Former Hull City chairman Adam Pearson makes surprise return to Leeds United

Adam Pearson, who was the Leeds United director during the club’s successful run in the late 90’s, has made a surprising return to Elland Road.

Pearson is set to take up a position at Leeds just weeks after agreeing to an advisory role at Sheffield Wednesday.

As reported in theYorkshire Post, Pearson met with the Championship club’s current owner Massimo Cellino to discuss a return to Leeds, and later today it is expected to be announced that Pearson has been appointed to the role of executive director.

Previously worked as commercial director at Elland Road, Pearson left in 2001 after purchasing Hull City. At the time, Leeds were one of the highest-spending clubs in the Premier League, whereas Hull were in administration and near the bottom of the Third Division of the Football League.

After selling Hull in 2007, and seeing the club get promoted twice, moving up to the Championship, he became executive chairman of Derby County, but returned to Hull two years later to resume his position of chairman at the KC Stadium.

Pearson’s return comes less than a week after Cellino was reinstated to Leeds’ boardafter being granted permission by the Football League.The Italian businessman’s ban from having any managing role in the club, which has now been lifted, stems from being found guilty of tax evasion in Italy late last year.

There is still no official word yet as to why Pearson decided to leave Wednesday, but his own desire to return to Leeds is thought to be a major factor.

Pearson said: “I’m here to assist Massimo as much as possible on all sides of the club and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be like his right-hand man as executive director at the club, trying to get the club moving forward in the right lines and in tune with its supporters.

“I know the club really well, I was here 15 years ago. Quite a lot has changed internally but there’s still a lot of familiar faces and some really good staff here. Hopefully we can build on that teamwork off the pitch and really take the club forward.

“I know this city very well, I know the club and it’s my hometown city.”

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