Promotion form leads to depression TSS March 17, 2015 Leeds United 14 Comments Redders’ youth revolution has given Leeds fans plenty to smile about in 2015. Results have been excellent, we’ve played some good football, defended well (for the most part) and given teams a long way ahead of us in the league some tough games. Since the turn of the year, Leeds have won 7, drawn 3 and lost only 3 games. That’s an average of 1.84 points per game in 2015. To put that number into context, top of the table Bournemouth have averaged 1.86 points per game this season while 6th placed Brentford, the team occupying the last of the play-off places, have averaged 1.67 points per game. It’s a remarkable statistic, yet it may leave you feeling somewhat depressed if you consider what might have been had Neil Redfearn taken the job before Darko Milanic arrived and tried to relegate us. The impressive form also begs questions of contracts, chiefly those of our young stars and the man who’s guided them this far. It’d be an absolute disaster if we lost any of these people before they had chance to really make their mark on the club’s history and it’s imperative we get them tied down sooner rather than later. Because what’s most depressing is how pointless the form they’re recording is now that we’re clear of danger. There’s no threat of Leeds going up or down, the best we can do is rise a few more places in the table to make our season look more respectable, but ultimately, what does it matter? No one remembers the team who finished 9th in England’s second tier. No one cares. Seeing the raw potential of these players and knowing what they’re capable of achieving when we have 9 games to go and Leeds are 14 points from the play-offs and 14 points from relegation, smack-bang in the middle of nowhere with nothing left to play for, feels like we’re wasting their time and talent. It’s painfully frustrating because fans know these youngsters are destined to go far and if Leeds don’t secure promotion quickly, it won’t be with us. That’s why despite the club’s and fans’ best efforts to put on a good show (30,000 v Forest was very impressive) the reality is, it’s the middle of March and we’re all just wishing our lives away desperate for August to roll around again so we can start fresh and give these youngsters something to play for – an opportunity to reach for the stars. Assuming they’re still here at that point, of course. The scariest thing about our form is all the heads it has undoubtedly turned. There’s bound to be Premier League interest in Lewis Cook and Sam Byram, possibly Alex Mowatt and Charlie Taylor too and there’s every chance of offers coming in this summer. Cellino may be a better salesman than Ken Bates ever was, but he’s a salesman nonetheless and if/when big offers come in for our star players, his track record at Cagliari suggests he’s going to be listening to every one of them. For now, I’m going to curl up in a corner and try to keep the bad thoughts away. Someone give me a nudge in August. On and on…