The Leeds United you now hear of, play their football in the third tier of English football. Back in the hey day of their glory, this would be completely unthinkable, but it is now a stark reality facing their hordes of supporters next month, as the challenge to rise again begins away at Tranmere Rovers.
The late 1960's and for the most part of the 1970's, Leeds United were a team to fear. Managed by Don Revie they were there or thereabouts season after season. Revie had transformed a mediocre side by introducing fresh ideas, and attracting great players. Had it not been for the call for Revie to manage England, who knows what other honours could have been added to his haul of two League Titles, two Fairs Cup wins, a League Cup and FA Cup, not to mention a fair number of near misses when United were to finish second in the table, or lose out in Cup Finals. There can be few football supporters who have not heard of names like Terry Yorath, Billy Bremner, Allan Clarke, Norman Hunter and Johnny Giles, all of whom played a major role in the success of Leeds in the Revie era.
Although Leeds were to continue to be a top half team, they never recaptured the glory throughout the latter end of the seventies, and a string of managers through this time was never going to help, and eventually under the tenure of former player, Allan Clarke, were relegated to the old division 2. Another stream of managers came and went, and still Leeds struggled to regain top flight status, until Howard Wilkinson came along.
During the era when Liverpool and Arsenal were dominating the title race, Wilkinson brought an unfancied Leeds to Champions, pipping rivals Manchester United to the title. Although the success of 92 would be their last, European glory was so near, yet so far away once again. Under rookie manager, David O'Leary, they reached the semi-final of both the UEFA Cup, and European Cup.
Leeds had assembled an awesome squad, but at a price. Over £100m was shelled out in a short space of time, and this would be the start of the downfall. There were off-field problems, and the start of a debt problem, which resulted in players having to be sold to recoup the cash badly needed to stay afloat. Rio Ferdinand went for £30m and others followed, meantime Leeds were beginning to slide down the table. But debts were still mounting, and the concentration was on how to stay financially solvent. Subsequent takeovers did not help, and players were continually sold to make up money. Relegation would never help the cause, the valuable cash from The Premiership was gone, along with sponsorship money, television rights, and the debts continued to mount.
So we come to today, with Leeds just out of the administration, following relegation from The Championship. Ken Bates has once again taken control of the club with big promises of an overturn in fortunes. I just wonder what Billy Bremner makes of it all, as he stands outside Elland Road, arms aloft, remeniscing those glory days. Or Don Revie himself as he watches from the stand that bears his name.