A reminder of where Leeds United and Leicester City have come from as Foxes head to Elland Road

The two sides will lock horns in a Premier League game in front of supporters for the first time since April 2004 when Brendan Rodgers’ side arrive at LS11 for Sunday’s 2pm kick-off.

But only seven years have passed since the two clubs met in the Championship and just 13 years ago the Whites and the Foxes were battling it out at Elland Road in English football’s third tier.

Back then, on Boxing Day 2008, two substitutes combined as a late Robert Snodgrass strike sealed a 1-1 draw in new boss Simon Grayson’s first game in charge.

Leeds were halfway through their second season down in League One following relegation from the Championship in 2007.

Life in English football’s third tier had started under Dennis Wise, who then left for Newcastle United and was replaced by Gary McAllister in January 2008.

McAllister took Leeds to the play-offs through a fifth-placed finish on the back of the club’s 15-point deduction, yet defeat to Doncaster Rovers followed in the play-off final.

McAllister’s side began the following campaign brightly and the Whites recorded a fourth-straight league win with September’s 1-0 success at home to Hereford United, but for McAllister matters were about to turn sour.

A 3-1 defeat at MK Dons five days before Christmas condemned Leeds to a fourth league loss in a row and a fifth straight defeat in league and cup, the Whites having crashed out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 reverse at non-league Histon.

The Whites were down in ninth place and Leeds chairman Ken Bates decided that enough was enough; McAllister found himself sacked on Sunday December 21.

Five days later an Elland Road clash against leaders Leicester was on the agenda and the contest proved a first game in charge for Grayson, who was appointed as McAllister’s successor on Thursday December 23.

It meant a rapid turnaround for the new manager’s first game and Leeds left it late to bag a point en route to a late charge up the table which again took the club to the play-offs.

Leicester were in their first season in English football’s third tier following the previous season’s relegation under Ian Holloway, but their stay in League One would prove brief.

Nigel Pearson arrived as Holloway’s successor in the summer and the Foxes would immediately bounce back by storming to promotion as champions.

By the time Christmas came around, Pearson’s Foxes had won five games on the spin in league and cup.

Striker Matty Fryatt was the man in form for the Foxes, fresh from a recent hat-trick in a 3-0 win at home to Southend on the back of another treble in November’s 3-2 FA Cup triumph against visiting Dagenham and Redbridge.

The Leeds XI featured a future England international in young Fabian Delph alongside Casper Ankergren, Andy Sheehan, Rui Marques, Fraser Richardson, Lubomir Michalik, Jonathan Douglas, David Prutton, Andy Robinson, Jermaine Beckford and Luciano Becchio.

Leeds fell behind in the 24th minute as man of the moment Fryatt set up Oakley to convert from close range after Becchio had earlier been denied by the post.

Grayson made his first change 12 minutes after the break as Hughes replaced Prutton.

With Leeds still trailing, Snodgrass then came on for Douglas with 13 minutes left, followed by the introduction of Howson for Robinson the following minute.

And in front of an attendance of 33,580, Leeds drew level in stoppage time as Howson’s chip picked out Snodgrass, who forced the ball past keeper David Martin at the far post.

Grayson had made an immediate impact, and even better was to follow.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964

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Thank you Laura Collins