Leeds complete misery

Sometimes the throwaway lines tell the story most effectively: "Nobody can say that was a poor Leeds side out there today," insisted Kevin Blackwell, certain that his men had deserved a draw.

As long as you refused to cast your mind back further than two years, when the stars still remained, he perhaps had a point. Now though, the stars have gone, along with the ground, sold this week to stave off extinction, and the Leeds story has completed its journey from penthouse to pavement.

Darren Bent's winner, six minutes after the break, helped by some chaotic Leeds defending, was enough to carry Ipswich to victory and a place alongside Wigan at the top of the table.

Not at their best, but certainly worth their win, the home side are beginning to set about the task of achieving promotion with a genuine sense of purpose - the Premiership seems possible.

The suggestion that Leeds were distracted by events off the pitch found little support from Joe Royle afterwards.

"I never walked onto the pitch wondering what was happening in the boardroom. Did you Norman?" he enquired of former Leeds legend Norman Hunter, lurking in a corner. "No," reflected Hunter, straight-faced. "I just kicked them."

Mick Collins (sport.telegraph)