r/LeedsUnited

Interesting discussion with a fan from another club.

Think it's fair to say that there's been some difficult times at Leeds in the last 20 years or so.

So I have a hypothetical.

If not getting relegated in 2003 had led to nothing in particular, say mid table obscurity and just ticking along, maybe 1 year or 2 in Europa league participation perhaps but generally finishing 9, 12, 14th perhaps with say 2 or 3 wins over say Man utd thrown in for good measure.

Would you take that? Was the fall from grace, the subsequent promotions, and climbing back up the then the feeling of multiple epl promotions worth it?

Does now being back and having struggled and experienced days at Wembley playoffs,away days at otherwise probably elusive grounds make it sweeter?

With Leeds now seemingly in a good place with stadium plans, financial backing, and a platform to build from next year, would you take the pain, or would you prefer to coast for 20 years and then be where you are now.

I'm genuinely interested in what fans deem as having been enjoyable but equally painful but also worth it journeys.

Is becoming an EPL also run, better than experiencing the true highs and lows as a fanbase?

There's an unsettling amount of our own fans who are pushing for us to lose to West Ham in order to get Spurs relegated. Personally I want Leeds to win every game, the consequences for other teams don't concern me.

Most of those wanting us to lose, justify it by saying Spurs going down is better for us next season. I actually think West Ham going down is better for us in the long term.

I did put the following as a reply to a comment in the general thread, but I'm curious to see if others agree with my thinking.

It will be better for us next season if Spurs go down. West Ham are in a financial mess, and I'd expect them to be just as bad next season as they are this season. Spurs however, will spend heavily and probably be in the mix for Europe.

The problem is, the teams coming up are favourites to be relegated, so West Ham being the same as this season may be enough to stay up.

Spurs are definitely coming straight back up if they do go down. Once they do, the spending will resume, and they'll be back to where they want to be in a couple of seasons.

We end up with both teams still in the league, both teams who could damage us and both sets of shit owners who ultimately are not suffering from their mismanagement.

If West Ham go down, they are in all sorts of trouble. Promotion is not guaranteed. I'd say another relegation cannot be ruled out. And every year they stay down makes it harder to come back up. But they may finally get rid of owners they hate.

Basically, if we send West Ham down, we are getting rid of a big club, and a threat to our own rise for longer than if Spurs go down.

Ultimately though, I just do want to win and be happy that whoever goes down, it isn't us.

I’m not a Leeds supporter but I do live in Horsforth. Last Saturday I met the Norwegian Leeds Supporters Club who were drinking in the Horsforth Brewery. They’ve been going to Leeds games for decades and are rabid supporters. I’ve nothing more to add but just wanted to say they were a brilliant group of lads who drunk every single beer option possible. If any of them are reading this, hurrarop lads! - Sean

Only tangential Leeds, but Southampton getting kicked out of the play-offs beggars belief.

You can’t just institute a new law,  set no sanctions for breaking it and then go absolutely draconian at the first breach.

It’s like putting up a “don’t step on the grass”-sign and when someone steps on the grass they go “well we’re gonna have to cut your leg off then”.

 It’s not violence or fraud or match fixing, it’s just a bloke with an iPhone!

It is funny though. And also hilarious if “23 in Championship xG-table” Hull end up promoted.

It has just been announced that Maresca will likely be successor to Pep at Manchester City next season.

For me that seems like one of the biggest downgrades I can remember in modern football.

For those that are proposing a change to Farke (I am absolutely not in that camp), I am wondering if this is a reminder of how limited managerial resources are? Manchester City are one of the biggest clubs in world football right now, and they are poised to hire Maresca to lean them in to their next chapter….would anyone here take Maresca over Farke!?

I want to hear it ring around the stadium on Sunday.

And I want Leeds fans singing Bubbles.

Weirdest day of my life. It’s the hope that kills us.

“Calvert-Lewin, you killed us today.”

Pep Guardiola was speaking to Leeds United’s No 9 after the final whistle had been blown at Etihad Stadium in November. That was unlikely to have been the first time an opposition manager felt that way this season — and it certainly cannot have been the last.

Fabian Hurzeler had a taste of it on Sunday. In the 95th minute of what was effectively a dead rubber for Leeds, their striker might be forgiven for switching off or going through the motions.

But Dominic Calvert-Lewin remained sharp and alert until the end at Elland Road. Jan Paul van Hecke obliged with his under-hit pass towards Bart Verbruggen, but it was far from a tap-in for the striker.

The 29-year-old was still gambling as he sprinted from Lewis Dunk’s blind side to beat Verbruggen to the ball. Nobody would have batted an eyelid if Dunk or the goalkeeper had got there before him.

You could extend the argument even further and wonder if people would have believed, back in August, that Calvert-Lewin would still be on the pitch in the 95th minute and sprightly enough to chase down a loose pass in a match in May. The former Everton man has had more than his share of doubters, but as this season draws to a close and the World Cup looms large, Calvert-Lewin has proved them wrong in year one at Leeds.

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