Ryan's voice has been prominent in the clamour of criticism that followed United's arbitrational challenge against their points deduction, but the Doncaster chairman rejected claims that he was pursuing an "anti-Leeds" agenda by supporting the Football League.

The outcome of United's attempt to overturn their stringent penalty was expected to be confirmed shortly after 5pm today and Ryan is one of several League One chairmen who have watched the bitter dispute between Leeds and the Football League with increasing concern.

Today's decision will come less than 48 hours before the end of the season, and the order of League One would be drastically altered at a stroke were the arbitration panel considering United's appeal to rule that the 15-point penalty was either invalid of excessively harsh.

Doncaster took control of second place in League One last weekend and, as the division stood this morning, a victory from their last match of the season at Cheltenham Town on Saturday would confirm their promotion to the Championship.

But the return of seven points or more to Leeds today would elevate the Elland Road club into the final automatic promotion spot, and the tribunal's verdict also carries significance for Nottingham Forest and Carlisle United, who are still in touch with second place.

Ryan has argued relentlessly that a decision to overturn United's penalty two days before the term is due to conclude would treat unfairly the other 23 clubs in the division, removing what he says was the "level playing field as we understood it at the start of the season".

"I'm only trying to do for Doncaster Rovers what any Leeds fan would do for Leeds United," Ryan told the YEP.
"I'm fighting our corner and standing up for my club.
"This isn't about being anti-Leeds or carrying out a vendetta against the club. I just feel that at this stage of the season, there's no justification for returning the points.

"I keep hearing that it was a wrongful decision but I don't think it was.

"I thought the Football League was right to do what it did and, in any case, I don't believe that Leeds will get their points back.
"But we're in a situation where we're two days away from the end of the season and there's a chance that the division might be completely altered. How can anyone claim that's acceptable?"

Ryan's insistence that the Football League was "right" to deduct 15 points from Leeds in August was challenged in detail by a 27-page document submitted by United to the High Court in February.

United served a writ on the Football League on February 5 after initially failing to instigate an independent review of their penalty, and the threat of a High Court case finally led to the offer of arbitration from the League.

Leeds were originally punished for failing to leave administration with an agreed Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) in place but United's chairman, Ken Bates, has consistently argued that his club adhered to the League's rules on insolvency during the administration process.

United also believe that the Football League lacked the jurisdiction to impose the 15-point penalty, and the three-man tribunal panel – made up of Sir Philip Otton, Peter Leaver and Peter Cadman – sat through four days of submissions during last month's arbitration hearing in London. Their verdict was being finalised this morning.

Asked whether it would be acceptable to leave an unjustified penalty untouched, Ryan said: "I don't think it was unfair.

"I also believe that to say Leeds would definitely have finished second had they started the season on zero points is wrong. Would they have had the same momentum at the start of the season or the same siege mentality? Would the results have run in exactly the same way? You can't say for sure.

"If the decision goes against us then I'll obviously be very unhappy, but I think it should stand and I think it will."
Doncaster's promotion is, in any case, far from certain.

Nottingham Forest are a point adrift of Rovers with a stronger goal difference, and Colin Calderwood's team host a struggling Yeovil side at the City Ground on Saturday.

Carlisle United – also a point behind Doncaster – complete the last of their 46 games against Bournemouth at Brunton Park and have a real if unlikely chance of finishing second.

Ryan said: "I have a lot of time for Leeds United and the ideal scenario for me would be for us to go up automatically on Saturday and for Leeds to go up through the play-offs.

"They're a club that I'd like to see in the Championship and they're a club that I'd want us to be playing next season.

"My argument has never been against Leeds – it's been against a situation which I think is unfair on us and unfair on a lot of other clubs in the division."