LUFC Grayson celebrates third year in charge

Simon Grayson celebrates his third year in charge of Leeds United today.

Grayson left Blackpool to join the club where he started his career as an apprentice.

He made just two appearances for Leeds before being released by then manager Howard Wilkinson in 1992.

After a good first stint in management with Blackpool, where Grayson had led the Lancashire club into the championship, he returned to Elland Road.

When he took over Leeds in December 2008, the club were in ninth place in the championship and on a run of five consecutive defeats including the embarrassing defeat to non-league Histon Town in the FA Cup.

In his first game in charge of Leeds, a Robert Snodgrass goal deep into stoppage time helped Leeds to a 1-1 draw against eventual champions Leicester City at Elland Road.

Leeds went on to finish in fourth in the League One table. They won 16 of his 25 games in charge, including 11 in a row at Elland Road.

Despite reaching the play-offs, they were defeated by Millwall in the semi-final over two legs.

In his first full season, Grayson`s side led League One going into the New Year by twelve points before stumbling across the line on the final day of the season with victory over Bristol Rovers.

Grayson will also go down in Elland Road folklore, as he became the first manager since Allan Clarke to manage a Leeds team to victory at Manchester United since 1981.

A solitary Jermaine Beckford goal was enough for Leeds to provide the shock of the round as they beat the Premier League Champions.

Leeds finished last season one place outside the play off places in the championship, their highest finish since the 2005/06 season.

They also once again grabbed the attention in the FA Cup when they held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates with the north London side needing a 90th minute equaliser from the penalty spot to earn a replay at Elland Road.

This season Leeds are once again amongst the clubs chasing a top six finish and they currently occupy sixth place going into the busy festive period.

Since his arrival, his side have broken two long-standing club records that were set during the glory days of the Revie era.

The side of 2008/09 and 2009/10 now hold the club record for fifteen straight league home wins, beating the previous best of thirteen set by the Revie side of 1968/69.

They also won their first eight games of the 2009/10 season in all competitions, beating another record that was set by the great Revie side in 1973.

Grayson has a great win ratio since his arrival at Elland Road, his side have played 162 games since his arrival in all competitions, winning 82, drawing 39 and losing 41 with a win ratio of 50.62%

Although at a lower level, he is just behind the win ratio of Leeds most successful manager over the last forty years Don Revie who had a win ratio of 52.2% and better than Howard Wilkinson 43.25% who was the last English manager to win the top-flight title with Leeds in 1991/92.




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