SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY manager Paul Sturrock probably isn’t the only manager who smiles to himself when he hears his Leeds opposite number Kevin Blackwell insist he has the hardest job in football.

Blackwell hasn’t had it easy since he has been in charge at Elland Road, but following the arrival of Ken Bates as chairman a year ago yesterday, he has been able to spend millions on the likes of David Healy, Rob Hulse, Robbie Blake and Eddie Lewis.

Sturrock, on the other hand, has pretty much had to make do with the squad he inherited when taking over a club £27m in debt and in the bottom half of League One. No wonder he was philosophical after watching his team hold Leeds comfortably until a controversial goal 20 minutes from time sent them on their way to undeservedly conclusive defeat.

It could have been the other way round for Bates, who almost bought Wednesday before transferring his attentions to Leeds.

The former Chelsea chairman was in typically forthright form in his programme notes yesterday, describing the internal administration of Leeds when he arrived as “rotten to the core”.

The club is in an infinitely stronger position than it was 12 months ago, with debt reduced from £60m to about £12.5m. Even past managers Peter Reid and David O’Leary have finally been paid off, although along with O’Leary’s former assistant Brian Kidd, it cost the club £1.7m.

In the absence of the suspended Hulse, Leeds started with Richard Cresswell and Blake up front and Healy on the bench.

Healy, it is rumoured, has been offered as a possible makeweight as Leeds try to sign midfielder Jason Koumas, who is on loan from West Bromwich Albion to Cardiff, but West Brom want cash, and for all the improvement in their finances of late, Leeds don’t have £2.5m available.

Wednesday’s decision to start with only Deon Burton up front and Marcus Tudgay and Chris Brunt breaking in support from either wing, handed the initiative to the home team. Other than Sean Gregan’s early shot however, kicked off the line by John Hills, and a Jonathan Douglas header easily saved by Nicky Weaver, they created little.

As half-time approached the game stagnated and Elland Road’s biggest crowd of the season watched gloomily as the visitors snuffed out Leeds.

Healy’s arrival after an hour was greeted with the biggest cheer of the day. It was a huge turning point because shortly afterwards Leeds took the lead. Paul Butler appeared to climb all over Frank Simek in heading Gary Kelly’s cross, but referee Dermot Gallagher waved play on. The ball was bouncing away from goal, but Douglas refused to give it up and hooked it back over Weaver for Butler to head again, this time into the net.

With little choice, Sturrock switched to attack, bringing on the young striker Barry Corr to partner Burton, but although Wednesday finally began to threaten, they were giving Leeds more room on the counter-attack.

Ten minutes later, Leeds scored a second, and again Wednesday were unfortunate in that Richard Wood was off the field having a cut cleaned. The man he should have been marking, Cresswell, wasn’t picked up and headed Kelly’s corner directly past Weaver. The game was won, and that Cresswell made it three, sliding in to convert Simon Walton’s low centre in stoppage time, was cruel in the extreme.

Blackwell said: “I’d have taken 1-0, but I thought we looked a good, strong side. Getting our goal after their best spell broke them.

“It’s been a momentous 12 months, the club has turned itself on its head. Sheffield United must be looking over their shoulder.”

Sturrock insisted he wasn’t downhearted after seeing a run of three consecutive wins come to an end. “I didn’t feel 3-0 was a fair result,” he said.

STAR MAN: Jonathan Douglas (Leeds)

Player ratings. Leeds: Sullivan 6, Kelly 6, Butler 6, Gregan 5, Crainey 5, Douglas 8, Miller 5 (Walton 83min, 5), Derry 6, Lewis 6, Cresswell 7, Blake 5 (Healy 62min, 5)

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver 5, Simek 6, Coughlan 6, Whelan 5 (Partridge 76min, 5), Gilbert 6, Brunt 6, Wood 5, O’Brien 6, Hills 6, Tudgay 5 (Corr 76min, 5), Burton 5

Scorers: Leeds: Butler 70, Cresswell 82, 90

Referee: D Gallagher

Attendance: 27,843

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football