they had both gone inside".

"The law of the land had to sort it out but after the courts had dealt with it, we got the backlash. It would have been better for us if they'd gone inside."

Might just be me, but I find this a quite staggering statement, and indicative of O'Dreary having his priorities all screwed up.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

Answers

Clarky, I agree: I hate to say this about anyone but I have a bad feeling that this is going to end up in a very nasty nervous breakdown.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

I think he was all set to join Manure, but Taggart signed a new deal.

Now he has to prove his real worth at Leeds and is facing some really tough managerial decisions.

I say fair play to him for speaking the honest truth - it would've been better for Leeds. Bowyer hasn't been half the player he was since he was cleared and Woodgate's crime will always be a burden to the side.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

The thing that is puzzling is offering Bowyer a 5 year deal - after saying it would've been better if they went down. Sort of contradictory there.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

All it needs is for the hack to have omitted the words 'Makes you wonder if maybe .....', and the whole sense of what was said has been altered.

That being the case though, O'Dreary should have had more sense, he must have a good idea what most of the useless bastads are like.

Wouldn't be the first time the hack version of poetic license has been used.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

Peculiar thing with Bowyer is that he was nothing short of fantastic for most of the time the trial was going on & since he got away with it (I'm reluctant to use the words "cleared" or "innocent") his form has dipped quite badly.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002