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Gary McAllister is stuck with striker Anthony Elding, whether he likes it or not!

Crewe Alexandra have confirmed that Elding will not be joining them despite agreeing a transfer fee with Leeds, and personal terms with Anthony himself.

The Crewe statement reads:

“Although the club were able to meet the player’s personal terms, we are led to believe that he wishes to remain with Leeds United and fight for his place.”

It’s good to hear a player wanting to fight for his place and want to be at Leeds United - many Leeds fans believe Elding hasn’t been given a chance to prove himself after just four months at Elland Road.

So Mr McAllister has at least one strong-minded Leeds United fan in his playing squad - and good luck to him!

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Leeds United striker Anthony Elding’s contract negotiations with Crewe Alexandra have broken down.

A six-figure transfer fee for the 26-year-old had been agreed, however, as we stated five days ago, Elding has a contract until 2010, his family are Leeds fans and he is on very good wages plus he only moved to Leeds United in January from Stockport County and has hardly been given a chance to sho what he can do.

It looks like we were correct and that Elding has decided wants to remain at Leeds to fight for his place, an attitude that will please Leeds fans generally.

Millwall, Darlington, Hartlepool United and Leyton Orient are all following the transfer with interest.

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Leeds United have agreed a transfer fee with Crewe Alexandra for their striker Anthony Elding. Elding will discuss personal terms with Crewe over the weekend.

We covered the background to this story in detail yesterday and Crewe were the obvious bidders - but Elding has a contract with Leeds until 2010 and Crewe will have to match it to make Elding move. Also all of Elding’s immediate family are Leeds fans and so Alex have some work to do if they are hoping for a bargain.

However, it could be that Leeds United have dropped their asking price so that Crewe can afford to up his wage offer.

Hartlepool United and Darlington are also said to be interested, so the story may have some legs left yet.

Anthony Elding’s short-stay at Elland Road is set to come to an end this summer as Gary McAllister has said the striker is up for sale.

Leeds United will listen to offers in excess of £250,000 for the former Boston United and Stockport County player, who scored just one goal in nine appearances in the white shirt. In fairness to Elding though he was only given four starts, the rest being sub appearances.

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At Stockport County, in 13 months, he scored 24 league goals in 38 league starts and 7 sub appearances and it is surprising that McAllister isn’t prepared to give him a fair crack of he whip and it may be a decision he will regret if a late bid comes in for Jermaine Beckford in August. Elding doesn’t have to accept a move as he has a contract unitl 2010 as Macca may find he is “stuck” with him.

Elding has suffered the fate of being signed by a manager just as he leaves the club. Dennis Wise signed the prolific Elding from under the noses of Crewe back in January 2008 by gazumping their £200,000 fee which had already been agreed with Elding’s club, Stockport County.

Newly promoted Hereford United are said to have shown interest - Elding scored a penalty against them this season - but many League Two clubs have experienced what he can do against them and so it is just a question of price rather than whether or not he will have suitors.

Crewe are an obvious bidder but may not wish to increase their bid over their original offer to Stockport. However, there is a joker in the pack here as unconfirmed rumours that Leeds United want Crewe’s Nicky Maynard may play a role - a fee of around £500,000 was mentioned at the time for Nicky and Elding could be the makeweight in the deal.

Crewe’s assistant coach has said the club would not consider a bid of one million pounds for Maynard, but we can remember Terry Venables saying Jonathan Woodgate was going nowhere! Assistant coaches don’t decide transfer policy - club directors do - and coaches put up with it or leave!

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This is Crewe Alexandra we are talking about - they have created some of the best players England have had (plus Seth Johnson) in recent years - and sold them - it’s what Crewe does to survive - and it does it well. The great Dario Gradi (now Crewe’s Technical Director) knows that all too well but it seems his coaching successors have not quite got the message.

Nicky Maynard has scored 35 goals in 67 appearances in all competitions for Crewe Alexandra, including 15 goals in 27 appearances last season. However, Maynard is only 21 years old and McAllister’s confirmed targets suggest he is looking to bring in an older, more experienced striker to work with the talented youngsters he already has - just as Freedman did so successfully last season. But if Beckford is whisked away by a late bid don’t rule out an eleventh hour offer for Maynard.