By Tony Leighton

Former Leeds United women's boss Gemma Grainger has broken her silence on the events surrounding her sacking as the club's manager.

Grainger strongly contests the club's assertion that her departure last week was by mutual consent.

"I didn't want to go, and I want the true story told," she said.

The former reserves boss had been in charge of the first team since the close-season resignation of predecessor Rick Passmoor.

As well as losing Passmoor, the Premier League club saw its entire first team squad leave to join clubs who will be in the new Super League.

With the new-look side in the relegation zone ahead of Sunday's meeting with Reading, Grainger was removed and Passmoor brought back in.

"Gemma's departure was by mutual consent, but obviously results on the pitch were the reasons behind it," said Leeds general manager Gary Taylor.

But Grainger said: "There are some short memories at the club and I'm very disappointed with the way I've been treated.

"When we started pre-season I only had three players, so I had to re-build the squad from scratch and I got some decent performances from the girls.

"Yes, we were in the bottom two, but we had games in hand on practically every team in the league, and I was confident we would climb the table.

"When I was told that I was losing my job it was difficult to understand, not just for me but for the players as well.

"Some of the girls thought it was a joke when I contacted them to tell them the news, and it's been hard to take.

"But I have already had contact from a couple of Super League clubs, so I'm remaining upbeat and positive about the future."

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Gemma Grainger's sacking here.

Passmoor's first game back in charge brought a 3-0 win against a Reading side which Grainger's team had beaten away from home earlier in the season.

The result lifted Leeds out of the drop zone but Passmoor, who has returned only until the end of the season, had a sympathetic word for his former management colleague.

"Gemma had done a great job with the reserves," he said, "and taking on the first team with a largely inexperienced group of players at this level was a difficult task.

"I've simply said that I'll come in and hold the fort until the end of the season with the aim of keeping the team in the Premier League."

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