Falling off the tightrope

In the 1970s, Leeds were all-conquering under legendary manager Don Revie, a team of fight, flair and fearlessness as typified by their combative skipper Billy Bremner. For those following football in that era, the names still trip easily off the tongue: Lorimer, Jordan, McQueen, Giles, Bremner, Norman ‘bites yer legs’ Hunter…

THE LAST HURRAH

They spent most of the ’80s in the second Division but bounced back to the old First Division in 1990 under Howard Wilkinson. Two years later, they were the last team to win the Division 1 as it was, propelled by the mercurial Gordon Strachan, ex-Manchester United, and Eric Cantona, soon to be of the Red Devils.

BRIEF REVIVAL

David O’Leary took charge in the late 1990s and brought to the side a youthful combination of talent and attitude that reminded many of the classic ’70s side. Kewell, Viduka, Smith, Woodgate, Bowyer, Harte, Hasselbaink, Ferdinand became household names. Three seasons ago (to the date, ironically, from their defeat at Bolton), they were in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Valencia.

THE SLIDE

The club was run by chairman Peter Ridsdale on a modus of “securitisation”, borrowing against expected future earnings. Given the team’s talent and performance, it made sense — but only if there were no hiccups. The first hiccup, the racism charges against Bowyer and Woodgate and the accompanying trial by media, had a domino effect. Performance slumped; so too did income. And suddenly the club were in financial trouble.

THE COLLAPSE

Ridsdale quit, replaced by a board who could, however, do nothing the stem the rot. One by one, the assets were stripped: Ferdinand, Bowyer, Woodgate, Kewell. It left behind a vacuum the likes of Smith, for all his commitment, couldn’t fill. Players began seeking the exit route but most went down with the ship.

THE FUTURE

Stranger things have happened in football but without Viduka, Smith, ’keeper Robinson (all expected to be sold now) the club could find it tough to return to the Premiership. What will be best is a period of medium-level wages (Viduka’s weekly pay packet is $100,000) expectations and, on the pitch, some consistency.