RAY FELL, chairman of the Leeds United Supporters Club, has condemned the 'vultures' who are feeding off the club's cash crisis.

Fell welcomed the deal that sees Manchester United paying a cut price £1.5million to complete instalmemts on Rio Ferdinand's transfer fee.

But the chairman of Leeds' official Supporters Club hit out angrily at Middlesbrough's cheeky attempt to sign Danny Mills for just £500,000.

Fell said: "I can understand Trevor Birch accepting Manchester United's £1.5m final payment now, rather than waiting for a possible £3.25m based on future results.

"He has done the right thing because we need money now to keep the club out of administration.

"But I am worried that clubs like Middlesbrough are hovering like vultures waiting to pick off our players for bargain prices to cash in on our plight. We should be looking to raise between £1.5m and £2m from Danny's sale."

Birch will today try again to get the players to accept a wage deferral, as no deal has yet been struck with the Yorkshire-based consortium trying to clinch a takeover with time running out.

Leeds' home game against Leicester has been moved from Saturday, April 3, to Monday, April 5 (8pm) for live screening by Sky on pay per view.

Updated: 10:42 Thursday, January 29, 2004