Gary has worked hard to redress the difficult situation he inherited from Dennis Wise, and the improvements in the way that Leeds are playing have been clear for me to see.

He has earned a fresh deal, and he has earned the chance to show what he is capable of over a concerted period of time. This is, I feel, a crucial development for the club.

Leeds are now in a position where Gary knows where he stands, and the players do as well. They know that this is the manager they will be playing for in the long-term, and that decisions on the future of every single one of them will be made by him this summer. There is no ambiguity over who it is they have to impress.

Ken Bates obviously feels confident enough in Gary's ability – and satisfied enough with his work so far – to hand him this contract, and it's a decision that I believe the fans will welcome.

Gary's a gentleman and a quiet man, but you should never confuse a quiet demeanour with a lack of confidence or a soft approach to discipline. Gary has played with two of the best clubs in England – Leeds United and Liverpool – and lessons learned from spells with both clubs will have trained him perfectly for this job.

There are people who would struggle to walk into Elland Road and run Leeds in the way that the club needs to be run. It takes a strong personality to get a grip of the place, and I'm sure it took all of Gary's experience and managerial ability to sort out the dressing room he assumed control of in January.

I appreciate that Leeds are stuck in League One, but the crucial point is that we have the potential to be one of England's top six clubs.

That very fact means that, at any level of the English league, managing United is a monumental challenge. It's one that I believe Gary will rise to for some time to come.

Promotion this season is still the goal, and it will still be the goal on which Gary would wish to be judged. But, as horrible a thought as it is, we have to consider the possibility that we will be in this league again next season.

I desperately hope that we'll become a Championship club in May but, either way, we are now able to plan for the future with a manager who has the support of both the club and the fans.

With no disrespect to Dennis, I think a lot of people admire the fact that he has committed himself to a more attractive and traditional style of football.

It is far easier to fall back on the long-ball, especially when times are tough.

If we do win promotion next month, we'll go up by playing the right way.

I FANCY Leeds United to follow up their victory over Doncaster Rovers with another win at Leyton Orient tomorrow.

If that happens, the following game against Carlisle United at Elland Road on April 12 will be absolutely massive.

Bear in mind that the match comes days before the arbitration panel decide on our 15-point deduction, and a win over Carlisle could put automatic promotion back on the cards.

Elland Road should be packed so I'd advise the fans to get their tickets as soon as possible.

Kick-off is 12.15pm.

Lorro's hat-trick
Each week Peter selects a treble from the William Hill weekend coupon. This week's selections are: Bristol City, Leeds United, Inverness.