McAllister converted his short-term deal at Elland Road into a 12-month rolling contract on Thursday and the security of his position will see him to move back to the White Rose county with his family once the club's League One term concludes.

United's manager has commuted from the midlands during the first two months of his reign, but he is intent on tying himself more closely to the city of Leeds – and will insist that his future signings at Elland Road do the same.

The announcement of McAllister's improved deal was an unexpected development. The 43-year-old and the club were not expected to open talks until his initial contract expired next month.

But an appreciation of his dedication convinced chairman Ken Bates to begin drawing up revised terms a fortnight ago.

The year-long deal has extinguished any doubt over who will carry Leeds through the summer and into next term and McAllister's assistant Steve Staunton and first-team coach Neil McDonald are expected to replace their own short-term deals with longer agreements in the immediate future.

"They're exactly the same, and the three of us will stay together," said McAllister, whose position at first appeared to rest on his ability to guide United to promotion from League One this season. "The club are giving us a fair crack at it."

On the day in January when he agreed to become United's manager, McAllister hoped that his employment would run far beyond the length of his initial agreement, and Bates suggested that the former Leeds midfielder "feels as if he's come home" after re-associating himself with the club and the city.

McAllister said: "For me, personally, it sets my mind at peace.

"I've got two young children and I want to know where I will be as far as houses go and where I'm staying, rather than renting and hotels.

"I gives me that relaxation knowing where I'm going to be sleeping for the next year or so. I'll come back to live in Yorkshire.

"They (McAllister's sons) are delighted. My oldest is a Yorkshireman and he was born here when I played here, so he's back on his home turf.

"In conversations with the chairman, when we've started looking in the future, I've said that there have got to be some stipulations on where you live.

"I want people to commit to the club. I don't want them travelling up motorways and living at the other end of the country.

"If you're signing for any length of time at this club, I want players and staff to be living in the area.