Leeds United's season can only be summed up with one word. Controversial.

Brian McDermott's Leeds United had been lurking around the play-off places by the end of 2013, just one point off Sixth placed Ipswich Town by 1st of January. Then after a total of just one point gained out of a possible twelve in January left them in 12th place, now eight points adrift of sixth placed.

All the time through January, fans had revolted against owners GFH Capital which led to the club being put up for sale. The failure to pay the players' wages at the club made the club into a laughing stock. All this time, eccentric Italian entrepreneur Massimo Cellino had his eye on the events at the Elland Road club. Despite owning Serie A outfit Cagliari Calcio, Cellino spoke highly of The Whites causing anger all around Cagliari's fanbase.

Fast-forward to 31st of January. Three days after a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town, Massimo Cellino had flown into Leeds to discuss a possible deal between himself and GFH Capital, the club's owners. Despite it being January Deadline Day 2014, all the news had centered around Elland Road where Cellino had sacked then-manager Brian McDermott following a string of bad results, including a 6-0 loss to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday. It would've all been fine and calm if Cellino actually owned the club, which, at this point, he didn't. This led to Cellino's transport, a small Stannington Taxi to be barricaded in by many furious Leeds fans who hated the idea of the sacking of Brian McDermott who had endeared himself to the Leeds United fanbase.


Minutes after this, Championship top-scorer Ross McCormack aired an interview on Sky Sports News saying how he may be considering his future at the club following the decision to sack McDermott, who he was very fond of. Both Norwich City and Cardiff City had shown interest in the top-scorer during the transfer window, the interview would've provoked mass interest in the striker but time was running out and the striker remained at Elland Road.


Hours after the interview with McCormack, the Leeds United Official Website confirmed that Brian McDermott was reinstated as Leeds United manager. Although, the same day came a Yorkshire derby had kicked off, Leeds United vs Huddersfield Town at Elland Road. Brian McDermott had been advised to stay away from Elland Road by his legal team. On this day, caretaker manager Nigel Gibbs had taken McDermott's position in the dugout as Leeds ran out 5-1 winners over their Yorkshire neighbours. All the way throughout the match, Leeds fans had been continuously chanting Brian McDermott's name, with plenty of banners begging for his return.


On the 7th February 2014, the club announced that they had exchanged contracts for the sale of Leeds to Massimo Cellino's consortium Eleonora Sport Ltd. It was a deal that would see the Cellino family own 75% of the club. The Football League rejected the proposal on 24th March, stating that Cellino had failed the owners test.

On 31st of March, Cellino appealed the decision made by the Football League, his appeal was heard by an independent Queen's Counsel on 5th of April. Following hours upon hours of Leeds fans venting their frustration at the wait for the final decision to come through, good news had arrived. Cellino now owned Leeds United Association Football Club.

Cellino let Brian McDermott manage Leeds until 30th of May 2014, when he was dismissed as head coach. His last game in charge was a 1-1 draw with Derby County who had finished 3rd and narrowly missed out on promotion via play-offs.

Now a large proportion of Leeds fans are behind Cellino's vision, after signing up 15 new players throughout the transfer window and prioritised the re-purchase of Elland Road, which Leeds have not owned since their administration of 2006 when it was sold off to British Virgin Islands-based company Teak Trading Corporation. This had been a long-standing conspiracy following previous owners' Ken Bates movements in the BVI over 50 years ago when he tried to purchase the island of Tortola and Rhodesia, when Rhodesia was under UN sanctions.


So it's a time for Leeds fans to look up and realise their future under Cellino, as it has certainly shown more potential than any other project in the past 10 years.

Good luck trying to rescue a sinking ship!

Nice Update and good luck with Leeds! (not )

Great start Jack! Good luck!

(I hate Leeds, j/s)

Good luck!

Tallery: Define 'sinking ship'

Zap: Thank you very much

Josh: Thank you! I wouldn't have guessed!

Justice: Thanks Niko

Good luck Jack, will be following!

Leeds fans woke up to an unpleasant shock today as former Forest Green Rovers boss David Hockaday was named by several betting companies as favourite to land the manager's job at Leeds United.

Previous favourites listed people like former Leeds midfielder Gary MacAllister and eccentric Italian Paolo Di Canio and even Champions League winner Roberto Di Matteo was named as one of the contenders, but many David Hockaday's wikipedia page must have hit unreached levels this morning as Leeds fans were curious about the reputation of the non-league coach.

It just so happens that Hockaday established one of the first football academies in England at Cirencester in 1996. He then admitted that Leeds United's Thorp Arch, established by then-manager Howard Wilkinson inspired him to do this. Now he may get his chance to work at his inspiration.


In 2000, Hockaday joined Graham Taylor's Watford as the under-18's coach. As a youth coach at Watford he worked and developed players such as Ashley Young, Paul Robinson and Tommy Smith. Six years later in 2006, Hockaday was promoted to first-team coach under Aidy Boothroyd at Watford and assisted in their promotion to the Premier League.


Following Aidy Boothroyd's attempt to avoid relegation in January 2007, he was sacked and as part of a backroom shake-up under new manager Malky Mackay, Hockaday left for Martin Allen's MK Dons until the end of the season, where they achieved a play-off finish but failed to get promotion to League 1.


In May 2007, Allen left his managerial role at MK Dons for Leicester City and on 6th June it was confirmed that Hockaday would be moving there as well.

Just thirteen days after taking a coaching job at Leicester, Southampton offered him a role as their youth team coach, replacing Georges Prost. He left two years after in 2009 before linking up with Martin Allen again, this time at Cheltenham Town on a non-contract basis.


After John Schofield became assistant manager, Hockaday earned his first managerial role at Blue Square Bet Premier side Forest Green Rovers in September 2009. After taking Forest Green Rovers to the Third Round of the F.A. Cup, being knocked out by League Two side Notts County and were only one round away from achieving a Fourth Round tie to face a Premier League side in the shape of Wigan Athletic.


In the same season, Hockaday relegated Forest Green from Conference Premier, only to be reinstated after Salisbury City's failed appeal against demotion following financial irregularities.

Despite taking his team into the relegation spots and being under fire from fans, Hockaday was offered a new one-year deal at the club to repair the damage caused. In his second season, he kept Forest Green Rovers up by a fine margin, staying up on goal difference despite a final-day 2-1 loss to Tamworth.

In his third season, he was working on one of the highest budgets in his league - just over a million pounds and guided his side to a solid mid-table finish in tenth place. His fourth season ended just the same, in tenth place.

Then in his fifth and final season, after a disappointing run of seven defeats out of eight games, David Hockaday left the club 'by mutual consent'.

Hockaday has previously been linked with a move to former club Swindon Town after Paolo Di Canio's departure in February 2013. Hockaday dismissed any chance of a move to his team where he spent seven years as a player at.

So, Leeds United fans, would you accept David Hockaday taking over at your team?

Great start with plenty of detail, keep it up Jack

Great Start, but couldn't you have picked a less scummy club to play with? Good luck anyway!

Really nice start with plenty of detail as Zed says: will definitely follow!

MrJK: Cheers mate

Zed: Thanks mate I'll try my best

JasonRM: Ey, don't speak about my team like that Cheers

Joethequin: Cheers!

KEEPER SIGNS UP FOR UNITED

Former Arsenal and Aston Villa man joins United...



The club have completed the signing of former Reading goalkeeper Stuart Taylor and he becomes United’s first signing of the summer.

The experienced goalkeeper has signed a one-year contract with the club and he brings a wealth of experience with him as he has a league title, FA Cup and two Charity Shield victories to his name from his time at Arsenal.

Taylor’s final appearances for Reading came during March of the Royal’s Premier League campaign in 2012/13 when he faced, amongst others, Manchester United and his former side Arsenal.

United head coach David Hockaday said: “I’m absolutely delighted to get Stuart Taylor here. He comes highly recommended by everybody. He has lots of experience and is a great professional.

“He will be perfect for our dressing room because we have a very young team. So I’d like to give Stuart a big welcome to Leeds United.”

It seems that new Leeds United David Hockaday manager may be looking to get rid of current number one Paddy Kenny, who has come under fire on social networks after an image was released of the keeper clearly overweight in training. It is unknown whether the source has been doctored with though.

Taylor will wear the number 13 shirt for The Whites this season.

McCormack Hands In Transfer Request

Championship top-scorer hands in transfer request at Elland Road side...


Leeds United have today been rocked by their captain Ross McCormack as he has today handed in his transfer request to chairman Massimo Cellino

Sky Sports Sources understands that the 27-year-old forward submitted the request quite a while ago but the club have not released the details until now.

However, no club has yet been able to agree a deal with Leeds owner Massimo Cellino and McCormack has now officially indicated to the club his desire to leave.

McCormack, who signed a new four-year deal last August, scored 29 goals in the 2013-14 campaign.


The Scotland international has been linked with a return to former side Cardiff as well as Fulham and Premier League side Newcastle United.

It's only been a few weeks since chairman Cellino came out in the press stating that the striker was content to stay at the club

"If Liverpool, Real Madrid or Paris St-Germain came in I couldn't say to him no, but if another Championship club came in, McCormack belongs to Leeds," he said.

"He says he's happy here. He says he loves it."


Having met with Cellino in the past week, McCormack has now handed in an official request as he looks to move on. Clearly the Italian's arrogance and ambition has got the better of the Scot.

McCormack is one of the most in-demand players outside the Premier League having finished last season as top-scorer in the Championship.

Ouch, that's a lot of goals you're gonna miss when Ross goes away, but I'm sure you'll sign a great replacement!