Hope Leaves Leeds United On Deadline Day TSS September 1, 2011 Leeds United 96 Comments Transfer deadline day was rather predictably uneventful for Leeds United. There was to be no return of the prodigal son, Coventry City’s captain remains Coventry City’s captain and Nick Montgomery suffers on at Bramall Lane. Those were just three of the regurgitated rumours Whites fans had to cling on to as the Armageddon clock on Sky Sports News ticked away with what seemed like everyone but Leeds United adding the finishing touches to their squads. Bizarrely, the rumour sites that have been bursting at the seams with Leeds United-based speculation seemed to ignore us completely on the final day. It was like they’d just given up. Perhaps they felt we’d been tortured enough without them adding more false hope to equation? Also strange was the lack of comment from Ken Bates or Simon Grayson. It’s understandable if the Leeds United manager doesn’t want to torture us further, he is one of us after all. But for Ken Bates to remain silent on a day when his words would echo around the world in seconds is beyond belief. Perhaps everyone has given up? The rumour sites, the fans, our chairman, the manager, even those annoying 13-year old brats on Twitter who have spent their summer holidays tweeting “reliably sourced” rumours when they should be out robbing TV’s or using the internet to look at naked women like normal teenagers. The worst thing about yesterday is that the day began with so much expectation for so many. Max Gradel left for a fee rumoured to be anywhere from £3-5m (undisclosed by Leeds United obviously) and the more optimistic fans woke up expecting a replacement to be announced at any moment. Fans spent their entire day glued to Twitter feeds, watching Sky Sports News, listening to sports radio stations or scouring the internet desperate to find something that would fuel their diminishing levels of hope. The rest of us were taking the Benjamin Franklin approach to football; “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed”. You see, apathy and cynicism reign for us like-minded individuals. It’s not that we don’t care any more, it’s that hope terrifies us. We’ve been hurt so many times before that we’ve created a mental block to protect ourselves from further suffering. A shield to deflect Bates’ lies. But this shield wasn’t as infallible as I’d hoped. The lack of activity at Elland Road wasn’t the problem, it was the thousands of defiantly optimistic fans that allowed themselves to be hurt once again. Empathy trumped apathy I guess, for I was once as perpetually optimistic as they were. Not just me, we all were. Each and every one of us. We’re not born cynical. It’s a disposition that manifests itself deep inside when we’ve been told one too many lies. When truths have been bent one too many times. When we choose to believe and suffer for our naivety. The truth is, I’d love to return to the days when I was as optimistic as this other group of Leeds United fans. Back to a state of mind when a day could be wasted watching a transfer clock tick by with absolutely no news whatsoever then take Fede Bessone’s departure as a silver-lining. But I can’t, it confuses me. Sure he was dire for Leeds and his wages were an unnecessary burden, but he’s gone to a Premier League club on a free transfer! And those wages won’t make a blind bit of difference to us anyway. How can anyone be excited about that? The only silver-lining I can find is that the transfer window has now closed and I don’t have to watch more hope being sucked away from the Leeds United fanbase. Silly season is over and we can finally concentrate on the football -however depressing that may turn out to be. On and on…