'Promised land' replaced by ticking timebomb of issues

Rather than joining the Premier League, Leeds may have to raid it for fringe players in the next Championship campaign

- RICHARD JOLLY

The Premier League was so close that Leeds United could see it. So near that, twice in swift succession, Daniel Farke referred to it as “the promised land”. He got a glimpse of it, and then a return ticket to the more familiar terrain of the Championship. But then both the play-offs and Wembley promise only disappointment for Leeds. They have another year to reflect on the Dan James half-volley that hit the bar, lacking only the dip to take the game level, perhaps to extra time. Instead, Southampton prevailed and bumped up a division.

Or maybe they have 12 months to ponder the April defeats to Coventry, Blackburn and QPR when Leeds, after a season playing catch-up, had manoeuvred themselves into a position where automatic promotion beckoned. The promise loomed large then, too. Farke referenced their total of 90 points a couple of times, too. That would often bring a top-two finish. But not this year and not for Leeds.

Nothing comes easily to them. Certainly not promotion. Since the Second World War, they have spent 38 seasons outside the top flight and only gone up in four of them. And one of those was to get them out of League One. When next season starts, it will be their 18th out of 21 in the Football League. They will have played less Premier League football over that time than Wigan or Burnley, Bournemouth or Brentford, Norwich or Swansea, Hull or Stoke.