WHEN your captain is looking for a move back to his old club and you are rooted to the foot of the table, you could be forgiven for wondering where the next arrow is coming from.

Yet Leeds United manager Dennis Wise says that "not in a million years" does he regret taking the job and he still believes his team will survive in the Championship.

An angry Wise revealed skipper Kevin Nicholls had sought a move back to his old club Luton Town during the days leading up to Saturday's 3-2 Yorkshire derby defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.

Luton manager Mike Newell had telephoned his interest in the player in midweek. When Wise asked Nicholls what was going on, the player shocked him by asking to leave immediately, arguing that he had made a mistake in moving to Leeds in the first place.

Wise relieved Nicholls of the captaincy, handed it to Jonathan Douglas and told Nicholls, who lives in York, he would not be involved against Wednesday. Although Wise says he won't allow Nicholls to rejoin Luton until the end of the season, it would beggar belief if the player ever turned out for Leeds again.

With the permanent transfer window closed, Nicholls finds himself in limbo until the summer when, if he rejoins Luton, Leeds will demand back the £750,000 he cost in July.

Wise said he was "gobsmacked" by the turn of events, especially as he was the manager who had handed Nicholls the captaincy at a time when the midfielder was injured.

United's finishing let them down badly and, with Wednesday leading 3-0, it took an 88th minute own-goal by defender Lee Bullen to bring Leeds' first goal in five matches.

Richard Cresswell then had home fans dreaming of an unlikely point when he reduced the deficit but his former club just held out for their first win at Elland Road since 1998.

Pick of Wednesday's goals was a 40-yard lob by Chris Brunt after Frazer Richardson was dispossessed near the touchline, but Marcus Tudgay and Jermaine Johnson also took their goals with clinical efficiency, punishing slack defensive work that has plagued Leeds all season.

Tudgay's dismissal for a second bookable offence, four minutes after half-time, should have turned the game United's way, but Wednesday showed commendable character to overcome the handicap.

Leeds match facts
Coca-Cola Premiership: Leeds United 2, Sheffield Wednesday 3 (at Elland Road)

Leeds United: Stack, Richardson, Heath, Rui Marques, Lewis, Moore, Douglas, Kishishev (Carole 83), Howson (Blake HT), Healy, Cresswell. Subs not used: Ankergren, Foxe, Johnson. Booked: Healy. Goals: Bullen og 88, Cresswell 89.

Sheffield Wednesday: Turner, Simek, Bullen, Wood, Spurr, Johnson (Small 72), Watson, Whelan, Brunt, Burton (MacLean 84), Tudgay. Subs not used: Adamson, Gilbert, Folly. Sent off: Tudgay. Booked: Burton, Spurr. Goals: Burton 7, Brunt 37, Johnson 54.

Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire).

Attendance: 25,297.