2 – 3 – 1 – 9 – 5 – 10 and 7 – 14 – 13 – 15 – 15 – 15. No, this is not numbers from the national lottery. It’s the league position of Leeds United in my first six seasons as a supporter (1972 to 1977) and the last six seasons (including this season after two games). The first set of numbers was taken from the highest tier in English football (the old first division) while the second set is from the next best tier (The Championship). It should give you an indication of the state of Leeds United and how everything was much better in the old days.
Come July and the optimism is more or less the same as it is before every season – all 44 until now. This season will (surely) bring glory to Leeds United football club and make us fans even more proud. I must say there has been plenty to raise the optimism this summer. A new youngish head coach saying all the right things, the nicest home and away kit since the 2000-01 season, a few decent signings and all our talented youngsters still at the club.
As the set of recent numbers reveals, the last five seasons have all ended in disappointment and failure. That is when we should be playing our football in the Barclays Premier League. After just two matches, this season (three if you insist on mentioning the loss to Doncaster in the cup), an old familiar feeling is already creeping in. The feeling that this will be another season full of disappointments. I’m prepared to give our head coach and the team time to find the right formula. But I also know that if the game against mighty Bristol City (no disrespect) this evening does not give us three points the old familiar feeling of failure will, unfortunately, already have arrived.
