Leeds boss David O'Leary has warned his players to stay out of the headlines next season if the club are to have any chance of achieving the success they crave.

The current campaign has been a public relations disaster for Leeds, with the club in the news for all the wrong reasons, much to O'Leary's disgust.

The infamous court case involving Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, combined with the damaging dismissals, disciplinary hearings and catalogue of suspensions, have all served to undermined Leeds' ambitions this season.

The final straw for O'Leary appears to have been the recent 'horseplay' incident involving Woodgate, who suffered a fractured jaw while shadow boxing with a friend while on a night out in Middlesbrough.

However, the 43-year-old Irishman also drew unwanted publicity upon himself with the serialisation of his book 'Leeds United on Trial' just 48 hours after the Bowyer-Woodgate case had been concluded.

All of which has ensured there is no silverware for Leeds and O'Leary, although more importantly, there is no Champions League football to appease the money men.

The club's plc have bankrolled O'Leary to the tune of nearly £100million in the transfer market since he took charge three-and-a-half years ago, and while the value of a number of players has increased, there is still nothing to show for it in terms of prizes.

The frustration is growing among the fans who have seen the name of Leeds United dragged through the mud on a number of occasions over the past few months.

O'Leary now feels the players owe it to themselves and the club to remain on the straight and narrow as he said: "This has been one of the most difficult seasons I can remember.

"But there is a danger around here that a few people react day by day, rather than taking the longer view. There's a tendency in some circles to panic rather quickly and fail to keep events in context.

"The time to reflect on such a difficult season is after the last match. There are always lessons to be learned, and this season is no different.

"There have been too many things said in the papers, too much speculation about this club, with the talk at the moment about who may be leaving and who might arrive next season, which is not good for the players.

"Mind you, they cannot have it both ways because quite often the stories are initiated by agents trying to get something moving on a player's behalf.

"But I'm convinced we must stay out of the headlines more than we have this season, and the players have a responsibility to see that happens.

"That's why I refused to answer questions about Jonathan Woodgate recently. I was totally disgusted by what happened, but I have dealt with it internally and that's the way things should be done."

Danny Mills is one of those players who has courted controversy this season, with the right-back ruled out for the last two matches as he serves yet another ban.

Mills, though, is now almost certain to be in England's 23-man squad bound for the World Cup this summer after Gary Neville last night sustained a broken bone in his foot while on Champions League duty with Manchester United.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is likely to turn to Mills, who has deputised for Neville in the past in a number of internationals, with the 24-year-old even showing his versatility by playing centre-half during the second period of the recent 4-0 win over Paraguay.

If Mills, who will have missed 10 matches through suspension this season, is on the plane heading for Japan, then it will be with a flea in his ear from O'Leary.

"I thought Danny was unlucky to be booked in the game with Aston Villa, so ruling him out of our final two games of the season, but he has to learn from this season," added O'Leary.

"He's had far too many yellow cards and he has to cut out those stupid bookings that he knows he needn't have picked up.

"It's a lesson Alan Smith has learned, and all players have to realise they are no use to us sitting in the stand."