Here we go again.

[Revie Boy]

What will free me from the shackles of following a seemingly forever lack lustre Leeds United where the results on Saturday usually plunge you into despondency and gloom hoping desperately, like Mr Micawber, that something will eventually turn up?
Why is that the Leicesters, Burnleys and Blackpools of this world with less resources can, seemingly, consistently, throw up good sides , whereas it seems United are once again destined for the mid to lower half of the table at best?
What is wrong with the ethos at Elland Road where a team, undeservedly one of the best supported in the land, just have to have a player score 2 or 3 goals for him then, inevitably, to become the target of more ambitious clubs?
Can any fellow long suffering supporter out there throw any light on the topic and put me out of my misery?

[Mellor]

I don't think the premise is correct. The teams mentioned don't consistently throw up better sides nor are they more ambitious than Lufc. At least ambition hasn't been linked to spending. It normally is amongst football fans.

All clubs are selling clubs. Our unusual relationship with Norwich is down to one single issue for me. When Larry stood toe to toe with Lambert he came out second best. Result, they buy our players, Lambert ends up in the Prem and Larry in Div 1. This is the heart of things. The manager. The club backed Blackwell, not a great idea. Wise should have kept us up. In short we never hook the right manager culminating in the still unbelievable decision, to me at least, to appoint Warnock. As a result we are forever sorting out what's left after managers are sacked/walk.

This would be ok if fans were patient. But they're not. BM has had 2 minutes to sort out Colin's mess and the cumulative build up of issues. Players bought/recruited on wages they don't appear to deserve - other clubs won't take 'em and pay 'em so it must be true.

Far too early for dejection. Time to lock the rhetoric away. Lots of fans have been through worse than us - Wolves might be 1 decent example. And the situation at many clubs is toxic - Sunderland? I believe some Geordies want to boycott tomorrow's game in protest at Ashley - the Kinnear thing? Imagine bringing Wise back as Director of football at ER. That really would be painful.

Get the manager right and all will be well although unreasonable expectation on the terraces/in chat rooms/on twitter etc is a real problem. Lufc eats managers. We need to stop. We deride clappy sticks but clappy sticks is what you get at Blackpool etc. Makes you wonder !

[SMorientes]

Fantastic post Mellor

[Pecky10]

This would be ok if fans were patient. But they're not. BM has had 2 minutes to sort out Colin's mess and the cumulative build up of issues. Players bought/recruited on wages they don't appear to deserve - other clubs won't take 'em and pay 'em so it must be true.

I would say BMc has had two minutes to sort out the combined Grayson / Warnock mess if we're being a little bit more pragmatic - look at the players who aren't getting a look in and we can't get anyone to take off us....

Norris
Pugh
Brown (although he is at least on the bench for some games)
White (until injury / suspension crisis!)
Thompson
Cairns
Killock
Lenighan
Taylor
Turner twins (at least they're out on loan).

Only one was brought in by Warnock. Most of the "youngsters" are upwards of 20yrs old, some a lot older so were given pro contracts by Grayson and most fans would say we should keep the kids anyway (though they do need to go out on loan).

But your opening statement is the most true: unfortunately most fans are not supportive of the club having a two-year plan to get into the PL, they want it this season with millions of pounds spent in the process, no matter how unsustainable.

[birkybullufc]

It is too easy to blame the manager. Since relegation from the premier league only Wise has been backed consistently from above. He was the worst we've had too. The rest have either been dismissed too quickly or been hampered by the constant selling of our best players.
At least now we are holding on to our better players. True they might not be that great and no-one else wants them;)
The money is obviously not there to sign the players we would like to see come in and we will have to wait for players to leave before we get more in but it is what it is. Looking at the players left who seem surplus to requirements, probably only Pugh and Norris are on big wages. No more than £10K a week each though. If they are here until the end of the season then so be it. If either was called upon they could do a job for us, no doubt.
Patience is what is needed. It will take time to build a team again. We are going in the right direction but fans have to be realistic. Keep faith with the manager and the board and know that if everyone is pulling in the right direction things will come good.

[johnh]

Its ironic that just when we have the best manager for some years, he hasn't got any money to spend.

[SMorientes]

Its ironic that just when we have the best manager for some years, he hasn't got any money to spend.

But we've spent more money than we have for years as well; we aren't rolling in cash but we've been pretty hard up for 8 years or so. There's no irony there.

[SammyHughes]

What will free me from the shackles of following a seemingly forever lack lustre Leeds United where the results on Saturday usually plunge you into despondency and gloom hoping desperately, like Mr Micawber, that something will eventually turn up?
Why is that the Leicesters, Burnleys and Blackpools of this world with less resources can, seemingly, consistently, throw up good sides , whereas it seems United are once again destined for the mid to lower half of the table at best?
What is wrong with the ethos at Elland Road where a team, undeservedly one of the best supported in the land, just have to have a player score 2 or 3 goals for him then, inevitably, to become the target of more ambitious clubs?
Can any fellow long suffering supporter out there throw any light on the topic and put me out of my misery?

Do you not think, though, that there is a certain masochistic element in all Leeds supporters? Sure, the rational part of our brains says "Get promoted, get top 4 PL, get Europe" etc but I think there is a wee bit in all of us that loves a good grumble after a poor performance. Must be the Yorkshire in us.

[johnh]

Its ironic that just when we have the best manager for some years, he hasn't got any money to spend.

But we've spent more money than we have for years as well; we aren't rolling in cash but we've been pretty hard up for 8 years or so. There's no irony there.

There have been times when Bates had cash but chose to spend it on things other than players. Posts on this site in the past suggested that Bates didn't trust Grayson or Warnock to spend the money wisely. GFH have a manager who probably will spend wisely but don't have the cash. I do see a certain irony there.

[dlw10]

What will free me from the shackles of following a seemingly forever lack lustre Leeds United where the results on Saturday usually plunge you into despondency and gloom hoping desperately, like Mr Micawber, that something will eventually turn up?
Why is that the Leicesters, Burnleys and Blackpools of this world with less resources can, seemingly, consistently, throw up good sides , whereas it seems United are once again destined for the mid to lower half of the table at best?
What is wrong with the ethos at Elland Road where a team, undeservedly one of the best supported in the land, just have to have a player score 2 or 3 goals for him then, inevitably, to become the target of more ambitious clubs?
Can any fellow long suffering supporter out there throw any light on the topic and put me out of my misery?

Do you not think, though, that there is a certain masochistic element in all Leeds supporters? Sure, the rational part of our brains says "Get promoted, get top 4 PL, get Europe" etc but I think there is a wee bit in all of us that loves a good grumble after a poor performance. Must be the Yorkshire in us.

I'd much rather have a grumble about a Premiership defeat than a Championship one though!!!!!!