Brian McDermott: Leeds United appoint ex-Reading boss

Leeds United have appointed former Reading boss Brian McDermott as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The 52-year-old left his position with the Royals last month.

He told BBC Radio Leeds: "This is probably the only club I would come to at this stage of the season. I just want to get going now."

Leeds, who parted company with Neil Warnock last week, are just five points clear of the Championship's relegation zone and are winless in seven games.

McDermott added: "I've gone on a lot of goodwill here. Shaun Harvey [chief executive] told me that I will be supported and I've had a good conversation with the owners.

"The most important thing is the fans and we want to do right by them. We want to give them a side that is exciting to watch and first and foremost gets results.

"A prerequisite for any team I put out is that every player gives their all. I know the supporters here will respond to that."

McDermott will take charge of the team for the first time in Saturday's Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday.

He led Reading to promotion to the Premier League last season but departed the Madejski Stadium in March after a run of four successive defeats.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who joined the club in a scout/coach role in 2000, was appointed manager at the Madejski Stadium on a caretaker basis in December 2009 before being given the job on a permanent basis the following month.

He guided the club to safety in the Championship that season before helping them to the play-off final in the following campaign, but they missed out on promotion after a 4-2 defeat by Swansea.

A slow start to the 2011-12 season saw the Royals sitting in 16th position at the start of November, but McDermott oversaw an upturn in form as Reading picked up 46 points from a possible 51 and ended up as league champions.

However, they failed to pick up where they left off after their promotion to the Premier League and did not record their first win of 2012-13 until a 2-1 success over Everton on 17 November.

Despite recording four consecutive wins in January, they were unable to sustain their good form and by the time McDermott left were four points adrift of safety.

He will be assisted at Elland Road by Nigel Gibbs, 47, who held the same position under him at Reading.

McDermott becomes Leeds' sixth permanent manager since they were relegated from the top flight in 2004.

Warnock told BBC Radio 5 live that he is confident his successor will do well at Leeds.

"I am pleased. He is a really nice bloke and he deserves another good crack and it is a cracking club - a big club and I think this could be a marriage made in heaven," he said.

"They have new owners and I think they will give Brian investment to sign two or three players we needed really."

David Haigh, deputy chief executive of Leeds United owners GFH Capital, said: "He is a man with a proven track record of success and shares our vision.

"Obviously the immediate aim is a return as soon as possible to the Premier League. Brian's success in taking Reading to the Premier League last year was a key factor in our decision to hire him."