Will crest-gate help or hinder Leeds United this season?
The new badge was awful, but what impact will the last few days have for the Whites in the final 18 games?
So far, January has been somewhat difficult for the Whites: no wins from 4 games and a horror-show in the FA Cup against Newport. Then, this week, the new crest debacle has engulfed the fan base.
Like the majority, I personally did not like the crest, but it is the timing of the announcement I find the most intriguing.
We hadn’t heard much prior to Wednesday morning about the possibility of a new crest, and suddenly Leeds are the talking point of every single football fan. Even people suffering from heartburn became fully aware of Leeds United after the simple (and ultimately ridiculous) crest was released. I was one of the people who filled in the survey back in August, and I never suspected or commented on what was released on Wednesday.
For me, regardless of the outcome from the launch, Leeds were onto a winner: if we loved the crest, we would all praise the ownership and the club’s management for once again making Leeds feel united again. Or, like we have seen, we would all unite in our disdain for the suggested crest, and then the club could apologise and retract the idea. We would all then praise the ownership and the club’s management for doing something no owner has done in the last 25 years: listened to the fans.
This in itself strengthens the bond between the club and the fans. I genuinely can not decide whether it was a brilliant business move or just stupidity.
Moreover, this week’s series of events has redirected the focus from the team and given Thomas Christiansen and his staff needed time away from the heavy fan scrutiny that had started to build.
The players have looked jaded, and the time out of the spotlight should help them against Hull on Tuesday. In a strange way, this crest nonsense shows the commitment from the club to ensure the players are given the best chance to turn things around on the pitch.
On the other hand, the situation has also deterred us from discussing the need for further recruitment during the window. I fear that with less than a week to go, in the end, this whole episode distracted us from an important transfer window when additions were clearly needed.
Like I said, the lack of media attention will help the current crop of players, but for us to sustain a promotion push we need to get players in and settled before next Tuesday in my opinion. Hull are struggling and, with a tough February to come, I cannot stress how important three points on Tuesday really is.
This stage of the season is pivotal and it is the period when the real contenders come to the forefront. For the Whites to be considered contenders, the club need to be directing their focus to the transfer market in the next few days rather than spending time creating something that looks a four-year-old came up with it whilst drawing at nursery. MOT.
