Available for selection

Two will keep playing, says Leeds chairman

LEEDS, England (CNN) -- Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale said that Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer would be able to carry on playing for the club.

"In the light of today's verdicts I will be making both players available to manager David O'Leary," he said.

He said that the position had always been that they would not have played for the Premiership side again had they been found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent against an Asian student.

Although Woodgate was found guilty of affray and ordered to serve 100 hours community service, the 21-year-old centre-back was acquitted of the more serious charge and avoided a jail sentence.

Leeds teammate Bowyer was found not guilty of both charges in relation to an assault on Sarfraz Najeib after four days of deliberations at Hull Crown Court.

Ridsdale, speaking at a news conference, said: "Leeds United have not been on trial.

"Originally four and then two of our employees were on trial.

"I stand by our original position. If either Woodgate or Bowyer had been found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent they would not have played for this football club again."

Ridsdale, responding to claims of racism by Sarfraz Najeib's family, added: "There is no hint of racism within Leeds United football club."

Ridsdale rejected suggestions from the victim's family that Leeds had acted in an uncaring manner following the attack.

"Everyone recognizes that until the result today, Leeds United were in a very difficult position," he said.

"The club was not on trial, some of its players were. Any pronouncements we made could have been misunderstood."

Having decided that Woodgate should be allowed to continue his Elland Road career, Ridsdale said the England defender would be internally disciplined.

"We considered very carefully what we would do in certain circumstances," he said.

"We do not take this lightly and we will take our own disciplinary action against Jonathan."

The Leeds chairman refused to condemn the Football Association, which refused to allow either Bowyer or Woodgate to be picked for England duty, but said his club's policy had been right.

"Our decision to play the two players has been vindicated," he said.

"I have no view on what the FA's role was. You can't change what their stance has been historically." Ridsdale added: "It is very difficult to talk about the impact on players when you have a victim.

"The trial is now out of the way. We now want to go back to playing football and try to get back to some kind of normality.

"We recognize that all of our players are in the public spotlight. If they do anything deemed inappropriate we know they are made sure of the consequences of that."

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'Justice has not been done,' claims victim's father Woodgate guilty of affray, Bowyer cleared in Leeds trial
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