I think if we continue to make progress on and off field at current pace, we could be a strong top half pl team in five years. Very promising to see young ones coming through academy to supplement young signings. Would like to think mcd would still be the boss
I'm not to sure about that? I'd been saying we can make the playoffs this season but after yesterday I'm not too sure? I think we'll be in this league for a few more years yet
A tricky question, if we hold on to Wootton, Byram, Poleon. Mowat and Murphy and they all develop as we would hope that they do then yes, maybe a team battling out the mid table spot in the Premier League. I don't see us possibly being a top half team for a long time to come and do you define top half team on one season or several seasons doing well. We have lost a LOT of possible up and coming fans with the lengthy absence we have suffered from the top flight. We no longer have the support we did 10 years or more back, I see my mates (also Leeds supporters) walking around with their sons who now support Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal. Their kids don't want to tell their mates at school that they support a team that has been out of it for far too long. I predict this season outside the play offs, next possibly making them but then it is a lottery and maybe the season after that going up.
It's sad when you look at the state of attendances these days I just worry about the number of fans who will still be around if we're still not out of this division in 5 years time! I sometimes worry how many fans would return anyway even if we go up in the next few years. It was great to have 33,000 there at the Brighton game but where are they now? I know we've had a few games live on sky but I think we'll average 23,000 all season now
I live in Northampton so the round trip is pretty expensive for me, I used to get to between 6-8 home games and a couple of away games a season but wedded life, becoming self employed (and often working Saturday and Sunday) a mortgage and bills as well as ****ty performances over the last few years has kept me away. I did keep reading others saying that they were staying away while Bates was there, at the time I felt many were using it as an excuse more than a genuine reason and now Bates has well and truly departed the numbers are not coming back I have to agree 23k is an average I am expecting this season. We have far less fans now than we did 10 years ago, I would hazard a guess that the majority of Leeds fans are 40+
White jock will be living with Gary Cooper and Millwall will be in the conference. Leeds will be champions of Europe, scum will be bankrupt after failing to reach champions league for the four previous seasons. Isn't it obvious?
Not too worried about attendances, averaging 26,000 from first 3 home games, two of which were on sky. Seem to remember attendances were worse at times in the '80's. Reckon we'll have the top average attendance in this division this season both at home and obviously away. Won't make playoffs this season, deadwood not shifted, and promising youngsters not quite ready, next season go up as Champions with a team McDermott can really call his own, couple of flying wingers, young vibrant side with Byram, Mowatt, Poleon and Dawson pivotal. Five years time regularly challenging for Champions League places
Hmm, not sure I am as hopeful as others on here. Think we forget that in those 5 years, hopefully ER and thorp arch are bought back as well as improved which will take money away from developing the team. Then there is probably gonna be another change of owners in all likelyhood which will disrupt things further. All of what is necessary, if we can continue to hold up and coming players as well as signing strongly which in fairness will be a big ask because if Byram reaches potential and a couple other players become as good as we hope then they will probably move on. Despite hoping they will be loyal you can't hold a promising player's career back too long for the benefit of the club because the player will become impatient. All in all I'm gonna say in the prem but probably trying to avoid relegation. We have too much to do off the pitch and rebuild the club for any huge amount of progression on the pitch.
I suppose a lot will hinge on the ownership as much as anything. If gfh or like minded outfit are in charge, progress will be steady and likely lower reaches of pl over five years. However, there is still every possibility over next couple of seasons a wealthier owner may arrive which could dramatically speed up our progress. We're being badly hampered at the minute due to lack of wingers. Good wingers don't come cheap and at the moment gfh can't afford established ones. If, for argument sake mcd had say a ten million transfer kitty, we would likely be as good as anything in this division and several bottom of pl teams as well
Perspective chaps - that QPhahaha team that tore you a new one yesterday (could have been 5-0) spent £30m to get to come bottom of the Prem - you can't afford 30p
That's how much you'll be making a year when get relegated and the attendances (and atmoshpere) at the Den get even more dire. Even your old gaffer saw it coming so jumped ship...to Wolves!
Too bad you did not get a chance to watch the game so you could have an informed opinion or are you blind until 2:30 pm on Saturdays?
Playing Championship football in 5 years. Not enough investment in the overall squad to get promoted in next 2 years. We need 3/4 great players to push for top 2 at least. This will not improve after 2 years when the young players we have start moving to further their careers. Plus the Parachute payments will make it impossible to compete with fair play rules etc. If we don't push now we will never do it until clubs sell own TV rights.
If we can get a serious owner we will be near the top of the prem 2 seasons after it happens. BMD has a great organisational skill and is increasing the value of our playing staff in a huge way, especially with the kids. The fans will flock back as soon as they see results improve. Bates has gone and that has shown an increase in fans coming back, but success on the field will bring back another 15,000 easily. One huge problem for us is that under Bates we lost a whole generation of kids, who now just watch top prem teams on the telly and wear their shirts. It got too expensive for families at ER and we are now seeing the problems of what damage Bates did. There will always be plastics and plastics will bring in a lot of money as we are a one city club, so need investment to get promotion, to increase gates