Clarkeonenil - Grayson mistakes

Well said as always Doc. Good article.

Doc weak words from you, "I dislike Bates."
Is there anyone out there that will still defend Bates?
Under Bates, Leeds does not have managers, it has Human Shields.
Jonty 64 weak words from you as well, "Problems at Leeds have been evident for months", try years.
The team has gone for seasons without a specialist left back at the club.
This seasons new wheeze seems to be without a fit target man in the first team squad. How even oldkoppite, where has he gone lately, could have supported Bates can only lead one to conclude that he is an armchair supporter, because he can not find time due to him been a member of The Flat Earth Society.

I think koppite has been banned for having multiple accounts on ja606.

U7885 I think you'll find that people like Jonty and myself have been banging on about this for a couple of years, so think 'weak' is a bit strong if you pardon the pun.

Not getting any pleasure out of this neither, would just love to be proved wrong but looking at the facts/stats there's no way this mess can be turned around without investment in players, and for a change some good players

Doc it is called irony. I too have followed the subject on this board for as long as you. I have read all the excuses, Bates is not spending any money on players instead he is going to buy back Thorpe Arch. Bates is not spending any money in this transfer window he is saving it for the summer. The only excuse that has not been used by the Bates apologists is that his dog has eaten the money.
I think we both are on the same page. I can only admire fans such as you and Jonty 64 who have put up with the sneers and insults from the slap happy Bates lovers. None of the true fans of the club take any pleasure out of the situation. It is like watching a train wreck.

7885, I think we all want the same think - a successful football team to support.

It's just that some can't see what is going on, or try to convince themselves it's not happening because they can't quite believe it.

One can only hope that Saturday's result makes the club take an ego free look at what needs to be done.

There is time to rectify the damage of the lost 3 points, but is there an appetite to do so and can that appetite also repair the morale and credibility that was exposed on TV.

The main problem that's come to light over the last few weeks is all about lack of ambition.

The fans expect progress every season, because thats what we were promised by Bates. The fans have stumpped up high prices because they were promised premiership football. The fans put up with being lied to about TA because they saw progress. The fans also know how close we came last season, and realise that a few quid spent well in January would have got us out of this league.

The fans expected to see the squad enhanced this summer, to ensure we were up there with achance this season. The fans were promised by Bates and Grayson that new faces were iminent, but for weeks and weeks of being told new faces were coming, none did. Except a 35 year old freebie and a keeper. The fans saw bates shell out £7m on the East Stand and think to themselves, why now, why not wait until we get promoted, why not spend that cash on some players. The fans hear the manager saying he's happy with his squad, which is the same as last year except Paddy coming back and young Lees and White and Clayton coming back off loan. The fans can see this only makes the club as strong as last seasons, in a league thats more difficult and see no money being spent on players. The fans also know that players (Targets) have gone to other clubs for whatever reason, and we dont know if its because wages/contracts were bad, or if they see a lack of ambition at the club. Players like Johnstone who we've tried to get for 18-months and is a Leeds fan go elsewhere, none of our targets have come off, and even the keeper was 2nd choice according to Stockdale who went to Ipswich as well as Bowyer.

We're a joke club all of a sudden and the fans want to know why, and I suppose that goes for Max as well, because we can't even offer him a contract

Well summed up Doc. Nobody other than Bates and SG know the real truth behind the lack of pulling power we now seem to have in abundance.

Bates is a smart guy in more ways than one. For example, he's spun a few lines this summer in relation to this player wants that and this player asked for that. It's all propaganda and too many people have fallen for it. I refuse to be one of them and as usual I will just get attacked by the Sunshine Brigade.

There is enough demand for sand within the Leeds faithful that our beaches will be disappearing soon!

For me, the last 18 months have been like screaming at a brick wall. I agree with the sentiments here. We're a right royal mess. And we've seen it coming. Got slated.
And now, almost everyone can see the damage. Sad
indeed.

Otley/Batty

We're a league 1 team with a league 1 manager. How many of our team could be Championship/Prem quality. Howson, Snodds (When fit) Paddy (When at his best) Max and Becchio, these players are surrounded by L1 quality