The Leeds Revolution
Leeds United two, Rotherham United nil. The same scoreline not only separated by two and a half years, but also by a huge shift in the club’s fortunes.
The first of these instances was my maiden visit to Elland Road in January 2016. It was a third round FA Cup tie and although the result was a positive one, the atmosphere of the club was at a mismatch with the scoreline. It was an understandable mood given the club was currently battling its way through matters with owner Massimo Cellino, their loose cannon chairman whose strange actions ranged from breaching rules on football agents, to the dismissal of Paddy Kenny due to his date of birth. Having Steve Evans managing the team wasn’t making matters any brighter either.
It was a somewhat typical display from an Evans side. A turgid 4-4-2 shape with little tactical flair, relying mainly on the individual qualities of Mustapha Carayol, Sam Byram and the enigmatic Souleymane Doukara. Their talents, however, weren’t enough to offer an escape from the feeling of anxiety that hung in the air at the club.
First time trips to previously unvisited stadiums - especially ones as historic and impressive as Elland Road - are exciting affairs. A glitzy history for United, though, was unable to shroud the woes of the present. Corrupt and inappropriate owners are rife in the game and they bring misery to whichever club they choose to devour. While certainly a more high profile case, Leeds are just one of many clubs to be thrown around by such people. The common factor is the gloom and despair they bring to the fans of the club.
Indeed, the disillusionment of the fans is evident in the attendance figures from the time. The 15/16 average of 21,667 is lower than the averages in all of Leeds’ three seasons in League One. A reflection of the misery off the pitch and the stagnation on it. The Whites would slip to yet another bottom half finish that season.
August 2018, another 2-0 victory (this time in the league) over Rotherham, and things could not be any more different.
The positivity that echoed around Elland Road was an ocean away from the dark cloud that had hung over it two and a half years previously. Such positivity was apparent just from walking round the stadium to the ticket office.
Fans eagerly pored over the coming match, hotly anticipating the superb attacking football that Marcelo Bielsa has expertly crafted from his players. On the corner of the East and Don Revie Stands, a beer garden had been constructed. It brewed a bubbling atmosphere which spilled copiously over its fences. Unlike in January 2016, there was excitement for the game to come.
It was an excitement that was to be justified, as Bielsa’s Leeds produced another fine display; their brilliance in attack matched only by their desire and hunger to win back the ball. It continued United’s 100% start to the season in front of a bumper crowd of 33,699, only a couple of thousand less than the attendance for England’s game against Costa Rica at Elland Road in June. It could be a season to remember.
Of course, it is far too early in the season to get overly carried away. League titles and promotions are never won in August, and Bielsa's sides are known to run out of steam towards the end of the season due to the Argentinian’s intense style.
The signs, however, are still encouraging. The fans seem rejuvenated. In 2016, it seemed as though watching their team was a chore (something we can all relate to) but now, it has become a delight. For the first time in a while, things are looking positive for Leeds United.
(Photo: Yorkshire Evening Post)