Youth team champions 2013A call-up to the senior team is usually a special occasion for any youngster, but you have to wonder what Chris Dawson was thinking as he warmed the bench at Ipswich Town yesterday.

Dawson has been inspirational throughout an impressive campaign for Leeds United’s U18’s, but while his fellow youngsters secured the championship title in style with a resounding 7-2 victory away to second placed Nottingham Forest, Dawson was on benchwarming duties at Portman Road where the senior side crashed to another away defeat.

As unfair as it seemed, seeing young Dawson sitting behind Neil Warnock yesterday provided a glimmer of hope to the 2,000 travelling Whites fans and the perfect metaphor for what we now need – an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ overhaul of the entire club.

Out with the 1980’s tactical approach, Michael Brown and press conferences containing more references to a manager’s retirement plans than they do actual news. Replace that with a 21st century approach to tactics, a sprinkling of homegrown youth talent and an inspirational leader, and who knows, maybe we won’t be facing a relegation battle next season.

Quite how Neil Warnock can claim to be leaving behind a better team than he started with is beyond me, the levels of delusion he’s reached this season are staggering. Sure, the team is certainly more balanced, but only because Warnock has managed to make the attack as bad as the defence.

Never mind though, at least we can take comfort in the fact Neil Warnock and his prehistoric approach to football management won’t be with us much longer. And while you enjoy that thought, check out the U18’s celebrating their championship title;

Congratulations to Richard Naylor and his U18’s side!

NSFW: Video contains A LOT of foul language.