Big Night Tonight - 15pwgafwaslawagu

Its a big night tonight for my football club Leeds United we have made the Play Offs despite everyone trying to destroy us. Tonight is the first leg of the semi-final against Carlisle at Elland Road the match is a sell out the atmosphere will be electric.

We started this season at the lowest point in the Clubs history, the club had just been relegated to the 3rd flight in English Soccer for the first time, we had been bankrupt, we were within 12 hours for going out of buisness, most of our players had moved on, it looked grim.

Then prior to the season it was unclear whether we would be allowed to compete, the Football authorities seemed to be kicking us when we were down, just to make it impossible they decided to deduct us 15 points football was now an handicap competition. No team in the history of the game had survived with a 1o point deduction (the previous highest penalty), just to make it more difficult they didn't allow us to sign new players until days before the first match which led our manager of the time Dennis Wise to say the now famous words "Not only have the tied my hands behind my back they have cut off my Balls as well".

Well just to stick two fingers up to the authorities Leeds hit the track running backed with fanatical support the which this division has never seen 5 matches 5 wins quickly put us on zero points two matches later we were off the bottom of the table. The good form continued up to Christmas, no longer was the talk of relegation but whether we could actually win it.

However this is leeds United and its always a rollercoaster, our form slumped, then our chief Coach Gus Poyet was poached by Tottenham, Our captain got badly injured, then our Manager moved on, this could only happen to us.

In steps former midfield hero Gary MacAllister who had been out of management for a few years to face his own battle, nursing his wife through serious illness which finally took her life. Despite a shaky start under Macca slowly the confidence returned, players were performing again and eventually we managed to secure a play off spot.

Seasons review in pictures :-


Only one group of people have stood firm in all this and that is our supporters, many expected gates to slump but the reverse happend with the club smashing many attendance records throughout the season, 21 of 23 of our opponents recorded their biggest crowd of the season when Leeds came to town, Our home gates were the biggest outside the Premiership (and beat a lot of the Clubs there).

Following our last League match the players did a lap of honour to thank the fans for sticking by the Club :-

So 2 matches from a trip to Wembley and possible promotion, get to a TV to watch and support today (Sky Sports in the UK, Setanta elsewhere I believe), but remember its Leeds United anything could happen.