Leeds United haven’t been in the Premier League for over a decade, with relegation in the 2003/04 season sparking a dismal decline for the club.
Eventually dropping down into League 1 before bouncing back, the club have for six seasons competed in the Championship and are having one of their best since that top flight departure.
Their form and position in the table has fans dreaming of a return to the promised land and reinstating themselves as one of the biggest clubs in England.
The Whites have only managed to finish in the play-off positions once since dropping out of the Premier League but currently find themselves in 5th position, just seven points behind automatic promotion.
With 21 games left to play this season. there’s plenty of time to further establish themselves as one of the favourites to go up.
A historically iconic club, it’d be a massive story if they could do it. Here are FIVE reasons why this is the season Leeds are going up…
Chris Wood
New Zealand international Chris Wood is having the best season of his professional career in his second year at Elland Road.
With 16 goals in all competitions, he’s already surpassed every end-of-season total in his playing career so far, previously having never gone higher than 13.
That kind of form sparks promotion challenges and given he was deadly last time out against Rotherham, scoring a double, he shows now signs of slowing down in the second half of the campaign.
Reading, Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday around Leeds in the table don’t have a player in as rich a vein of form as Wood and that could prove telling as we reach the climax of the season.
The fans believe
Leeds fans have had to suffer much over the years. Going from the highs of a UEFA Champions League semi-final to the lows of relegation to League 1 within a short space of time would test the patience of most football fans.
They’ve come to accept their status in the Championship, waiting for a team that is good enough to rocket them back to the big time.
For the first time in a while, this is the team they believe can do it. Supporters can be a powerful force in ensuring teams continue forward momentum and with a fanbase as large as Leeds’, that’s even more true for the Whites.
If they can pick up maximum points over their next three or four games, expectation will go into overdrive – which could prove vital in the big matches at the tail end of the season.
Garry Monk
Leeds United are a club used to reminiscing and looking back to the past but in Garry Monk they’ve found a manager who finally has them looking to the future.
The job he has done at Elland Road has been nothing short of fantastic, winning over half of his games in charge so far.
He has experience of dramatic football promotions, helping Swansea City establish themselves as a Premier League club from League One as a captain and leader on the pitch. It’s that experience and those qualities that could set Leeds apart from other play-off and promotion contenders.
If he can guide Leeds United back to the Premier League, he’ll go down as a club hero.
Home form
Leeds have only lost home match since September and that was to the talented Newcastle United. It’s primarily this form that has catapulted Monk’s side to fifth in the table.
They’ve won their last four at home since that defeat to Newcastle and don’t look like dropping points any time soon in front of their own supporters.
If they can continue that winning trend well into 2017, they’ll be very well placed to at least achieve a play-off position. Don’t forget that home form can play a massive part in the play-offs too.
If they get there, the matches will be the biggest at Elland Road for over a decade. Who wouldn’t want to play under the lights, backed by a loud and proud support? It could be the X-factor in their promotion bid.
Jansson and Bartley
Leeds United’s central defenders have arguably been their best players this season.
Despite only being on loan from Swansea, Kyle Bartley looks like he’s been a fixture at the club forever, clearly getting what it means to play for a massive side like the Elland Road outfit.
Alongside him, Swedish international Pontus Jansson oozes quality. There’s many who argue that the on-loan Torino man should be playing at a higher level. They may be right.
Both could get their chance to reach that level if they continue their partnership. There are few other centre-back pairings as strong as this one in the Championship, even at clubs rivalling them for promotion.