Leeds

[zolliehibs]

In fairness to Swansea regarding Bony, they had already brought Bafe Gomis in months before agreeing to sell to Man City so there was foresight there. Gomis just didn't produce is all!

Swansea are the team I follow down south and Monk leaving was the right thing at the time. We completely lost our identity in terms of "Swanselona" passing football under him and many of his signings were poor. I can't speculate on the dressing room division and his part in it because I have no inside knowledge on it or anything. I don't think the club treated him badly as we were toiling by the end of his time, and the relationship must be fine now as we've let him take Bartley and Grimes on loan. He's still largely popular amongst a lot of the fan base though and I hope he continues to do well at Leeds.

[superfurryhibby]

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Is Leeds potential really that great?

Look at the money they were spending in the 90s and 00s and that bought them a one way ticket to where they are now. How much would they need to spend to compete with the current also rans like Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool. You can probably chuck Man Utd in that group as well. £80M? £90M? More? The money Man City and Chelsea had to spend after their takeovers respectively is probably a pretty good guide.

Look at Aston Villa and Newcastle for proof that a big fan base guarantees nothing in the EPL. I think Leeds would be a decent addition to the EPL but their likely place in the pecking order these days is probably somewhere between 8th and 15th.

This summarises the state of play in the EPL in a nutshell. Ok, you may get a once in 25 year blip where the likes of Leicester overturn the status quo, blips like that will probably happen once in a generation ( if at all), but the rise of Chelsea and City show the kind of money required to compete.

Teams like Sheffield Wednesday , Coventry, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham were all top flight clubs over many years when I was growing up. All have decent supports etc, but they have fallen by the wayside. Fanbase virtually counts for nothing in the age of the football franchise.

[Pretty Boy]

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This summarises the state of play in the EPL in a nutshell. Ok, you may get a once in 25 year blip where the likes of Leicester overturn the status quo, blips like that will probably happen once in a generation ( if at all), but the rise of Chelsea and City show the kind of money required to compete.

Teams like Sheffield Wednesday , Coventry, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham were all top flight clubs over many years when I was growing up. All have decent supports etc, but they have fallen by the wayside. Fanbase virtually counts for nothing in the age of the football franchise.

Yep. You either need a huge commercial presence across the world or super wealthy benefactors.

Leeds have neither and without a super wealthy owner coming in they won't be near the top of the EPL consistently ever again. The same could be said for plenty of teams who used to be challengers.

[Is It On....]

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Flying under Monk. I don't take a huge interest in English football, but I thought Gary Monk was treated appallingly by Swansea. Everything that's wrong with the game down south was summed up in his sacking. I hope they go up and Swansea go down. Proper old school football club like us, even though they do have a reputation for dirty football.

Also thought that GM was treated appallingly. Glad he had got himself another role and (at the moment) proving the doubters wrong.

[Is It On....]

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This summarises the state of play in the EPL in a nutshell. Ok, you may get a once in 25 year blip where the likes of Leicester overturn the status quo, blips like that will probably happen once in a generation ( if at all), but the rise of Chelsea and City show the kind of money required to compete.

Teams like Sheffield Wednesday , Coventry, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham were all top flight clubs over many years when I was growing up. All have decent supports etc, but they have fallen by the wayside. Fanbase virtually counts for nothing in the age of the football franchise.

You should have a look at the last First Division table before the Sky money came in..the difference in the names is amazing!!

[Keith_M]

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they have a foreign owner, who's been subject to numerous 'fit and proper' investigations/claims, and who has just sold 50% of his stake in the club.

I was more thinking along the lines of somebody genuinely interested in helping the club progress, which I don't think applies to anybody that's owned Leeds for a while now.

[heretoday]

Leeds were a right bunch of cheaters in the 60s and 70s.

[Keith_M]

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Leeds were a right bunch of cheaters in the 60s and 70s.

The Germans weren't very nice in the 30s and 40s but I've been willing to put that behind me.

So much so I even married one of them...

[Phil MaGlass]

NO HIBS CONTENT, Leeds r pish , oh , END OF

[cabbageandribs1875]

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You should have a look at the last First Division table before the Sky money came in..the difference in the names is amazing!!

blackburn now sitting 3rd bottom in the championship below burton albion, one of their home gates several weeks ago attracted just 3,500

[zolliehibs]

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Also thought that GM was treated appallingly. Glad he had got himself another role and (at the moment) proving the doubters wrong.

How? By getting sacked when Swansea were shocking?

[lord bunberry]

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How? By getting sacked when Swansea were shocking?

They're worse now. They had a good manager who had done well for them and they didn't give him the chance to turn things round. Leeds are now benefiting from having him in charge while Swansea look like going down.

[norhfc]

Always had a soft spot for Leeds, my first ever football top, late 70s, the next year I got the Bukta Hibs top. Had a few friends at their game last night, they where full of praise for the Leeds fans....hope they get up this year.

[--------]

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Leeds were a right bunch of cheaters in the 60s and 70s.

So they were, and I've always found it hard to like them for that reason.

But Garry Monk has always seemed to be a decent guy with good ideas about how he wants his teams to play, and he was very harshly treated by Swansea City. He had given enough to that club over the years to deserve a much better chance than the one he was given.

I've seen Leeds a couple of times recently and TBH Monk seems to have them playing some very decent and attractive football - and he's no Don Revie. I think he's a good coach, and IMO he deserves success.

Leeds have a very big fan-base and have the potential to be a very big club if things go well with them under GM's direction. They'd surely make a better fist of the EPL than some of the teams that are up there just now.

I hope they get the chance.