BATES AXES MAC AS LEEDS SLUMP; In association with COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.

Byline: BY JOHN PERCY

MK DONS 3

LEEDS UTD 1

LEEDS chairman Ken Bates ran out of patience with Gary McAllister yesterday and dismissed him after just 11 months in charge.

McAllister paid the price for a woeful run of five straight defeats, including the humiliating loss to minnows Histon in the FA Cup.

Bates is keen to name a replacement ahead of Leeds' Boxing Day clash with Leicester at Elland Road and has put Gus Poyet at the top of his wanted list. Poyet was popular with Bates and Leeds supporters during his successful spell at the club working as Dennis Wise's assistant.

The former Chelsea midfielder, who left White Hart Lane last month when Juande Ramos was sacked, was in the crowd to watch this defeat on Saturday.

Former Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd, meanwhile, was on the club's coaching staff under Kevin Blackwell and would relish the chance to return as manager.

Bates will speak to both men in the next 48 hours, with Billy Davies and Gary Speed also under consideration.

A Leeds statement said: 'The board took the decision following the recent poor run of results that has seen the club slip to ninth in League One, 15 points behind the leaders and five points outside the play-offs.

"The decision was made to ensure that the new manager, when appointed, has the maximum number of games possible to move the club up the table and also before the transfer window opens in January to allow him to identify any newplayers he thinks can strengthen the current squad.

"The club would like to place on record its thanks for the loyal service given to Leeds United by Gary since joining the club as manager in January 2008 and wish him every success in the future. The club will make no further comment on a replacement until we are in a position to make an appointment, which we are committed to doing as quickly as possible."

Time ran out for McAllister after Saturday's slump at MK Dons condemned Leeds to yet another defeat.

Two-goal Aaron Wilbraham and stand-in captain Sean O'Hanlon's opener made it eight wins out of their last nine League games for Roberto Di Matteo's side.

AndRobertSnodgrass's48th minute reply that made it 2-1 was never going to be enough to save Leeds.

McAllister spoke rather optimistically after the game and insisted he was not about to press the panic button - but Bates got there first and pressed the eject button instead.

The Dons leapfrogged Millwall to go second - but hero hitman Wilbraham missed out on grabbing his first hat-trick as a pro player.

He said: "I've never had a hat-trick but I thought today ',' was gonna be it. I'd scored with my left foot and a header, so I was hoping for a right-foot goal to make it a perfect hat-trick.

"No MK player has scored a hat-trick at this stadium and it would have been nice to have done it."

M K DONS: Gueret, Stirling (Howell 90), O'Hanlon, Llera, Cummings, Johnson, Navarro, Leven, Puncheon, Wilbraham (Flo 82), Baldock (Wright 76). Goals: O'Hanlon 11, Wilbraham 17,55.

LEEDS: Lucas, Assoumani, Marques, Michalik (Richardson 46), Sheehan, Delph, Douglas, Kilkenny, Howson (Showunmi 76), Snodgrass, Becchio.

Goal: Snodgrass 49

REFEREE: Tony Bates

ATTENDANCE: 17,073

CAPTION(S):

IT'S ALL GONE WRONG Ken Bates took the decision to sack Leeds boss Gary McAllister; DOUBLE TROUBLE Aaron Wilbraham