Doing a Leeds charts the roller-coaster ride of Leeds United over two dramatic decades in 1996–2005, exploring how the Whites went from living the Champions League dream to bankruptcy, relegation and a fire sale within four years. Follow-up to the critically acclaimed The Man with the Plan: Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds United.
Under chairman Peter Ridsdale, Leeds seemed to be on the brink of glory, but then the nightmare began. The Bowyer/Woodgate trial and financial collapse were followed by a player fire sale. Then came another sale and relegation. This eye-opening book brings you:
– A no-holds-barred analysis of what went wrong, including the personal ambitions and misjudgements that took the club off course to make this a cautionary tale of how not to run a business
– New revelations of what went on behind the scenes
– Exclusive interviews with the likes of former Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson and striker Michael Ricketts, who joined Leeds from Middlesbrough in 2004 following the takeover by Gerald Krasner
– The inside track from Leeds United Supporters’ Trust chairman John Boocock, who had first-hand dealings with board members at the club, including Peter Ridsdale, and worked with some of the men who were looking to buy the club in 2004
Dave Tomlinson gives us the fans’ perspective, revealing how their trust was abused and their hopes and dreams crushed in a story of controversies, legal disputes, faux white knights and false dawns. So, strap in and get ready for the ride!