Those who have followed the fortunes of Leeds United over the last 12 months or so, would raise a wry smile at knowing that Leeds United were formed in 1919 after their predecessors (Leeds City) were folded amidst a row with the Football League over financial misdemeanours. The more things change, the more they stay the same!

Leeds City had been accused of making illegal payments to players and after they were disbanded, the United team were almost immediately formed out of the ashes and entered the Midland League on 31st October 1919, replacing Leeds City Reserves. United are not the original occupants of Elland Road either - the land was owned by Yorkshire Amateurs, who invited the new club to play there, eventually selling the ground to Leeds in 1920.

Leeds United were elected to the Football League for the start of the 1920-21 season and spent most of their early 40 years or so as a second tier side, occasionally yo-yoing up to the top tier before gravity overtook them and they returned back to the Second Division.

March 1961 represents the landmark moment in the club's history - the appoinment of Don Revie as manager. He arrived finding a club in financial turmoil that were in danger of dropping to Division Three. But by 1963-64, he had guided them into the First Division where they would begin the start of their glory years.

Across 10 years between 1965 and 1974, Leeds were consistently a top four First Division side, won the League Championship twice (1968-69 and 1973-74), the FA Cup and League Cup once each and the Fairs Cup twice. They were also finalists in the European Cup Winners Cup and the European Cup (now Champions League for all you youngsters out there). But just as Revie's arrival signalled their up-turn, so his departure for the England manager's job signalled their gradual decline, eventually resulting in relegation at the end of the 1981-82 season.

A series of management changes saw little change until Howard Wilkinson's arrival at the club in October 1988. Promotion back to the First Division was achieved in 1989-90 and by 1991-92 it seemed as though their glory days were back as Wilkinson took them to a third League Championship. But he couldn't repeat that feat in subsequent seasons and Leeds appeared to be slipping away.

The football map was radically changing, with hated rivals Manchester United in full flow and suddenly the Champions League and Sky Sports providing lucrative financial incentives for the most successful clubs. By now managed by David O'Leary and with Chairman Peter Risdale at the helm, Leeds began to chase the dream.

Initially it worked. A UEFA Cup semi-final place against Galatasaray was followed by a UEFA Champions League 2001 semi-final against Valencia, but then it began to crumble, with Risdale taking out huge loans on the expectation that the Champions League gravy train would continue to run.

It didn't. Leeds finished the next season one place outside the Champions League places, Rio Ferdinand was sold off to hated rivals Manchester United for 30 million and then O'Leary and Risdale were involved in a rather public war of words on the subject, and O'Leary exited stage left. Not that Risdale lasted much longer, as Leeds well and truly crashed and burned, with relegation coming at the end of the 2003-04 season, and suggestions that the Yorkshire side had clocked up 121 million pounds of debts at their peak. More players were sold, as were the training ground and Elland Road itself, and in came Ken Bates in January 2005, buying the club for 10 million, for a new chapter in the club's turbulent history.

Thereafter, it would be possible to write a whole book on what happened to Leeds. Having relatively stabilised matters in the Championship, and with manager Kevin Blackwell having projected in September 2006 that Leeds would be debt free within a year - a somewhat improbable claim, were it not for what was to materialise. Blackwell wasn't around to see that happen - Dennis Wise was appointed as manager barely a week after Blackwell's claim and Leeds began a dangerous slide towards the foot of the Championship.

A side issue here was that the Leeds fans hated the idea of their club being run by two ex-Chelsea stalwarts and began open demonstrations and chants of "Get The Chelsea Out Of Leeds" - a "Love Leeds Hate Bates" website was later set up. Results on the field of play hardly endeared either as Leeds finally tumbled out of the second tier of English football - their lowest standing in the pyramid since the year they formed.

Relegation coincided with Leeds falling into administration - a neat trick to nullify the Football League's 10 point penalty for any club taking administration as a means to reduce debts. KPMG were brought in as administrators and amidst more controversy, they sold the club ... back to Ken Bates! With local MPs chipping in with their view on the affair, and alternative backers questioning the bidding process, HM Revenue and Customs put in a legal challenge against the CVA, with debts recorded by KPMG against several off-shore companies. With the club hanging by a thread, and the Football League making noises about their own rules and regulations KPMG were eventually cajoled into putting the club up for sale again (!) whereupon they sold the club ... back to Ken Bates! This time though, there was no CVA for HMRC to challenge. However, that led to a twist in the tail, with the Football League declaring Leeds in breach of their insolvency rules and so deducting 15 points from the 2007-08 season and the FA expelling Leeds as full members for failing to set the CVA up the second time round.

Not that this appears to have done Leeds too much harm. They've junked the best part of the 35 million quids worth of debts and Bates stated recently that the club was as good as debt-free now - exactly as Blackwell had predicted - making them now probably the richest club in League One. The punishment given out by the Football League also had a welcome side-effect for Bates - it got the fans off his back and onto the authorities. That 15 points deduction is probably now looking like a bargain, and even if it proves to be too high a mountain to climb this season, then next season you sense that Leeds would probably walk the division. At present, it looks as though they may not even need that second season, making a mockery of the Football League's attempts to make junking debts via administration appear an unattractive proposition. If Leeds return to the Championship at the first attempt, then they will see administration and the associated points deductions as very welcome business indeed.

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RECENT RESULTS

05/04/2008	Leyton Orient	Away	CCL1	W	2-0	7602		Johnson 16, Beckford 50
12/04/2008	Carlisle United	Home	CCL1	W	3-2	28530		Freedman 50, 69, Howson 59
15/04/2008	Huddersfield Town	Away	CCL1	L	0-1	16413
19/04/2008	Millwall	Away	CCL1	W	2-0	13395		Prutton 70, Hughes 79
25/04/2008	Yeovil Town	Away	CCL1	W	1-0	9527		Freedman 4
03/05/2008	Gillingham	Home	CCL1	W	2-1	38256		Johnson 69, Kandol 88

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name	LGE	FAC	FAT	LGC	CC	Total
Jermaine Beckford	20	0	0	0	0	20
Tresor Kandol	11	0	0	0	0	11
Dougie Freedman	5	0	0	0	0	5
David Prutton	4	0	0	0	0	4
Alan Thompson	3	0	0	0	0	3
Rui Marques	3	0	0	0	0	3
Bradley Johnson	3	0	0	0	0	3
Tore Andre Flo	3	0	0	0	0	3
Sebastien Carole	3	0	0	0	0	3
Jonathan Douglas	3	0	0	0	0	3
Jonathan Howson	2	0	0	0	0	2
Andy Hughes	1	0	0	0	0	1
Jonathan Howard	1	0	0	0	0	1
Leon Constantine	1	0	0	0	0	1
Frazer Richardson	1	0	0	0	0	1
Curtis Weston	1	0	0	0	0	1
Paul Huntington	1	0	0	0	0	1
Mark de Vries	1	0	0	0	0	1
Ian Westlake	1	0	0	0	0	1
Neil Kilkenny	1	0	0	0	0	1
Anthony Elding	1	0	0	0	0	1
Matt Heath	1	0	0	0	0	1
Alan Sheehan	1	0	0	0	0	1

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 38256, vs Gillingham, 03/05/2008
Lowest League Attendance: 19085, vs Walsall, 22/03/2008
Average League Attendance: 26546

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	3
Games Without A Home Defeat:	4		Games Without An Away Defeat:	2
Games Without A Draw:	7		Games Without A Score Draw:	9
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	7		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:	WLWDWW
Away Results Sequence:	DWWLWW		Overall Results Sequence:	WWLWWW

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By Rail

Leeds train station is roughly 2 miles from the ground, and so you are either looking at a long walk, or more likely one of the shuttle buses that cost 2.50 return to the ground. As you come out of the station entrance, cross the road and head down the stairs opposite so you land on the street that runs below. Turn right and cross the road and head towards the double-decker buses. The front bus sells tickets. You'll be dropped off at the ground on the corner of the North and East stands. Walk down past the East Stand (the biggest stand at Elland Road) towards the South Stand to find the away turnstiles. The pick-up point for the return journey is again from the North-East part of the ground.

By Bus

Take the No. 93 and 96 to Beeston (from City Square).

Taxis

A selection of Leeds taxi companies can be found here.

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Club Bar :

There is definitely alcohol on sale inside the stadium. What isn't 100 percent clear is whether that sale extends to the away sections of the ground. It looks as though this is the case, but we've not found absolute confirmation.

Local Pubs :

The Old Peacock pub is situated right outside the South Stand, but despite it being so close to the away turnstiles, it is very much a 'home' supporters club and isn't recommended for away fans. You're far better off going a little further afield. There isn't really a lot around Elland Road that is worthy of attention bar the Drysalters, which will be the mainstay for most away fans. If you want something a little more traditional or unique, you'll need to head into the City Centre or to the Holbeck area where there are a couple of worthy pubs.

Cross Keys: This pub is in the Holbeck area of the city, north of the ground on the opposite side of the M621 motorway and just south of the canal. It's South-West of the main railway station and so handy if you're planning to walk from the station to the ground. You're probably around 1.5 miles from the ground, but if you like real ale it is worth it, with four ales usually on tap including a stout or porter. They place a strong emphasis on food here. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 11.00pm every day except Sundays which close half an hour earlier. Cross Keys, 107 Water Lane, The Round Foundry, Holbeck, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS11 5WD. Tel: 0113-243-3711. Email: info@the-crosskeys.com. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Drysalters: This is the nearest pub to the ground that is considered OK for away fans. It's situated at the South-West corner of Elland Road, close to Junction 1 of the M621. You'll pass it as you're coming into the Elland Road car parks from that junction. It's not a pub for real ale drinkers. But if you like a pub full of mainstream lagers and fizzy cider, along with four plasma screens, pub grub served from 12.00 noon then this is the place to be. Children welcome until 8.00pm. Opening: Monday - Saturday 11am - 11pm. Sunday 12noon - 11pm. Drysalters, Elland Road, Leeds, Yorshire, LS11 8AX. Tel: 0113 2700229. Map: Click Here.

Grove Inn: This pub is in the Holbeck area of the city, heading north of the M621 heading from the ground to the City Centre. It is close to the Cross Keys, so if you do one, then try and do both. This is a traditional real ale drinkers pub with Adnams Broadside, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Caledonian 80, Moorhouses Black Cat, Wells Bombardier plus other guest beers. This is an old-fashioned pub dating from 1850, contrasting with the more modern office blocks that have since sprung up in the area. They do lunches, but unfortunately not on a Saturday, so maybe have lunch in the Cross Keys and then head across to the Grove Inn. About 1.5 miles walk from the ground. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 11.00pm, with an hour extension on Friday and Saturday nights usually for live bands, and with Sundays shutting half an hour earlier. Grove Inn, Back Row, Holbeck, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS11 5PL. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Yorkshire dialect vs Zummerzett drawl? We suspect that there are likely to be plenty of puzzled looks from either side. Best trick is to smile and nod politely and hope the question wasn't "Do you think Peter Risdale was a good Chairman?"

Top-Tip :

If a gentleman with a white beard comes up to you asking if you can lend him 35 million quid, talk to your financial advisor first - it may not quite be the business opportunity you were hoping for.

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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