Now That’s How To Resurrect A Club…

It’s not often, if at all, that we talk about our friends up the M1 (Leeds) on Vital Wednesday, but today’s impressive victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup prompted this article.

Not even 24 hours after Wednesday’s dismal 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace in the third round of the prestigious competition have we seen League 1 Leeds cause the shock of the round at Old Trafford.

It was a performance full of determination, desire, heart, and quality, it was a performance worthy of a cup shock in a crunching game, the tie of the round no doubt.

Leeds didn’t just score and hold out against the Premier League champions, but they pretty much matched them, and continued to carve out chances throughout the match.

I’ll be honest, it was one of the few matches I wanted Fergie’s men to win this season, a theme that probably continued for the majority of Wednesdayites.

But, rivalries aside, I couldn’t help but be impressed by a Leeds side that’s been totally rejuvinated in the last year.

And, if anything, it gives a a massive sign to our chairman, Lee Strafford, that the next appointment as manager of the Owls could be the most important one in a long, long time.

It doesn’t seem too long back that Leeds were being knocked out of the FA Cup at the second round stage against the minnows of Histon.

The difference this season? Simon Grayson.

In Grayson, Ken Bates has appointed a man that not only has Leeds in his heart, but has taken on the poisoned chalice of the Elland Road hot-seat and taken to it like the proverbial duck to water, totally changing the mentality at the club and instilling the kind of belief and desire that we crave at Hillsborough.

It shows just what assigning the right man for the job can do at a football club, and Wednesday are crying out for a man with much the same attributes that Grayson has in West Yorkshire.

I guess there are a hell of a lot of teams at present that would love a Grayson of their own, too.

Tactics aside, Leeds have a squad of players that look to give 100% in every game they play in, whether it be at Old Trafford or at Stockport, on a week to week basis.

We need that at Wednesday, and I’m keeping pretty much everything crossed that we get a man in that could achieve just some of the success that Grayson looks likely to enjoy at Elland Road.

A man that could turn the fortunes around at S6 so that we end up playing Leeds next season – they’ve just got to come up this season with the form they’re in.

So Mr Strafford, it’s over to you – don’t let us down…