Leeds United hires Brian McDermott as manager

Brian McDermott was sacked by Reading on March 11.

Clint Hughes/AP

Brian McDermott secured a rapid return to coaching Friday after being hired as the new manager of second-tier Leeds, where he will attempt to revive the glory days of the fallen English power.

Fired by English Premier League side Reading barely a month ago, McDermott signed a three-year contract at Leeds as the successor to Neil Warnock, who left as manager less than two weeks ago.

"Obviously the immediate aim is a return as soon as possible to the Premier League,'' said David Haigh, chief executive of Bahraini-based investment bank GFH that bought Leeds in December.

"Brian's success in taking Reading to the Premier League last year was a key factor in our decision to hire him.''

Leeds won the Premier League title in 1992 and reached the 2001 Champions League semifinals, but dropped out of the top flight in 2004 after a financial meltdown.

It slipped as low as the country's third division but was promoted to the second-tier League Championship in 2011 and looks like remaining there for another season, with the team currently 17th in the standings - 10 points adrift of the playoff places.

McDermott was sacked by Reading on March 11 with the club struggling to maintain its status in the Premier League.

"He is a man with a proven track record of success and shares our vision of the best way to return to long-term and sustainable success to this great football club,'' Haigh said.

McDermott's first match in charge will be a Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.