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Sam Allardyce hits out after losing assistant to jury duty

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By Legal Cheek on

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New Leeds manager describes decision not to release Sammy Lee as ‘poor judgement’

Sam Allardyce – credit: WikiCommons/Brian Minkoff-London Pixels

Sam Allardyce made his return to football management after two years away this week, taking over the top role at Premier League outfit Leeds United.

But things appears to have already got off to a rocky start — and apparently His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service is to blame.

Addressing journalists at a press conference this week, the outspoken manager revealed his favoured number two, ex-Liverpool player Sammy Lee, was unable to join his backroom team because he is on jury service.

And the decision not to release Lee appears to have upset ‘Big Sam’. “The judge has left Sammy unemployed and not let him off,” Allardyce said in his first press conference. “Very poor judgement indeed. Shame because the wee man loves being with me and I with him.”

Allardyce, 68, is tasked with keeping Leeds in the top flight with just four games to play. They currently sit 17th, level on points with Nottingham Forest.

Can Allardyce keep Leeds up? The jury is out…

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