Leeds United and Derby County – not exactly the best of pals
Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. If it arrives for Leeds United in the shape of battered mutton cutlets and squarely amid the joy of our own promotion party then, cold or not, the taste of that dish would be exquisite and unforgettable.
Promotion, of course, would be enough and as good as a feast on its own account – but, if we are going to be greedy and demanding, then what could be better than seeing our heroes administer the coup de grâce to Derby County, and watch them spinning into League One, Wazza and all? And just as we finally ascend to the Promised Land, too.
It’s a scenario fit to tempt the palate of any Leeds fan who watched Derby celebrate as if they’d won promotion when our play-off campaign came to an abrupt halt at Elland Road last May. The fact that this represented a false dawn for our sheepish friends was cold comfort, although naturally we did enjoy seeing the Rams fail yet again with defeat to Aston Villa at Wembley. But that Elland Road night and the graceless cavorting of Lampard & Co left a bad taste that took a long time to fade away and, although Fwank has moved on, it’d still be incredibly delicious if Leeds and Derby were to leave the Championship in opposite directions at the end of this campaign.
And, do you know what? It could just happen, if only the football authorities can be trusted to do their bit, with the news today that Derby are being charged with breaches of the Financial Fair Play regulations over their dodgy stadium sale and lease back deal. A decent-sized points deduction for our erstwhile rivals, and they’d be plunged well and truly into the midst of the Championship basement battle – and who knows if they’d have the bottle to survive? Then there’d just be the small matter of Leeds managing not to bottle promotion themselves.
So, I’m beseeching the football gods tonight, not only for a trouble-free run in for my beloved Leeds United towards promotion back to the big time – but also that Derby do suffer the pain of relegation, with their fate finally to be sealed by defeat to the Whites at the incongruously named Pride Park just a day short of the 28th anniversary of us becoming the Last Champions. What with the play offs, Spygate and the Rams’ general “chip on the shoulder” unpleasantness, just how utterly satisfactory and cathartic would that be?
I won’t be counting any chickens, mind, much less any slaughtered sheep. But I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed in the hope of a hefty dollop of Schadenfreude coming the way of all of us three months hence. Almost a year on from that unforgettable night at Elland Road, it’d be the ultimate in revenge for Leeds fans, and the ultimate nightmare for those of a Derby persuasion. Surely, it’s not to much to ask?
Marching On Together – hopefully ever upwards and, fittingly enough, two leagues above those rightly terrified sheep.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Love you Rob and your articulated skills and biase towards lufc . I’m 72 yrs young with memories reaching back to the scratching shed ending sort of in Paris1975 with the feeling of nil poi but not knowing what pop songs were about as far as euroupe was concerned. Now all these years later I realise if there is a problem. it’s the lovers of lufc and their demands of whoever wears the shirt which either helps or hinders them. Please let there be a answer
On Thu, 16 Jan 2020, 19:51 Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything, wrote:
> Rob Atkinson posted: ” Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. If > it arrives for Leeds United in the shape of battered mutton cutlets and > squarely amid the joy of our own promotion party then, cold or not, the > taste of that dish would be exquisite and unforgettable. Pro” >
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The thought of that scenario as a conclusion to our season would be on a par with a decent lottery win Rob. Right now I would give my right arm to quell these feelings in the pit of my stomach every time match day approaches. Last Saturday’s game against Weds was so painful. You could smell the result and the atmosphere was toxic.This is in no way defeatism just the reality that something is very wrong and even a blind man could see that. To me there are only two choices. One, you take the risk, put up the money get the best striker available and if it works the rewards will be outstanding and dreams fulfilled. If fails, we did the right thing and at least we tried. Two, play Russian Roulette, plod on, hope the luck turns our way. If it all goes bottoms up then someone is going to get crucified and all hell will break loose. Bielsa will go, and so will one or more of our best players. I think the club as it stands right now will dramatically change. For the good? Who knows.
This season is make or break for me. We are closer than last season, apart from my confidence which at this stage was sky high, not right now I’m afraid. Tell me I’m wrong mate.
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How delightful it would be Rob but? its not Leeds united that have fallen foul of any rules and so? the powers that be will probably fine them and? it will be no where near the £200,000 Leeds had to cough up for an employee looking through a fence at some sheep. They will get a slap on the wrist and a poultry fine. A bit like ‘ Lets not kick racism out of football’ Millwall did not so long ago.
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Karma is a wonderful thing.
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