Gordon Strachan is high on Leeds' wish-list of managers to succeed Peter Reid - but remains exceptionally unlikely to quit St Mary's.

The Saints boss is the dream choice of many Leeds fans to return to the club he captained to the title as a player.

He has been listed among the early favourites to succeed Reid with some bookmakers, although Ladbrokes only have him a 25-1 long shot for the job.

Spokesman Balthazar Fabricius said: "We believe the Saints are progressing so strongly at the moment that it would be a backward step to take the helm of a sinking ship."

A source close to Leeds said: "I'm sure they would love to be able to get Gordon Strachan - he was here for a long time and remains extremely popular.

"But I can't imagine for a moment that he would want to come here with the state the club is currently in."

Strachan, who has not yet finalised a new contract at Saints beyond the end of this season, has been touted as a target of the Elland Road board ever since the departure of David O'Leary in June 2002.

IT WOULD be a major shock if Gordon Strachan was tempted away from St Mary's.

While Leeds have seen David O'Leary, Terry Venables and now Peter Reid leave Elland Road, Strachan has guided Saints to their best Premiership position, an FA Cup final, a place in Europe and a solid start to the new season.

Interest from other clubs in the Saints boss is inevitable given his successes since taking over in October 2001.

But why would he leave to join a club with relegation looming, morale at rock-bottom and no end in sight to the current financial crisis.

Any new manager at Elland Road would have little to spend on new players given that the club has debts of £80m and is reportedly haemorrhaging £952,000 a week.

Should Leeds get relegated, they would almost certainly be forced into administration, which under Football League rules would also see them docked up to ten points for the start of the new season.

By contrast, Saints have greatly increased their turnover since the move from The Dell and are on an extremely sound financial footing.

It has allowed Strachan to spend money on the likes of Antti Niemi, Michael Svensson, Kevin Phillips, Fabrice Fernandes, David Prutton, Danny Higginbotham, Brett Ormerod and Neil McCann, while only selling Wayne Bridge in the past two years.

Under Premier League rules, no Premiership club can 'poach' another Premiership club's manager during a season.

Leeds would need to seek permission to speak to Strachan, and would almost certainly be refused that. Even if he did leave, Saints would seek compensation from cash-strapped Leeds.

Though Strachan's current contract expires at the end of this season, it is believed taks are underway with regards to a new deal.

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock, meanwhile, has been tipped as Peter Reid's successor at Elland Road by the Daily Express.

Warnock, left, recently said he would "love to have the opportunity to have one crack at the Premiership before I retire".

The Express also claim that Nottingham Forest would not stand in Paul Hart's way if he wanted to have talks with Leeds this week.

Remarkably, the paper believes ex-Saints and Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle could be in line to replace Hart at Forest.

According to the Daily Star, Hart is the undoubted favourite to step into Reid's shoes.

But the paper admits: "Heaven help those whose names are on it - and more fool them for being interested in taking over."

Daily Mirror reporter Oliver Holt wrote today: "We could send the men in white coats round for Gordon Strachan if he leaves the ordered excellence of St Mary's for the anarchy of Leeds."

The Press Association's shortlist of replacements for Reid included Hoddle, Glenn Roeder and Bryan Robson.

The Daily Telegraph even mentions ex-Leeds chief George Graham, and the Daily Mail throws in Gary Megson and ex-Leeds player Mickey Adams.