On The Ropes: Peter Ridsdale

John Humphrys in conversation with Peter Ridsdale, the man blamed by many fans for sinking Leeds United, talks about his spendthrift reputation.

[@azapro911]

At the risk of getting my head bitten off, I do think Ridsdale has a bit of a point about Leeds' form in the Prem during '01-'02, O'Leary absolutely blew what should have been nailed on Champions League finishes. Doesn't excuse the ludicrous financial risk taken, but if I were Ridsdale, I'd have been bewildered at missing out like that twice on the spin.

[@flaviusconstantius9702]

On 1st January 2002 Leeds were top of the Premier League. Their record over the rest of the season was W7 D4 L6 and they ended up 5th. You can blame Ridsdale for many things, but not the team's form collapsing.

[@thommohawk1216]

@@flaviusconstantius9702 At the time it didn't help that our entire right side was often suspended that season, and if Kewell was injured Wilcox was a big step down. Too much off field stuff cost us CL twice, which cost us major money due to heavy investment which we were unable to pay back. If anything it just goes to show how easily things can fall apart in top flight football when clubs rely on CL. There was a lot less money in the Prem back then too. That is why chairmen and board should never shell out first when relying on CL qualification after the fact to pay.

[@GEricG]

It's a bit risky gambling on finishing in a particular part of the table.

[@harrymonk770]

As far as I’m concerned, this man is not welcome at Elland Road ever again. The fans will never forgive him and I won’t forgive him for what he did to our football club, but now we’re on our way back this season under Bielsa and I just hope what happened under Ridsdale doesn’t happen to us again. Ridsdale took no responsibility whatsoever for what happened to us after we failed twice to get back into the champions league. Instead he blamed David O’Leary, yes O’Leary writing that book didn’t help, but it wasn’t David’s fault for what happened it was Ridsdale’s fault. End of story.

[@harrymonk770]

Real talk 😂

[@harrymonk770]

Real talk What about those fans that said Cellino wasn’t welcome at Elland road anymore all those years ago. Are they plonkers as well 🤔

[@harrymonk770]

Fucking hell, you’ve gone quiet I wonder why you’re not responding, I think the reason you’ve gone very quiet all of a sudden and shut your mouth is because you’re talking shit.

[@harrymonk770]

Real talk Ridsdale should get most of the blame for what happened. O’Leary and the players played their part as well. You can blame O’Leary for these four things, demoting Eddie Gray and replacing him with Brian Kidd, falling out with the players, bringing out that stupid book and results and performances getting worse in the second half of his final season in charge. For example before Cardiff knocked us out of the FA Cup, we were top of the league and we were on course to finish in the top four and get back into the champions league. After Cardiff knocked us out of the FA Cup, we didn’t win again for eight weeks, we dropped out of the top four, we finished 5th and we missed out again on the champions league. They made some very bad signings as well and we made some ridiculous offers for some of these players, such as Johnson, Fowler and Keane. You can’t blame O’leary for the fees we paid for the players we signed. O’Leary didn’t make all of these ridiculous bids for the players we signed, he just told Ridsdale who he wanted to sign. O’leary was asked who he wanted to sign, but Peter Ridsdale was the one that made all these ridiculous bids for these players not O’Leary. O’Leary was just asked who he wanted to sign. We signed Ferdinand for £18 million, Ridsdale was the one that offered West Ham £18 million for him not O’Leary. Some of the players O’Leary told Ridsdale to sign were shit. O’Leary wasn’t asking Peter Ridsdale to make all these ridiculous bids for these players, he was just asked who he wanted to sign.

[@maxsch8454]

It probably will happen again at some point, Leeds aren't all that.

[@limatedman]

Stupid decision to gamble leeds united's financial status on qualifying for the champions league.

[@matthewallen1597]

PNE benefitting well from his earlier errors now.

[@yippyialeftside8351]

His arrogance is sickening , he was in charge

[@steveturner6772]

Good old Peter , great guy alaw

[@christopherdawson233]

He blames everyone else. He likes spending other peoples money and reaping the benefits.

[@1Hcooper]

when was this?