Boro fans have reacted with dismay to the news that boss Steve McClaren could desert the club for Leeds United.

Reports that the Yorkshireman is ready to quit Boro to take over at Elland Road have yet to be confirmed.

But yesterday, while McClaren holidayed in Spain with his family, glum supporters were facing up to a bleak future without him.

Mark Lund, 28, from West Lane, said he would be "devastated" if McClaren quit.

"He was just starting to get his own team together," he said. "He had a lot of dross left over from Robson which he has cleared out and it looked like he had a plan. He would be very, very difficult to replace."

Matt Shippey, 24, from Coulby Newham, agreed. "I'm not very happy about it," he said. "He was doing a lot of rebuilding of the team and now he's possibly going to walk away from it."

Tony Mason, 53, from Acklam, said fans would be bitterly disappointed. "We all think he's done a good job. He's managed to get rid of players who were expensive and not doing much and was thinking very positively about what he was going to do in the future.

"It will be another disappointment when the Boro have lost a key person to another club."

But Bob Fischer, 29, assistant editor of Boro fanzine Fly Me to Moon, said he was loath to believe the rumours. "I still hope in my heart of hearts that he won't go."I think he's the best manager that Boro have had for years. I can't understand why he would go to Leeds when he'd be asked to sell players, as opposed to buying them here.

"I know there's the saying there's no smoke without fire but I think in the football world there is. It wouldn't surprise me if there was nothing in it."

John Ovington, chairman of Middlesbrough Official Supporters' Club, was equally sceptical. "I don't think there's any truth in it. It beggars belief that this speculation goes on. It's damaging because the club is at a critical point. We are still waiting for confirmation from Juninho. What will he think of it all?"