Reports are emerging that former O’s manager Russell Slade will not be in charge of the Bluebirds match against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Slade handed in his resignation at Orient last night to pave the way for a move to the Championship side.

However reports suggest the O’s, Cardiff and Slade could get dragged into a court battle over the issue.

The Evening Standard claim the O’s are on course to take the matter to the Football Association as they believe the 53-year-old was tapped up by the Bluebirds.

However, Slade could use the League Managers Association to make a counter claim that he was constructively dismissed by the League One club, with their Italian owners reportedly offering Slade’s job to other managers, as well as telling the players that he would be leaving.

Cardiff had supposedly triggered Slade’s £100,000 release clause in his O’s contract after making four approaches to Leyton Orient to start official talks with Slade.

And the legal dispute looks likely to lead to the Welsh club delaying their appointment of Slade, and in turn he looks likely to miss Saturday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday, according to Wales Online.

Caretaker managers Danny Gabbidon and Scott Young have been primed to remain in temporary charge of the Bluebirds for the clash with the Owls.