What in the name of Don Revie is going on at Leeds?

Well, just before I went away to the mountains I posted that, should Leeds win at Ipswich, they would be back in the promotion mix. Just as I predicted, all their rivals struggled in that round of fixtures and had Leeds played their part, they would have climbed back to within touching distance of the playoffs. Better still, had they then beaten Derby County at home, they would now be sitting just three points behind sixth placed Brighton. But, just as downhearted Leeds fans responded, that involved a big IF - because it assumed Leeds could actually win a game!

That said, until Lees was sent off, it was all going to plan. I had a tenner on a 1-0 win for Leeds at Ipswich and with 11 men on the pitch, the Warnock's old nags were in with a shout. I was certainly hopeful. Then came the red card and it was curtains!

Warnock screamed "Stupid!" after the game and it was somehow deliciously appropriate that the sending off of a guy called Lees should end the dreams of promotion for yet another year. Dirty Dirty Lees became Stupid Stupid Lees as the red card was shown.

Perhaps if the Warnock had criticised his namesake's horror tackle in the home game against Millwall, the young Lees might not have made that challenge. Perhaps had the Warnock not defended Varney's elbow in the first Millwall game, Lees might have thought twice before making that challenge. Perhaps had the Warnock tried to build a footballing team rather than a clogging team, the young Lees might have shown a little more restraint. But like the IF, that involves a big PERHAPS. The Warnock only knows one way, and that one way is not subtle!

But as I posted back on March 18, it is not the Warnock's fault that Leeds are where they are in the table. I asked then why the Arab bank built on sand had left the Warnock in charge and why they had failed to invest in the squad in January when on the shoulder of the play off pack . Indeed, on March 19, I posted that the Board must sack the Warnock immediately if Leeds were to mount a challenge for the play offs, because Old Big Gob had given up hope and Adkins would not be in the job market for long.

But did GFH Capital act? Did they hell as like! They prevaricated, waiting until all hope of promotion had disappeared before showing Warnock the door, and waiting too until both Adkins and Il Duce Di Canio were in jobs before taking decisive action. And even now, they don't seem to have a replacement in mind.

Why? In the name of Don Revie, why? The "no need to hurry" mantra has been repeated even after the Warnock's departure and even as Leeds sink towards the relegation quicksand. No need to hurry? The Board have had four months to source a replacement! Hurry? A snail high on cannabis would move quicker than Patel and Haigh!

Sadly, Leeds United are now beyond a joke. Somebody needs to grab the club by the throat and shake it. The world has moved on since the great days of Revie and the heady interregnum of Wilkinson. Leeds will now miss out on the massive rewards on offer to Prem clubs next season so the gulf will simply widen. And with GFH Capital's ownership diluted, there's another "decision maker" in the already utterly confused mix of what purports to be the Leeds United Board.

So Leeds go in to the remaining fixtures with a rookie manager, a rookie Board and as much sense of direction as a blonde with an upside down map - and with the loose cannon of the Warnock gobbing off from the side-lines.

It is now beyond funny, it is now downright bloody ridiculous. Over the last 12 months, I have grown to care about a club I once loathed, and whilst I have jested, I would never have wished this mess upon what was once a great club. Yes the morons who issue death threats deserve this, yes those who sang in support of Savile deserve this, yes those who aimed foul abuse at Dave Jones deserve this, yes those who hid the assailant of Kirkland deserve this, yes those who arrogantly insist that Leeds are a huge club in the face of all the facts deserve this, but the average decent Leeds fans do not deserve this. Proper Leeds fans deserve a well run club back in the Prem.

Don Revie must be turning in his grave.