Cellino prepared to comply with order

FOOTBALL: Massimo Cellino has told Leeds United’s board he will comply with a Football League directive ordering him to quit as a director within 28 days to prevent the club from incurring sanctions during his appeal against disqualification.

United’s owner is preparing to challenge a Football League ruling which banned him from running the club until March of next year and plans to submit an appeal in the coming days.

“I’m prepared to resign if it’s what I have to do,” said Cellino last night. “I said to the other directors that I don’t want to bring any problems on the club so if I have to resign in 28 days and then wait to finish my appeal, I will.”

Cellino was disqualified by the League on December 1 after the governing body announced that he was in breach of its Owners and Directors Test due to a tax conviction imposed on him by an Italian court in March.

The ban runs until March 18, 2015 – the date on which his conviction is spent under UK law – but the 58-year-old will fight the ruling, arguing Italy’s judicial system considers him innocent until his tax case passes through two stages of appeal.

Cellino was given 14 days to submit a formal challenge to his Football League ban but the organisation also ordered him to resign as a United director within 28 days – two weeks on Monday – regardless of whether an appeal was pending.

Failure to comply with the League’s instructions could lead to a range of penalties against Cellino and the club.