New Beginnings! Old League!

As the 2009/10 season fast approaches, what is in store for Leeds United. To say the last few years have had, as the chant goes, "ups and downs", is a complete understatement. The last ten years have seen :

• 2 Relegations


• 3 Playoff losses (2 finals and 1 semi final)


• 2 Champions League Semi-Finals

What other club can say they have has such a turbulent time as that? None that I know.

This season, Leeds United simply HAVE to be promoted. And we must avoid the playoffs at all cost. League One does not deserve to have us in their midst. We belong in a higher division, playing better teams and attracting more players to our lineup. I honestly believe we have what it takes to do it automatically, and do it in style this season. From what I have seen in the last three Pre-Season matches, we're in a great position to get to the stop and stay there right through until the end of the season.

This week we look set to lose the services of Fabian Delph who is looking likely to be running out in the Premier League for Aston Villa in the coming season, but our performance on Saturday against Burnley without his services proved to the fans that Delph is by no means the be all and end all of the team.

Last season's goal-hero Beckford who bagged and amazing 43 goals for us will be a key man in the squad again this year for sure. Backed up by Becchio and youngster Mike Grella, I'm confident that when we need them, the goals will be there.

Losing Delph will be a blow to the midfield, but David Prutton and Jonny Howson are more than capable of stepping up to the plate and making their name as permanent first-teamers. Flank those two with Snodgrass and Andy Robinson who are both goal-grabbers in their own right and we're on the right track going forward.

Coming backwards though is another matter. We've always conceded plenty of goals which makes the forwards' jobs harder as they're having to double their tally to pick up the three points. Simon Grayson has named Richard Naylor as his captain for the season and going by what we saw when he was brought into the team in the second half of last season, we have a lot of good defending to look forward to. Rui Marques and new-boy Australian Patrick Kisnorbo will be a solid partnership too. We're spoilt for choice for Left Backs with Ben Parker and Aidy White being the two obvious choices, with Alan Sheehan there as backup too...although his performances can sometimes leave a lot to be desired!

In goal, Leeds will probably stick with Casper Ankergren as the number one, although Shane Higgs, brought in from Watford has shown in pre-season that he is top notch and will be tough competition for the goalkeeper's jersey.

So just who will Grayson pick in his starting eleven on Saturday as we open up the season against Exeter?

My selection would be : Higgs, Parker, Kisnorbo, Marques, Crowe, Johnson, Prutton, Howson, Snodgrass, Beckford & Becchio with subs likely to be Ankergren, Grella, Robinson, White & Hughes.