Deliberately hopes of doing it on the cheap, maybe he thought Warnock could get more out of the players, either way there cannot be a single Leeds fan in the country who believes Bates is willing to invest in the team.So let me get this right, Bates fires Grayson because the team aren't doing well enough (ie: not looking like getting promotion to the Prem).
He appoints Warnock and then deliberately handicaps his chances of doing well.