David Prutton is backing Leeds boss Gary McAllister to keep his job and prove the critics wrong.

McAllister has come in for heavy criticism from Leeds fans after three successive defeats, including the embarrassing FA Cup loss at Blue Square Premier side Histon. However, midfieder Prutton says sacking the manager is not the answer.

Prutton, who was signed by McAllister’s predecessor Dennis Wise, said: “Recent results have been as frustrating for the players as they have for the fans but it is extremely drastic to talk abut a change of manager, especially when you consider all the changes and ups and downs this club has been through in recent years.

“People blow hot and cold. It is the nature of the beast to go over the top when the team is doing badly or well.”

Prutton insists Leeds can still win automatic promotion even though they are seven points behind second place.

He said: “We are not settling for a place in the play-offs at the end of the season. We want one of the automatic promotion places.

“You can say it is December already or you can take the view that this is only December and the league season doesn’t finish until May. We have some big six-pointers coming up so there is no doom and gloom within the club.”

McAllister said: “We are trying to stay upbeat but we have to be uglier and more dogged. From the goalkeeper to the front men we have to be a bit nastier – over our dead bodies, so to speak.

“We will keep playing flowing football too, but we have to be more difficult to play against.”

Midfielder Fabian Delph is back after suspension for Saturday’s home game against Colchester and experienced striker Malcolm Christie is expected to return from bruised ribs, but defender Paul Huntington is to have an exploratory operation on the groin injury that has kept him sidelined since September.

* Leeds United have come up with a discount plan to compensate season ticket holders who have missed out on the cut in VAT.

Matchday tickets will be cut by £1 from New Year’s Day which in most cases is a slightly larger cut than the VAT reduction announced by the Chancellor.

But season ticket holders have already paid their VAT so the club has announced that the price of tickets next season will be cut by £10 to make up for that.

They are also offering a special deal to current season ticket holders, guaranteeing this year’s price plus the VAT discount to anyone renewing before March 2, regardless of which division the team is playing.

Full details of the offer will be published in January when the offer starts.

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