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Leeds United: Time to press on and finish the job - Hay
Leeds United's season ticket prices were published last week with the express intention that the club's supporters will invest their money in 23 Championship fixtures.
Reckless presumption is not at work here.
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In an interview with the YEP, chief executive Shaun Harvey described promotion as a "hope" rather than an inevitability, a careful comment which closely resembled the mood of the supporters being asked to renew their season tickets.
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The club were lacking assurance on that front, just as the critical reaction to United's 1-1 draw with Brentford demonstrated flagging faith on the terraces.
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But the structure of costs for Elland Road next season at least gave the impression that the club are hell-bent on avoiding the thankless task of marketing a fourth year in League One.
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There is no concession great enough to compensate for that.
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As an aside to the increase in prices for next season, Leeds announced fall-back measures to deal with the worst-case scenario of another nine months at this level of the Football League – namely free tickets for home fixtures in the first two rounds of the Carling Cup and free tickets for home fixtures at every stage of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, excluding the area final.
In theory, that clause could amount to an additional six matches on top of those paid for by a season ticket. It could also amount to none, dependent entirely on draws and progression.
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Leeds cannot expect dissent created by another missed promotion to be appeased by that supplement, not while adult prices in the North Stand – a heavily subscribed area for season ticket holders – rise to 450. It is in United's interests to avoid a situation where the concession is necessary.
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The club must be aware that their period of grace in League One has passed. There was no appetite among United's fanbase for one season in this division, let alone three, but the unpredictability of the past two years has prolonged patience in the stands.
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That much is shown by the average attendance of 22,000 which the club's board budget for at Elland Road and consistently attain.
A 15-point deduction in 2007 ridiculed any assumption that Leeds would be promoted at their first attempt.
Even an appearance in the play-off final was ambitious. Similarly, when Gary McAllister was sacked midway through their second season in League One, it was accepted that United would do well to qualify for the play-offs.
Optimism in the aftermath of their semi-final loss to Millwall was based purely on the evidence of Simon Grayson's first six months as manager and the potential he showed.
This season has been different. For the first time, United's squad made the running in League One and did so for months. One defeat from 23 matches before January gave Leeds their opportunity while creating a rod for the backs of their players. Their regression has been difficult to excuse and impossible to reconcile with the dominant team that ran circles round the division for four months.
Candid though he is about grand projections, Grayson, pictured left, must have accepted at the start of January that a final league position of third or lower would generate more criticism than acclaim. As such, he has handled a situation that no other manager of Leeds has dealt with in League One – one where failure can be plucked from the jaws of success which were virtually closed. The pressure on him should not be underestimated.
Aggrieved though he was by the booing which followed United's draw with Brentford, Grayson had no reason to take it personally. It did not appear to be a reaction to Leeds' performance or a deliberate, purposeful attack on his players; it was arguably driven by the result alone, a display of irritation from supporters who are sick of this division and anxious for confirmation that their penance has been served.
There must be real doubt about whether crowds of 22,000 at Elland Road would be sustainable in League One next season. That argument is put forward year after year and the theory of plummeting attendances has always proved unfounded, but the division has nothing left to offer. Nor is United's squad ever likely to be stronger than it has been this season.
In two-and-a-half years, Leeds have regained their feet financially and competitively; they are plainly ready for the Championship. On the back of a marauding defeat of Tranmere Rovers – the right result at the right time – there are good grounds for trusting their ability to get there. Leeds have been better placed this season. But viewed in microcosm, a five-point advantage over Charlton Athletic with 11 games to play is a prime position to be in. The very reason that the club employed their existing squad was a belief that they were made for situations like this. They ought not to forget that.
*****
Leeds United were understandably proud to see Fabian Delph receive the Football League's young player of the year award last season, an accolade which carries genuine prestige.
The club's academy could receive further recognition on Sunday evening with Aidan White, their 18-year-old left-back, shortlisted for League One's apprentice of the year award.
White's nomination is warranted recognition of the latest prospect to emerge from Thorp Arch and an England youth international whose appearances in United's first team have earned more than pass marks.
The Football League's judging process takes into account progression on the field, a player's disciplinary record and his academic achievements.
His fellow nominees for Sunday's annual Football League awards ceremony are Norwich City midfielder Tom Adeyemi and Wycombe Wanderers' Pietro Palladino, a forward who is yet to play for his club's senior side.
*****
It should be clear to Leeds United that questions about the ownership of the club will not be headed off by their continuing silence.
Confirmation from the Football League that United's anonymous beneficiaries have passed its Fit and Proper Persons test has spectacularly failed to satisfy demands for clarity. If anything, it has only encouraged them.
There are, of course, logical reasons why the owners of a football club would want to conceal their identities. Among other possibilities, you can appreciate why those with ultimate control over Leeds United might wish to keep day-to-day issues at arms length. Complaints and problems presently brought to the door of Ken Bates – not least by the club's fans – would become theirs to deal with.
But what arguments can be raised against the value of transparency at a time of financial strife in English football?
It seems more important than ever to understand the plans, the motivation and the sustainability of the regimes behind English clubs; to know exactly what their interest is.
Leeds show no sign of giving in to that attitude; nor do the questions about who owns the club look likely to stop.
Doubtless the beneficiaries of United are fit and proper people. Many of us would simply like to make that judgement using more than a cursory statement from the Football League.
Ends
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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