I led Leeds United to Championship play-off heartbreak - it's great to see them challenging for promotion again

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Leeds United went from promotion contenders to relegation strugglers in the space of one summer under Kevin Blackwell.

Kevin Blackwell still reflects fondly on leading Leeds United out in a Championship play-off final - despite the heartbreak of defeat.

Blackwell was appointed as the man to see Leeds return to the Premier League, succeeding Eddie Gray to land his first job in management following relegation in 2004, having been assistant manager beforehand. A 14th-place finish in his debut campaign came under the caveat of financial chaos but the experienced coach brought an effective brand of football to Elland Road and looked set to win promotion during the 2005/06 campaign.

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Leeds flew out of the blocks that season but, as has become customary since, collapsed around springtime to fall into the play-off places. A semi-final victory over Preston North End put the Whites within 90 minutes of promotion but, in another premonition of years to come, they fell short in the final at the Millennium Stadium and were well beaten 3-0 by Watford.

“It was still an incredible experience to walk out, see 60,000 Leeds fans there and think ‘Don Revie has done this’,“ Blackwell told The Daily Mail of that defeat. “We had the best early chances but Shaun Derry’s shot was blocked by Ashley Young and 10 minutes later they scored. It was a time of huge change for Leeds after their relegation from the Premier League. All the Porsches left the car park and the new players drove Ford Mondeos.”

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Another sliding doors moment in the club’s history saw Leeds go from promotion contenders to relegation strugglers in the blink of an eye. Blackwell was sacked after winning just two of his first eight games the following campaign, with a combination of John Carver and Dennis Wise overseeing eventual relegation, thanks in part to a 10-point deduction for entering administration.

Another 15-point deduction followed in what would prove a low point for Leeds, who spent three years in the third-tier and another eight floating around the middle of the Championship. Promotion finally came under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and despite falling back into the Championship, there is far more optimism in West Yorkshire and Daniel Farke’s side look well-placed to challenge for a top-two spot again this season.

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“Leeds is a big club and the expectation from the fans is there,” the former Whites boss added. “You carry the weight. The away end is sold out every week and the ferocity of their support is incredible. I’ve been at a lot of big clubs and they are as passionate as I have ever seen. If you are a Leeds fan, you’re a Leeds fan.

“If you are doing well they are unbelievable. If you are not doing well, they certainly let you know! There was no money when I was there. I had to rebuild the club. We didn’t have wages on time and somehow we got to the play-offs having lost every player out of the Premier League. It’s great to see the club back and challenging to get into the Premier League.”

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