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Following today’s Leeds United victory over Gillingham we have leap-frogged Southend United in the final League table and finished fifth. This means we meet Carlisle United in the play-offs. Here are the details:

The Elland Road tie will be played at on Monday May 12 at 7.45pm with the away leg at Brunton Park on Thursday May 15, 7.45pm.

Doncaster Rovers meet Southend in the other play-off semi-final.
 

Well they all hate Leeds United and its fans but when there’s a chance of getting their hands on Leeds’ money the Football League and the other clubs in the League One play-offs just can’t get enough of them.

Rubbing their grimy paws with glee at the thought of a cut of a 40,000 gate at Elland Road the Football League and the other clubs in the play-offs have rejected the application by Leeds United to have the home leg of the League One play-offs classed as category C game and thus reward fans for their fantastic support by leaving some money in their pocket.

No, the Football League and the other shameless clubs want to squeeze every penny out of their fans. Have they not heard of the increases in energy, food and petrol prices and mortgages repayments? Do they think football fans have bottomless pockets? Still, maybe that’s why most of them play in front of less than 15,000 week in, week out. Of course, Lord Mawhinney is a former politician, so why would we expect him to relate to the needs of the ordinary working man, Gordon Brown clearly lives in a world of his own!

Screw the fans - another great decision from the Football League and Planet Mawhinney.

Still as Ken Bates said this evening on Radio Yorkshire in an avuncular style, but with threatening undertones of the Gestapo, “we have long memories and know those clubs who may want help in the future“.

The arbitration tribunal has handed down its ruling today on the Leeds United appeal against the Football League 15 point deduction from the League One points tally for season 2007-08.

The arbitration tribunal has ruled against Ken Bates and Leeds United by reinstating NO points. Leeds United therefore remain on 73 points and in the final, sixth, play-off position. If they beat Gillingham on Saturday and Southend United lose they may be able to go up one place.

The automatic promotion place now depends on the final game of the season with Doncaster Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Carlisle United all able to take the coveted spot. Therefore, at the moment Leeds United have no idea who they will face in the play-off semi-final.

A disappointing result but not totally unexpected - so on to the play-offs and Wembley!

Leeds United today received confirmation that Irishman Alan Sheehan is banned for three matches following his straight red card for a challenge on Lee Peltier of Yeovil Town on Friday evening.

Consequently, Sheehan misses the game against Gillingham on Saturday and the Play-Off semi-finals.

“I can’t defend him,” commented Gary McAllister on the official Leeds site. ”It’s a poor challenge, especially in today’s game. You can’t put two feet off the ground in a tackle.

“He knows it and it’s very disappointing. He’s worked himself back into the side and done well. He’s very disappointed.

“He’s already had a suspension for 10 bookings and we’ll miss him for three games now.”

Sheehan is on loan from Leicester City and these substantial suspensions will harm his prospects of earning a full-time move to Elland Road in the summer. Sheehan is relatively young and hopefully will grow out of “youthful” indescretions.

His dismissal presents more immediate problems for McAllister who must choose between Andrew Hughes or Darren Kenton for the left-back berth against Gillingham and the Play-Offs. Ben Parker is not available for the Gillingham match due to suspension but is unlikely to be recalled from a loan spell Darlington for the Play-Off semi-finals - logically if you’re not good enough for the team during the regular season you’re certainly not good enough for the Play-Offs!