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Season
2008/09 Part 1
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End
of the honeymoon
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Leeds United supporters were delighted with the
appointment of former skipper Gary McAllister as manager in January 2008,
welcoming the link with the club's glorious past after the reign of Dennis
Wise. They still passionately resented Ken Bates and his Chelsea connections.
The fans were even happier when McAllister inspired enough of a revival
for the team to qualify for the Play Offs. It was disappointing to lose
the Wembley final, but there was
genuine promise at last. After the turmoil of the previous summer,
the 2008 close season was in stark contrast an oasis of tranquillity and
preparations for the new campaign almost perfect. McAllister persuaded
Swansea wide man Andy Robinson to forsake the certainty of Championship
football and throw in his lot with Leeds. Leicester left-back Alan Sheehan
made a loan move permanent and he was soon joined by Bristol City target
man Enoch Showunmi, young Livingstone winger Rob Snodgrass and the Argentinian,
Luciano Becchio. The South American striker began his career with Boca Juniors, around
the same time as Carlos Tevez, before spells at Barcelona and Mallorca.
He came to prominence in the Spanish Third Division with Merida UD, scoring
28 goals in 50 appearances. There was some extensive pruning. Alan Thompson retired, while Darren
Kenton, Matt Heath, Rob Bayly, Curtis Weston, Seb Sorsa, Leon Constantine,
Tomi Ameobi, Anthony Elding and Seb Carole all moved on; Tresor Kandol
left for 6 months on loan to League One rivals Millwall. Pre-season was encouraging - United were unbeaten, ending with an impressive
4-1 victory against Belgian top flight outfit FCV Dender. A week later
McAllister completed his preparations by signing 36-year-old Scottish
defender Paul Telfer on non-contract terms and appointing long serving
right-back Frazer Richardson captain. The manager spoke of his hopes for the future: 'This coming season is
the first time this club has been able to look forward in many, many years
... I want the players to have the same mindset as last season ... They
utilised the points deduction in making it a case of "we are Leeds,
no one likes us but we just don't care." It was a siege mentality.
It has to be the same again. Everything is in place in terms of our facilities
and our crowd. There is no doubt in my mind that Leeds United will get
back in the Premier League, it is just a matter of when.' United got their campaign off the mark with a trip to relegated Scunthorpe.
With the Iron desperate to bounce back at the first attempt, the game
represented a major test. Snodgrass, Robinson and Showunmi made their debuts. Casper Ankergren
Leeds were forced back early on, and after 28 minutes Izzy Iriekpen nodded
home from a free kick but the goal was disallowed for offside. Ten minutes
later they were back again with Paul Hayes volleying wide, but the Whites
then twice went close. Suddenly it was all Leeds, and two minutes before
the interval they nearly took the lead. Goalkeeper Josh Lillis fumbled
a Snodgrass effort and the ball appeared to drop over the line. Despite
protests, the goal did not stand. In the 57th minute Scunthorpe took the lead. Marques lost his footing
in the box as Hayes flicked on and Gary Hooper fastened on to the loose
ball to fire home coolly from 12 yards. Leeds were not behind for long;
on the hour Showunmi rose to head home from a lofted Snodgrass free kick. The Whites now had the bit between their teeth. With ten minutes remaining,
they worked a short corner to Prutton. His drive cannoned off the bar
and Beckford rammed home the rebound to secure the three points. Gary McAllister: 'We scored two good goals, we played some good football
in the second half, and we created some good chances. The first half was
a reminder that we won't get things all our own way ... They gave us problems
and we found it difficult to get a foothold ... You have to grind out
the right to play.' The manager went on to praise his two wide men, Snodgrass and Robinson:
'I thought they had fantastic second half debuts. The first half was difficult
for them because we were under a bit of pressure and we didn't have much
good possession. But they worked hard for the team and they got their
reward in the second half.' For the midweek Carling Cup-tie at Chester, McAllister gave Becchio his
first start in place of Showunmi and omitted Prutton to offer young Fabian
Delph a run in midfield. Jermaine Beckford turned on the style for the Sky cameras, snatching
a hat trick in 35 minutes, the third being a spectacular lob from the
corner of the penalty area. United were 5-1 up by the break and rang the
changes, bringing on Jonathan Douglas, Bradley Johnson and Showunmi. The
changes upset the side's rhythm and they couldn't add to their score.
Chester pulled one back from a penalty with fifteen minutes remaining
but never threatened a revival. Delph demonstrated maturity beyond his years with a wonderful display,
though his evening was marred by a booking for a rash tackle. It was Beckford,
though, who monopolised the headlines, fuelling speculation that he would
be sold during the transfer window. McAllister: 'I'd be disappointed if
I didn't have people interested in Jermaine but we're trying to get things
going at our place and he's one of our better players. He's on a lengthy
contract and nobody will leave the club unless I want them to go. The
first goal was opportunistic, the second was a bit more of a trademark
Beckford finish, and the chip was exquisite.' Any early optimism was put firmly into perspective when United lost 2-0
at home to Oldham after controlling the first half. Latics' winger Chris
Taylor scored twice within twenty minutes of the resumption. United couldn't come back and Oldham finished easy winners. McAllister
was furious, saying, 'They were scrappy goals; poor goals … There's no
excuse … Sometimes you just hold your hands up and say you've been outfought,
or they did something tactically that we couldn't cope with, or they were
technically better. I don't think it was any of them, I just think it
was purely a case of us not having any players who were at it today.' The manager promised there would be no knee jerk reaction when United
met Yeovil at Huish Park on 23 August. Nevertheless he gave Luciano Becchio
his first league start and the South American made the most of it, scoring
within 25 seconds. He had little space when Rui Marques found him from
range, but he turned to sweep the ball into the far corner. It was the
fastest goal by a United player since Jermaine Wright's after 11 seconds
against Burnley in 2004. That should have rendered the result a formality but United conceded
a second half penalty. Lloyd Owusu squandered the chance but was allowed
to score from the rebound and earn Yeovil a draw. The Yorkshire Evening Post: 'It was telling that the Leeds players
who berated Dean Whitestone, the match official, afterwards were also
moved to express disappointment at their own collective display. Before
Whitestone's most contentious decision, the hosts had created only one
opening ... but they ran Leeds hard during the final third of the match. 'Their impetus after half time was not aided by Whitestone's display.
It hindered the referee's own afternoon that he failed to impose his authority
on a game which had a combative feel from the start. Though a total of
eight bookings represented a high card count, it was reflective of the
underlying niggle that existed between the two sets of players ... McAllister,
meanwhile, was left to digest an unusual collection of bookings which
included a yellow card shown to Robert Snodgrass for diving, one to Jermaine
Beckford for dissent and one to Luciano Becchio for a clattering foul
on Terry Skiverton. None, however, will have irked him more than the caution
shown to Paul Huntington in response to the centre-back's role in the
61st minute penalty. Huntington was attempting to defend a high ball on
his own penalty spot when Warne went to ground in front of him, apparently
brought down by a foul from the youngster.' After the lacklustre display McAllister shuffled his pack for the Carling
Cup game against Championship outfit Crystal Palace; only Richardson,
Beckford and Becchio retained their places and there were first starts
of the season for United ran out impressive 4-0 winners, comprehensively outplaying their
opponents. Douglas gave United an 11th minute lead with a fine opportunist effort,
reacting quickest to poke home a bouncing through ball. Leeds pressed
again and again over the next twenty minutes and just before the half
hour Beckford made it 2-0, nodding home Kilkenny's corner. 10 minutes
into the second half the contest was over when Becchio rose to nod a Richardson
cross past keeper Darryl Flahavan and substitute Showunmi completed the
scoring after 72 minutes. Phil Hay in the Yorkshire Evening Post: 'The defeat that McAllister's
team inflicted on Palace at Elland Road last night gave perspective to
the issue of their fluctuating results ... There are no underlying problems
at Elland Road beyond the question of which 11 players will combine to
provide the most coherent team ... Their display against Palace was so
convincing that McAllister will find a queue outside the door of his office
if certain individuals are not allowed to retain their shirts against
Bristol Rovers this weekend. As an added bonus, McAllister was able to
watch 16-year-old left-back Aidan White complete his senior debut with
all the poise and natural ability that United's academy staff have spotted
in him and Fabian Delph's performance in the centre of midfield was beyond
his teenage years ... The complication for McAllister ... is not a shortage
of talented players but deciding how best to fit those players into his
regular line up. There are nine midfielders effective enough to warrant
a start ... and it will take patience and good judgment ... to find the
most suitable blend.' Leeds slipped again in that League game on 29 August at home to Rovers,
dropping two points. McAllister was annoyed but praised Beckford who grabbed
both United goals: 'It only takes a split second for him to produce a
bit of magic and his finishing was top drawer.' The player's agent, Nick Rubery, confirmed the striker was happy at Elland
Road and rubbished gossip of a bid from Charlton Athletic. As the transfer window came to a close, there was speculation about other
comings and goings, but little concrete activity, though there was news
of a surprise windfall of up to £1m from a sell on clause activated by
Newcastle's sale of James Milner to Aston Villa for £10m. Leeds struggled to beat Bradford City 2-1 in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy
on 2 September, but then impressed as they hammered Crewe 5-2 in the League.
The only black mark came with the concession of two last minute goals.
The first came from a free kick after Michalik pulled back a Crewe forward,
the Slovakian being dismissed for the offence. By now the selection of Hughes, Douglas, Kilkenny and Delph as midfield
combination was almost second nature for McAllister; Delph was attracting
interest from other clubs and United were quick to secure his future by
offering him a four year deal. Two goals from Beckford sandwiching one from Kilkenny delivered a 3-1
victory at Swindon on 13 September which saw United climb to fourth in
the table, their highest thus far. Victory came despite the dismissal
of Alan Sheehan after just eight minutes for a two footed tackle. Leeds
followed up with a 2-0 success at Carlisle with Becchio and Beckford each
scoring. The Carling Cup-tie with Hartlepool on 23 September was a real nail biter
with United twice having to come from behind before Andy Robinson snatched
a last minute winner with a speculative shot cum cross from the corner
of the area. It was Robinson again, four days later, with the only goal at home to
lowly Hereford after Leeds struggled for 72 minutes to break down a resolute
defence. As September drew to a close it was announced that the club would be
fined £7,500 with a further fine of £12,500 suspended until 1 September
2010. A Regulatory Commission had been formed to investigate allegations
regarding the involvement of Lorenzo Paolo, an unlicensed agent, in the
signing of Anthony Elding from Stockport in January. There had been concerns
that there would be a significant sanction so United were relieved at
the outcome. Just when it seemed that Leeds were about to stamp their authority on
the title chase, they began October with a disappointing 2-0 defeat at
promoted Peterborough. David Lucas had gradually emerged as Gary McAllister's first choice keeper,
but broke a finger in the pre-match warm up and Casper Ankergren was called
on to replace him. United played well in the first half without making
a clear chance. They paid the price two minutes into the second half when
George Boyd opened the scoring. That gave the Posh confidence, though
it was United who next got the ball in the net, eight minutes from the
end. However, Becchio's effort was chalked off for offside and in injury
time Craig Mackail-Smith broke out to score and make the points secure. When United made the short trip during the week to Rotherham in the Johnstone's
Paint Trophy they came away with only an embarrassing 4-2 defeat. United bounced back strongly as two Beckford goals brought a comprehensive
3-1 defeat of Brighton which kept them within two points of the leaders.
Even then, the manager was annoyed with the concession of an injury time
goal; the brittleness of the defence was a continuing anxiety. The point was emphasised on 18 October when they could not protect the
31st minute lead that Becchio earned at Millwall. Within seven minutes
Gary Alexander equalised and two second half goals from Neil Harris condemned
Leeds to defeat. Gary McAllister's refrain was all too familiar: 'I'm
concerned that we've lost three goals and with the manner in which we
lost them. There are no excuses and there's a lot of hard work to be done,
especially when we don't have the ball.' During the week United fell a goal behind at home to Leyton Orient but
responded in some style. Despite Beckford missing an early penalty and
several times being denied by the woodwork, they were 2-1 ahead by half
time. They might have won at a canter but for wasting opportunities, but
they were good value for the points. They followed up a week later with
a crushing 3-0 defeat of Walsall, featuring two breathtaking goals from
Delph. The win took them to second spot in the table. Once again, however, they could not build on the success and lost 1-0
at Southend in midweek. Poor away form was a real bugbear - it was the
fourth successive reverse, contrasting with seven straight wins at home. November opened with the double bonus of a clean sheet and an away victory
when an early goal from Becchio was enough for victory at Cheltenham.
McAllister was delighted and had words of reassurance for Jermaine Beckford,
who had gone five games without a goal. 'As long as we keep supplying
him with ammunition he'll come good. Strikers go through these little
patches.' The manager rested Beckford for the FA Cup-tie against Northampton on
Friday, 7 November. United fell behind after nine minutes, but the visitors
were down to ten men when Giles Coke was sent off in the 26th minute after
a number of dangerous tackles. Leeds struggled to make their possession
count but the game ended all square thanks to an Andy Robinson penalty
eight minutes before the break. During the week that followed they had a Carling Cup fourth round tie
at Championship side Derby County. The Rams were 2-0 ahead after 18 minutes
and it seemed set to be a long evening. But United battled on and ended
up looking the better side after pulling a goal back with a Becchio header
before the break. Try as they might, they couldn't get on terms, but earned high praise
from Rams boss Paul Jewell: 'Give Leeds credit, they absolutely dominated
possession and scored a good goal and hit a post. In between the two boxes
they battered us for 70 minutes ... We rode our luck.' It was a real disappointment, then, to lose the local derby with Huddersfield
after taking an early lead through Robert Snodgrass, with the Terriers'
winner coming in the second minute of injury time. The defeat left McAllister
exasperated. 'They scored with two breakaways when I thought we had the
bodies to deal with them. Ours was a good goal and came at a good time,
but after that we didn't push on enough. They came to do a job on us and
they did that. The goals weren't too dissimilar to what we've conceded
this season. We are keeping the ball pretty well, but we have to be more
ruthless in our attacking and more determined in defending our own goal
... It might be time for change.' One change that did happen came two days later, for the FA Cup replay
at Northampton, with a surprise debut for former Derby and Middlesbrough
striker Malcolm Christie. The 29-year-old had been training with the club for a few months, featuring
in one reserve game and two closed door matches. He had been about to
sign a short term contract in 2007 before a back injury sabotaged the
deal. Christie had been working his way back to match fitness after a
succession of injuries and had impressed McAllister with his work ethic.
It was the recalled The striker scored twice more on 22 November as Leeds hammered Hartlepool
4-2. He scored again at Northampton in the League three days later, raising
his total to 19 goals from 24 appearances. Unfortunately, he limped from
the field with a hamstring strain. His strike had brought Leeds level
but an 87th minute goal from Marcus Bignall sent United away pointless. The following day, the club announced that in the 14 months to 30 June
they had made a profit of £4.5m on a turnover of £23.2m, with an operating
profit before player trading of £902,000. The financial improvement was
emphasised by chief executive Shaun Harvey: 'The figures are good but
we won't be complacent because we know there is still plenty of hard work
to do ... We haven't got millions of pounds swilling around in the coffers,
but we're no longer in a position where we need to sell players to meet
financial demands and we can strengthen the squad if that's what we need
and choose to do. Our club has been through hard times and has had its
problems ... But the most important thing now is that we keep looking
forward and this financial performance gives us something positive to
build on.' The week ended bleakly when United came a cropper in the FA Cup at non-league
Histon. The mud bath of a pitch suited the part timers and United were
undone by a first half goal following a corner. It was their first ever
defeat to a non-league outfit. Gary McAllister had looked downhearted throughout the game, but stoutly
defended his record amid mounting speculation that he was on borrowed
time; he got the dreaded vote of confidence from chairman Ken Bates, who
had met with the manager, chief executive Shaun Harvey and technical director
Gwyn Williams after the game. Bates: 'I'm not sure of some players' priorities and the manager is aware
of some of the weaknesses and that will be rectified in January … I'm
not going to be specific about our plans, but we're clear on what we want
and the new players we sign have to be coming here in the first week of
January, not the last. 'Our league position's not as good as it should be. That's pretty obvious.
It's a case of must do better, can do better, will do better ... But anyone
who thinks Gary will change his style of football can think again ...
Kick and rush isn't Gary's way and he's not prepared to listen to people
who think that's how we should play. Don't forget that he took over a
long ball team and he's changed things gradually. We wanted a manager
who sticks to his principles and you get much further by doing that, not
by chopping and changing every time someone moans.' Days later Phil Hay wrote this article for the Yorkshire Evening Post:
'McAllister set out in pursuit of automatic promotion this season, but
his team lie seventh in League One. He put a high value on a place in
the third round of the FA Cup but saw it sacrificed against a Blue Square
Premier club … His defence is fragile and the club's results away from
home during the past two months have been unspeakably poor. To say otherwise
would be a distortion of the truth. 'The consolation for McAllister … is the fact that Ken Bates never takes
decisions on the advice of the public. When he recruited McAllister, Bates
made the point of stating that, although the appointment was popular,
it would have been made even if it was not. That is how United's chairman
works. At times like this, his attitude is agreeable. There are those
who would have thrown McAllister to the lions after Histon's victory,
but to do so would ignore all the good that McAllister has brought to
Elland Road. It would also be virtually unprecedented … for a club to
rule that seventh place at the start of December was grounds to hand their
manager his P45. 'McAllister's preferred style of football … is easy to enjoy and encourage
… There is an argument that attractive football is worth less than points,
but I don't recall Dennis Wise receiving such grace in the run up to Christmas
last 'Individually, certain players have blossomed under McAllister. Delph's
development has been a treat, and it took assurance on McAllister's part
to involve him as heavily as he has this season. Jermaine Beckford is
a more rounded player than he was 12 months ago and Jonathan Douglas …
has been at his most effective since joining Leeds permanently in 2006
… There is frustration in the battle to find a defined role for Andy Robinson,
who was projected as a key player this season but has been largely peripheral,
and the low confidence among McAllister's defenders. As a group, they
are struggling. But, in general, the bulk of United's squad have made
a good contribution to the season. 'Leeds also have much to value in McAllister's persona. Wise was a fiery
and passionate individual who showed a tendency to bring the club and
himself into disrepute … United will be better served over a long period
of time by a less impulsive boss with a smaller appetite for picking fights
… McAllister made no attempt to hide behind the shocking pitch or any
other excuse at Histon on Sunday. 'One complaint emanating from the mud bath at Bridge Road has been McAllister's
lack of animation on the touchline … McAllister spends plenty of time
in his technical area and would probably argue that overblown gestures
are for the benefit of the media and spectators. 'The fact is that premature calls for his departure … were not due to
the defeat at Histon. They were due to the build up of dissatisfaction
caused by seven defeats from nine matches away from home and the frailty
in United's defence. 'That failing first displayed itself in a big way at Rotherham United
in October and almost two months have passed since then. It is far from
ideal to be heading into December without a settled defence or a line
of four that McAllister can rely on ... The goals conceded by Leeds recently
have seen repetition of the same faults - a lack of organisation and a
lack of concentration - two factors that the players must be held accountable
for. 'This is his 11th month as manager and arguably the first time he has
needed the supporters to trust him. On the evidence of his previous 10
months, he has earned that trust. Football is so ludicrously fickle that
there is more chance of McAllister claiming the manager of the month award
than losing his job in December. 'There is no doubt about the professionalism, the commitment or the enthusiasm
shown by their manager; he now has a chance to show that he can manage
his way out of a corner. Leeds did not regret changing their manager midway
through last season, but it is doubtful whether the same would be true
this term. While McAllister gave United's campaign a shot in the arm 12
months ago, it took the club a full month to get going again. The most
likely cost of that lull this season would be automatic promotion. 'The scrutiny on McAllister is not unreasonable. It comes with the desk.
What would be unfair is demanding an improvement in results while at the
same time denying him support in achieving that. At this challenging time,
it is the least he deserves.' Despite Hay's support, the shock at Histon was followed by three further
defeats, against Tranmere, Colchester and MK Dons, sending United slithering
down the table. The day after the Dons defeat there was a long expected
announcement on the club's official website: 'Leeds United have today
relieved Gary McAllister of his position as first team manager ... The
decision was made to ensure that the new manager, when appointed, has
the maximum number of games possible to move the club up the table and
also before the transfer window opens in January to allow him to identify
any new players he thinks can strengthen the current squad.' The Yorkshire Evening Post: 'Eleven months ago, McAllister wore
the honoured look of a man who had returned to two of his spiritual homes
- to Leeds United and to professional football. At no point then or since
did he reveal any suspicion that reacquainting himself with Elland Road
might have been the wrong decision. What his prior career could not guarantee
him was a successful tenure, or immunity to the consequences of poor results.
The same rule applied to Billy Bremner, the iconic captain of United who
was sacked as Leeds boss without a second thought in 1988. 'McAllister's exit will seem like a sensible, inevitable decision to
many - not least the 4,000-plus fans who watched Leeds capitulate to MK
Dons on Saturday, the 43-year-old's day of reckoning - but it is deeply
regrettable that a man who gave so much to United as a player could not
reach his first anniversary as their manager. 'What Leeds have lost is a decent, diligent character who adored his
job and was desperate to fulfil the potential it offered him. He was clean
cut, polite and extremely professional, the last man to pick a fight in
an industry which encourages conflict. 'Ken Bates, United's chairman, was one of the 17,073 spectators at Stadium:mk
on Saturday, and he could not ignore what his eyes were telling him. The
fragility of McAllister's team was exposed by their concession of two
goals inside the first 17 minutes, and the issues confronting the manager
were displayed in full. His team did not often look like scoring yet were
liable to concede whenever MK Dons turned the screw. It was telling that
within six minutes of Robert Snodgrass swinging the momentum towards Leeds,
Aaron Wilbraham's 54th minute header put the game to bed. In that moment,
Bates may have asked himself where United's backbone had gone. 'I still maintain that McAllister had the qualities and the vision to
carry Leeds forward, but Bates was entitled to push for change. The League
One table on Saturday night made damning reading. United are 15 points
behind leaders 'The uncomfortable reality is that United have not moved forward from
their defeat in last season's Play Off final. Their squad is better man
for man but, in terms of their standing in the league, the club have gone
backwards, falling to a position which is only one place higher than the
lowest ranking held under McAllister last term. Blessed with one of the
largest pools of players in the division and, quite possibly, the highest
wage bill, it has been clear for several weeks that Leeds are punching
below their weight … No result was more damaging than the 2-1 win collected
by a mediocre Colchester at Elland Road on a day when Leeds were expected
to steady their ship in time for a difficult run over Christmas. It was
that game more than any other which pushed McAllister to the edge of the
cliff. United's muddy defeat at Histon and narrow losses away to Northampton
Town and Tranmere were poor results, but their performance against Colchester
was devoid of confidence and riddled with nerves. 'In the end, McAllister's fate was intrinsically linked to the shortcomings
of his squad, and the failure of his defence to grasp the advice that
he and assistant manager Steve Staunton were offering them. United's production
of clean sheets has been appalling, and it was the failing from which
McAllister was most likely to hang. Dissecting the root of their defensive
problems has been almost impossible, for him and the fans. 'Prior to the campaign starting, he gave no indication that his squad
was weaker than he would have liked … The ineptitude of his defenders
must therefore have staggered him. United do not lack quality in defence
… but there is no explaining the endemic loss of form. Professionals who
performed impressively and consistently in 2007/08 have visibly regressed.
On Saturday, Lubomir Michalik's half-time substitution was a fair reflection
of a player whose confidence and reading of the game has deserted him.
Michalik looked shell shocked during the first half, and he was not alone. 'On reflection, the Scot might agree that it was a mistake not to add
to his squad before the end of the emergency loan market. Financial issues
appeared to hinder him and he also implied that persuading players to
drop into League One was extremely difficult (without question, the move
for Hull City's Wayne Brown met both obstacles). But I wondered in November
whether the extent of the defensive problems on McAllister's hands dawned
properly after Leeds' defeat at Northampton, a result which came 48 hours
before the emergency loan deadline and too late for decisive action. The
lack of fresh blood left him to work with his existing squad and players
who were struggling to make first team shirts their own. In no position
has the absence of a definite first choice been more unsettling than that
of United's goalkeeper, something which McAllister may well have looked
to address next month. It was symptomatic of a defence built on sand rather
than rock. 'The sacking will not please United's chairman … but it would have been
difficult for him to hand a transfer budget to a manager in whom he lacks
confidence. January could be the last chance saloon for United's season. 'In a sense, Leeds are back where they started when Wise departed Elland
Road at the start of 2008 - without a manager and with their term in the
balance. The only difference is that McAllister's replacement will have
a window to play with and a little more time. Yet to describe it as a
difficult job is a crass understatement.' Assistant-manager Steve Staunton was also sacked, while first team coach
Neil McDonald had already left Elland Road under his own steam to become
Sam Allardyce's assistant at Blackburn. There was speculation that Gus Poyet or Aidy Boothroyd would return to
Elland Road, but two days after McAllister's departure it was reported
that 39-year-old former defender Simon Grayson would be the new man in
charge. After spells with Aston Villa and Blackburn and periods on loan
at Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport, Notts County and Bradford City, he
ended his playing days at Blackpool. He was appointed manager at Bloomfield
Road in 2005 and guided them to the Championship in 2007. After two years
without a contract, he had signed a deal tying him to Bloomfield Road
until 2010. He had earned extensive credit for transforming Blackpool
into a team able to compete at Championship level. The Seasiders were furious at the news of Grayson's departure; when United
approached them to speak to Grayson, they rejected the request out of
hand. Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston promised legal action. There had
been negotiations over compensation, but they ended in stalemate. Ken Bates: 'We approached Blackpool with a view to speaking to Grayson.
Blackpool refused us permission. They then told Grayson that they had
an approach from us, and Simon wanted the job. It's a dream job so he
jumped at it. By telling Grayson that we'd made the approach, and by putting
it on their website, it was in the public domain. We felt therefore that
we had the right to approach Blackpool again, which we did. Meanwhile,
Grayson had gone in to see the chairman and they had a bit of a disagreement
because Simon felt he'd done a good job at Blackpool and he wanted this
opportunity. He thought Blackpool shouldn't stand in his way. After that
altercation he resigned, which he's entitled to do, and then when he was
a free agent we offered him the job at Leeds and he's taken it.' Grayson himself was delighted, saying, 'It's a club that's obviously
close to my heart, being here as a player and supporting the club ...
I certainly would not have dropped down a division to go to any other
club but Leeds United.' For much of Grayson's first game in charge, on Boxing Day at home to
pace setters Leicester City, it looked like it would be a disappointing
start. Matt Oakley gave the visitors a 24th minute lead, but deep into
injury time Robert Snodgrass snatched an equaliser. Grayson: 'I'm smiling because we got a point against the league leaders
when it didn't look like we would get one ... If it had gone on for another
five or 10 minutes we might have won it. We need to get into a position
to be able to push on, and this is the first point of a campaign from
now until the end of the season.' Two days later, goals from Becchio, Delph and Christie gave Grayson his
first victory, by 3-1 at Stockport, to continue the feelgood factor and
bring a happy end to 2008. The new manager effect had brought fresh belief
to everyone connected with Leeds United Football Club. |