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If the defeat to Portsmouth left Leeds' fans in tears, Sunday's tea-time result in Bolton all but confirmed their deepest relegation fears. The 4-1 defeat did not quite confirm Leeds to the drop. But unless they can conjure two victories and 36 goals - and hope their nearest relegation rivals Manchester City fail to pick up a point - they will be plying their trade in Division One next season.
It has been a spectacular collapse for Leeds - from the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001 to this season, dominated by stories of failed takeover bids and whether the club would remain in existence. Few people understand the trials and tribulations of the club better than Dr Bill Gerrard, professor of sports management and finance at Leeds University Business School, as well as being a season ticket holder at Elland Road. For Gerrard, last Sunday's defeat to Portsmouth felt like the beginning of the end. "The atmosphere in Leeds was like a morgue at the weekend," Gerrard told BBC Sport. "This season has really hit the city. I've had a number of e-mail messages from fans this week - it's all doom and gloom." For a short period, Gerrard's involvement with the club was more than that of a rabid fan - he was asked on three occasions to make a valuation of the playing staff. That was during the glory days when Leeds were pushing for honours domestically and in Europe - Gerrard once estimated the on-the-field assets to be worth �198m. Things have changed.
"The major mistakes were made in May 2001 but the seeds of that were sown earlier," said Gerrard of the summer which saw Leeds borrow heavily, despite failing to qualify for Champions League football. "But a number of people would track the problems back to the signing of Rio Ferdinand for �18m earlier that season." It was Gerrard who had to look twice before seeing the huge debt - close to �100m - that undermined the club by 2002 and says it is hard to believe the club embarked on a spending spree the season before. "The signings of Seth Johnson (�7m) and Robbie Fowler (�11m) in 2001 were madness." When forced to confront the possibilities of the future, Gerrard is sceptical. "If the current owners lead us into Division One, it will be a nightmare. Everyone knows they don't have the money and the players that will come in to replace the likes of Smith, Viduka and Robinson will be cheap journeymen. "But if there is a takeover in the next few days or weeks, and enough funds are provided, then we would have a chance of coming straight back up. But objectively, I can't say: 'We would definitely come straight back up'."
3 APRIL 2004
Tim Cahill's goal earned Millwall their first-ever FA Cup final appearance at the expense of 10-man Sunderland. Cahill calmly sidefooted home the loose ball after Paul Ifill's 26th-minute shot was parried to settle a tense tie. Sunderland had already come desperately close when John Oster's free-kick struck the underside of the crossbar.
The Black Cats turned up the pressure after the break, and in a rousing finale Jason McAteer was sent off and Matt Piper saw a goalbound shot saved. The win means Millwall will play Manchester United in the FA Cup final on 22 May, and all but guarantees European football for the Lions next season. The London side had the better of a frantic opening, but Sunderland were closest to making an early breakthrough. Oster's free-kick from 18 yards beat Andy Marshall in Millwall's goal, but crashed off the underside of the bar and bounced out to safety. Minutes later, Oster was only narrowly wide with a ferocious volley after Tommy Smith's astute knock-down. Millwall's Neil Harris put the ball in the net from close range shortly afterwards, but the goal was disallowed as he had strayed marginally offside. The game settled down, but shortly after McAteer blazed over following an incisive Oster pass, Millwall went up the field and took the lead. Sunderland's George McCartney underhit a pass to Phil Babb and Ifill latched on to the ball.
The midfielder cut inside and shot only for Mart Poom to save - but the ball fell to Cahill who calmly sidefooted home via a deflection off McCartney. Ifill, the creator of the goal, celebrated but his game was over minutes later after he overstretched for a loose ball and was replaced by Peter Sweeney. Tempers began to boil, and McAteer was booked after clumsily clattering into Kevin Muscat. Dennis Wise saw his resulting free-kick deflected inches wide by the head of Julio Arca, and had another shot blocked. And Muscat then became the second Millwall player forced off by injury in the first half after he collided with McCartney - who was booked for the challenge. Arca slammed the ball into the side netting in first-half injury time as Sunderland finished with a flourish. And they picked up the pace even more with a flurry of chances after the interval.
Kevin Kyle lashed the ball just wide after a scramble in the Millwall box, and the same player came even closer a minute later with a header that Marshall was at full stretch to tip away. Millwall were on the back foot, and Arca blazed wildly over from 12 yards as the ball broke in another goalmouth scramble. But the London side came back and blunted Sunderland's cutting edge. And they almost doubled their advantage on 75 minutes as Cahill was sent clear down the right, and supplied a great cross for Danny Dichio, but Poom was alert to block the danger, and Harris' follow-up shot was blocked. Sunderland still threatened, and Cahill had to head a speculative Gary Breen shot to safety.
McCartney came desperately close with six minutes remaining, latching on to a pass with the Millwall defence snoozing, but he curled a left-foot shot inches wide. Piper forced a tremendous save from Lawrence in the dying seconds in a tremendous finish, but it was not enough for Sunderland.
Sunderland: Poom, McCartney, Babb (Piper 77), Breen, Wright (Thornton 90), Arca, Thirlwell, McAteer, Oster, Kyle (Stewart 61), Smith. Subs Not Used: Williams, Myhre. Sent Off: McAteer (86). Booked: McAteer, McCartney, Thirlwell.
Millwall: Marshall, Lawrence, Muscat (Roberts 42), Ward, Livermore, Cahill, Wise, Ifill (Sweeney 29), Dichio, Ryan (Elliott 56), Harris. Subs Not Used: Gueret, Chadwick. Booked: Ifill, Wise.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
Attendance: 56,112
28 FEB 2004
Six Leicester City footballers have spent the night in custody in Spain after being arrested in connection with sexual assault allegations.
Matt Elliott, Keith Gillespie, Lilian Nalis, Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and James Scowcroft are expected to appear again in court on Friday.
The Premiership club were training at the La Manga sports complex when three German women say they were assaulted. They claim some men broke into their hotel bedroom in the town of Cartagena. Three other players have been released. Danny Coyne and Nikos Dabizas were released on bail while Steffen Freund was released without charge.
The club said the players were set to "vigorously contest" all the allegations against them, in a statement on their official website. It said it was treating the situation with "the utmost seriousness" and would be launching its own internal investigation. "We have spoken with our players and they wish to make it clear that they will vigorously contest all charges and allegations made against them," the statement said.
"Our immediate next step is to bring home all our players as soon as is practically possible." None of the six men in custody has yet been charged. 'Tremendous shock' Under the Spanish legal system, a judge now has 72 hours to decide whether to proceed with charges. Leicester City's chief executive Tim Davies said the accusations had come as a tremendous shock to all the players. "We are pleased that three of our players have been cleared of improper conduct. "They are now free to leave Spain and will be returning to England as soon as is possible."
Strikers Paul Dickov and James Scowcroft, French midfielder Lilian Nalis and defender Frank Sinclair are being questioned in connection with sexual aggression and breaking and entering. Midfielder Keith Gillespie is being quizzed over aggression and breaking and entering. Greek defender Nikos Dabizas, defender Matt Elliott and squad goalkeeper Danny Coyne were questioned over breaking and entering and failing to help the women. All three have now been released. The nine players were arrested after the three women complained to police at Alicante airport, as they were about to fly home to Germany. The women were persuaded by police to remain in the country to be interviewed, police said.
The alleged victims were found to have suffered injuries to various parts of their body when examined by doctors at Alicante general hospital and police doctors. They separately identified by photograph the footballers alleged to have been involved. The rest of the Leicester squad have now flown home from Spain.
Glenn Hoddle has withdrawn his bid to become the new manager of Southampton. The former Saints boss said a lack of full support from all the board members would have made his position "untenable and damaging to the club".
Chairman Rupert Lowe was keen on appointing Hoddle but news of his return led to protests by sections of the club's supporters. "He was an option but if he has withdrawn his candidacy he is no longer an option," said Lowe.
In a statement, Hoddle said: "As has been widely reported in the media, I have been in active discussions regarding the position of manager at Southampton Football Club. My position would have been untenable without the full support of the club's directors
Glenn Hoddle
"I have been particularly heartened by the level of support shown to me by the chairman and large sections of the club - including many players and supporters. "However, whilst it is clear that there has been a great deal of support for me on the board, it has not been 100%. "Therefore I have reluctantly decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the post. "My position would have been untenable without the full support of the club's directors. "That situation would also have been very damaging to Southampton Football Club - which is something, above all else, I want to avoid."
Saints supporters mounted a vociferous campaign against the return of Hoddle, who left Southampton in March 2001 to take up the manager's reins at Tottenham. Southampton are continuing their search for a replacement for Gordon Strachan, who left last month after deciding not to renew his contract, which expires at the end of this season. Lowe has always insisted a number of candidates were in contention and that he would take his time in appointing a successor. Steve Wigley remains in caretaker charge at the club following Strachan's departure on 13 February.