Hornets sting had long-lasting effects as Leeds United fell at final fence against Watford in Wales

LEEDS UNITED have now played 825 games since losing their Premier League status in May 2004.
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As a Championship or League One side, the Whites have recorded 355 victories, 283 draws and 187 defeats.

Fourteen years ago this afternoon, just one more win would have sent Leeds back into the Premier League after just 95 games outside of the country's top flight.

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But instead United were dealt an almighty Hornets sting in their Championship play-off final against Watford and a sting that led to even deeper wounds with Leeds then relegated to League One the following year.

United's first season in the Championship following their relegation in 2004 ended with a 14th-placed finish under Kevin Blackwell who then looked to ring the changes with a view to taking the Whites back up the following season.

The 2005-06 campaign began with a 2-1 win at home to Millwall thanks to a David Healy brace and Blackwell's Whites lost just three of their first 13 league games, winning seven.

Yet Leeds ultimately had to settle for a fifth-placed finish after winning just one of their last ten games - at home to Crewe - meaning a play-offs semi-final against Preston North End.

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After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road, strikes from Rob Hulse and Frazer Richardson sealed a 2-0 success at Deepdale as United finished with nine men after Stephen Crainey and Richard Cresswell were sent off.

SET PIECE STING: Watford's Jay Demerit escapes his marker Rob Hulse, far left, to head his side in front during the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final against Leeds United at the Millennium Stadium on May 21, 2006. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images.SET PIECE STING: Watford's Jay Demerit escapes his marker Rob Hulse, far left, to head his side in front during the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final against Leeds United at the Millennium Stadium on May 21, 2006. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images.
SET PIECE STING: Watford's Jay Demerit escapes his marker Rob Hulse, far left, to head his side in front during the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final against Leeds United at the Millennium Stadium on May 21, 2006. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images.

One more game then stood between United and a return to the Premier League - against Watford at the Millennium Stadium in Wales - but Aidy Boothroyd's third-placed finishers continued their momentum of a strong end to the season and swatted aside United following their victory against Crystal Palace in the semi-finals.

United were comfortably swept aside with the Whites finding themselves a goal behind in the 25th minute as Jay DeMerit escaped the attentions of Rob Hulse to head home Ashley Young's corner.

Leeds then saw claims for a penalty waved away despite Hornets 'keeper Ben Foster pushing Paul Butler and within 12 minutes of the restart Watford had doubled their lead.

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From another set piece and this time a long throw, James Chambers fired in a shot that took a deflection off Eddie Lewis and clipped the post before hitting the back of diving 'keeper Neil Sullivan's head and trickling over the line.

Both sides then saw efforts cleared off the line with Stewart's outstretched leg keeping out Shaun Derry's header before Malky Mackay's was cleared by Lewis.

But United's afternoon went from bad to worse in the 84th minute when Derry scythed down Marlon King for a stone-wall penalty which Darius Henderson fired past Sullivan into the bottom left corner.

For Leeds, much worse was to follow with the drop to League One 12 months on and ultimately three years in English football's third tier.

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That unwelcome stay was finally by ended by Simon Grayson's side as the 2-1 win at home to Bristol Rovers sealed automatic promotion in May 2010 - and the platform for Marcelo Bielsa's men to look to finally end the club's Premier League absence now 16 years on.

Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Butler, Gregan (Bakke 84), Kilgallon, Richardson (Blake 45), Miller (Healy 62), Derry, Douglas, Lewis, Hulse. Subs not used: Bennett, Stone.

Watford: Foster, Doyley, Mackay, DeMerit, Stewart, Chambers (Bangura 72), Mahon, Spring, Young, King, Henderson. Subs not used: Chamberlain, Eagles, Bouazza, Mariappa.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Attendance: 64,736.

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