History of Leeds United A.F.C. - 2010-present, Return To The Championship

2010-present, Return To The Championship

Leeds United are set to begin the 2010-11 season in the Championship, with the new fixtures being released on 17 June. Long serving players such as Rui Marques and Casper Ankergren were released, whilst Alan Sheehan, Andy Robinson, Lubomir Michalik and Tresor Kandol were transfer listed. Jermaine Beckford, Leeds' top scorer in the last three seasons, had his contract cancelled before he joined Premier League club Everton after being hotly tipped to move to the Premier League for several months previously. Leeds however did have something of a transfer coup when they signed highly rated goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, son of legendary keeper Peter Schmeichel. Leeds moved for a replacement for Jermaine Beckford when they signed Swindon Town striker Billy Paynter on a three year deal after his contract had expired. Paynter had scored 29 goals in the previous season and one more than Beckford in last season's League One campaign. Leeds brought in right back and former Derby County captain Paul Connolly and made their fourth signing of the summer by bringing in Swansea City left back Fede Bessone who, like Luciano Becchio, had trained at FC Barcelona earlier in his career. Leeds brought in their 5th and 6th signings of the summer when they firstly re-signed Neill Collins from Preston North End for an undisclosed fee, he was then followed by Leeds-born Charlton Athletic winger Lloyd Sam who joined Leeds on a free transfer. Leeds made a decent start in the first 3 games of the new Championship season, despite an opening day loss to Derby County, Leeds gained a good point at Nottingham Forest and then defeated rivals Millwall 3-1 at Elland Road. Despite a League Cup exit to Leicester, Leeds won their first away game at Watford 1-0. After this the team's form slumped somewhat, and they spent the first few months of the campaign just outside the Championship relegation zone. At the start of November however, a vast improvement in form saw them surge towards the top of the table. Leeds spent much of the second half of the season in the play-off zone, even looking like strong competitors for an automatic promotion place at one point. However, the team's form slumped again starting in March and this time it did not improve, resulting in any promotion hopes being extinguished in the second-last match of the season. Nonetheless the club beat divisional champions Queens Park Rangers in the final match of the season, thereby ensuring a finish of 7th place, their second-highest finish since being relegated from the Premership.