The points season

After waiting most of the summer for the league imposed transfer embargo to be lifted, Leeds were eventually allowed to sign players on 7 August 2007. They immediately set about re-signing players whose loan or permanent contracts had expired during the summer including the experienced Alan Thompson, Tore André Flo[27] and Casper Ankergren[28]. Some new faces were also brought in such as the previous England under-21 star David Prutton[29]. Thompson was awarded the captain's arm-band due to his previous high-level experience[27]. Leeds won their first match in the third tier 2-1 away at Tranmere Rovers with a goal from Tresor Kandol sealing the victory in the 89th minute[30], and won their next six league games to equal the club's best ever start to a season, last achieved 34 years ago in the 1973-74 season)[31]. In recognition of the outstanding start to the season, Wise was named as League One's Manager of the Month for August[32] and September 2007[33]. However, after guiding Leeds to the play-off places despite the 15-point deduction, Wise controversially quit the club to take up a position in Kevin Keegan's new set-up at Newcastle United[34]. The following day former club captain Gary McAllister, who had been captain the last time Leeds won the League Championship, was appointed as the club's new manager[35] with Steve Staunton his assistant. Under his management, Leeds reached the playoffs for the year 2007-08, with one game to spare, despite the well-publicised 15-point deduction. The deduction was heavily appealed, but this ultimately failed on 1 May 2008 when an independent arbitration panel ruled that the Football League were right to give Leeds this deduction. Victory over Gillingham on the final day of the season saw Leeds finish fifth in the final table and book themselves a play-off semi-final tie with Carlisle United[36]. After losing 2-1 with a poor performance in the first leg at Elland Road[37], Leeds beat Carlisle 2-0 at Brunton Park[38] to book their first appearance at Wembley in 12 years, and their first ever appearance at the new Wembley Stadium. Leeds lost the Play-off Final to Doncaster Rovers[39].

at 11	15:00	Tranmere Rovers	A	FL1	W	1-2	11,008

Tue 14	19:45	Macclesfield Town	A	LGCP	W	0-1	3,422

Sat 18	15:00	Southend United	H	FL1	W	4-1	24,036

Sat 25	13:00	Nottingham Forest	A	FL1	W	1-2	25,237

Tue 28	19:45	Portsmouth	A	LGCP	L	3-0	8,502

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

September 2007

Sat 1	15:00	Luton Town	H	FL1	W	1-0	26,856

Sat 8	15:00	Hartlepool United	H	FL1	W	2-0	26,877

Fri 14	19:45	Bristol Rovers	A	FL1	W	0-3	11,883

Sat 22	15:00	Swansea City	H	FL1	W	2-0	29,467

Sat 29	15:00	Gillingham	A	FL1	D	1-1	8,719

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

October 2007

Tue 2	19:45	Oldham Athletic	A	FL1	W	0-1	10,054

Sat 6	15:00	Yeovil Town	H	FL1	W	1-0	27,808

Tue 9	19:30	Darlington	A	LGCP	W	0-1	7,891

Sat 13	15:00	Leyton Orient	H	FL1	D	1-1	29,177

Sat 20	15:00	Brighton and Hove Albion	A	FL1	W	0-1	8,691

Sat 27	15:00	Millwall	H	FL1	W	4-2	30,319

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

November 2007

Sat 3	15:00	Carlisle United	A	FL1	L	3-1	16,668

Tue 6	19:45	AFC Bournemouth	A	FL1	W	1-3	9,632

Fri 9	19:45	Hereford	A	FACP	D	0-0	5,924

Tue 13	19:45	Bury	H	JPT (N) QF	L	1-2	18,809

Sat 17	15:00	Swindon Town	H	FL1	W	2-1	27,990

Tue 20	19:45	Hereford	H	FACP	L	0-1	11,315

Sun 25	14:00	Cheltenham Town	A	FL1	L	1-0	7,043

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

December 2007

Tue 4	19:45	Port Vale	H	FL1	W	3-0	20,301

Sat 8	12:15	Huddersfield Town	H	FL1	W	4-0	32,501

Sat 15	15:00	Walsall	A	FL1	D	1-1	10,102

Sat 22	15:00	Bristol Rovers	H	FL1	W	1-0	27,863

Wed 26	12:00	Hartlepool United	A	FL1	D	1-1	7,784

Sat 29	15:00	Swansea City	A	FL1	L	3-2	19,010

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

January 2008

Tue 1	15:00	Oldham Athletic	H	FL1	L	1-3	25,906

Sat 5	15:00	Northampton Town	H	FL1	W	3-0	24,472

Mon 14	19:45	Crewe Alexandra	A	FL1	W	0-1	6,771

Sat 19	15:00	Doncaster Rovers	H	FL1	L	0-1	31,402

Sat 26	15:00	Luton Town	A	FL1	D	1-1	9,297

Tue 29	19:45	Southend United	A	FL1	L	1-0	9,819

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

February 2008

Sat 2	15:00	Tranmere Rovers	H	FL1	L	0-2	24,907

Sat 9	15:00	Northampton Town	A	FL1	D	1-1	7,260

Tue 12	19:45	Nottingham Forest	H	FL1	D	1-1	29,552

Sat 23	15:00	Crewe Alexandra	H	FL1	D	1-1	21,223

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

March 2008

Sat 1	14:00	Swindon Town	A	FL1	W	0-1	13,270

Sat 8	15:00	AFC Bournemouth	H	FL1	W	2-0	21,199

Tue 11	19:45	Cheltenham Town	H	FL1	L	1-2	20,257

Sat 15	15:00	Port Vale	A	FL1	D	3-3	7,908

Sat 22	17:20	Walsall	H	FL1	W	2-0	19,095

Sat 29	15:00	Brighton and Hove Albion	H	FL1	D	0-0	22,575

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

April 2008

Tue 1	19:45	Doncaster Rovers	A	FL1	W	0-1	15,001

Sat 5	15:00	Leyton Orient	A	FL1	W	0-2	7,602

Sat 12	12:15	Carlisle United	H	FL1	W	3-2	28,530

Tue 15	19:45	Huddersfield Town	A	FL1	L	1-0	16,413

Sat 19	15:00	Millwall	A	FL1	W	0-2	13,395

Fri 25	19:45	Yeovil Town	A	FL1	W	0-1	9,527

Date	KO	Opponent	Venue	Comp	Result	Att	TB	MR

May 2008

Sat 3	15:00	Gillingham	H	FL1	W	2-1	38,256

Mon 12	19:45	Carlisle United	H	FL1 P/O	L	1-2	36,297

Thu 15	19:45	Carlisle United	A	FL1 P/O	W	0-2	12,873

Sun 25	15:00	Doncaster Rovers	Wembley	FL1 P/O	L	1-0	75,132