Welcome back!

Welcome to my first post of new championship season on planet Leeds. A new season, new league and new expectations for those addicted to the mighty whites. Now we've not been overwhelmed with big money signings since that nerve shredding magnificent final game in League 1 way back in May. A fact that worries me..............not because I don't think the freebies Lord Grayson has brought in will strengthen the team, no it's the fact that under Capt Birdseye Leeds United do not seem to have the financial clout to compete for good championship players such as Gary Hooper. Now if I wake up tomorrow morning and Mr Hooper is being paraded around Thorp Arch in a Leeds shirt and £2m of Leeds' money is nestled in Scunthorpe United's bank account I will take it all back........................somehow I don't think there's much chance though! One thing is for sure if we get off to a stuttering start in what is a tough division a lot of fans will be quite rightly questioning the wisdom of trying to build a championship team on the back of free transfers and minimal transfer fees.

The pre season games are now well under way with the Slovakian tour completed and games with Bury, Hartlepool then Wolves looming not forgetting the one off game in Norway. On a personal front it is unlikely I will be attending any of the pre season games, a result of work and holidays, so my first taste of live action is likely to be the season opener against Derby. The first phase of away game tickets go on sale on Monday, with Forest, Watford, Barnsley, Donny and Ipswich first up. Much as I liked league 1 that is a more enticing list than the likes of Wycombe, Exeter, Hartlepool, Brentford et al.

After the disappointment of the World Cup it will be good to get back to watching "proper" football with all the wide range of emotions following "your" team brings. Somehow watching our national team just doesn't do it any more for me. Might have something to do with the fact that the majority of the team are over rated, over paid and severely lacking in the basic technical skills needed to flourish at international level.....................Yes Mr Rooney, Lampard, Terry, Cole etc I do mean you!

So how will we fare this season? The Championship has become a division with very little to choose between the top 6 and the bottom 6. Leicester, Swansea and Donny have all shown it is possible to prosper at this level after emerging from the wilderness of League 1 so surely Leeds can do the same? Possibly............but realisticly the first priority is to stay up and to do that we need to be in the top half of the table come Xmas. I would be happy with that but being a supreme optimist I would then be looking for a play off push and if that started to come together surely automatic promotion's not out of the question is it?

Our final game is away to big spending QPR.........................we couldn't go there needing a point to go up could we? Then Billy Paynter gets an equaliser in the 93rd minute? Course we can. We are Leeds United. Expect the unexpected!

Carlsberg don't do promotion fairy tales but if they did.....................

Can't wait!

Just in case you forgot how we got promoted................(The background music can be turned off at the bottom of the page)

Leeds United 2 v Bristol R 1