During the 2004–05 English football season, Leeds United competed in the Football League Championship, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the previous season after 14 years in the top flight. With debts of over £100 million, Leeds were not expected to make a push for an automatic return to the Premiership, with preventing a second successive relegation the priority.
In 2004–05 season, Leeds began signing players prepared to accept lower wages. The club were eventually forced to sell both their training ground, for £4.2m, and their Elland Road stadium in the autumn of 2004.
On 21 January 2005, Krasner announced the sale of a 50% stake to Ken Bates for £10m and Bates became the club's new chairman, replacing Krasner. This investment effectively saved Leeds United from going into administration. Bates had previously headed three other league football clubs, most famously Chelsea.
Blackwell was forced to sell most of the remaining players, including Aaron Lennon; somehow he managed to build a team using loan players and experienced professionals nearing the end of their careers. Despite a promising opening day win against Derby County, Leeds's form at the start of the 2004-05 Coca-Cola Championship was little better than in the previous season, and they spent the first half of the campaign looking in serious danger of a second successive relegation. Their form gradually picked up after the club was taken over by Bates and Leeds finished in a relatively safe 14th place.
Leeds United's home kit was manufactured by Diadora.
Leeds United's score comes first
David Healy 7 Brian Deane 6 Rob Hulse 6 Danny Pugh 5 Clarke Carlisle 4 Simon Walton 3 Jermaine Wright 3 Julian Joachim 2 Shaun Derry 2 Frazer Richardson 1 Steve Guppy 1 John Oster 1 Aaron Lennon 1 Nathan Blake 1 Gylfi Einarsson 1 Seth Johnson 1 Matthew Spring 1 Danny Pugh 1 Michael Ricketts 1 Brian Deane 1Squad at end of seasonNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Considering starts in all competitionsGK: #1, Neil Sullivan, 50RB: #2, Gary Kelly, 47CB: #6, Paul Butler, 41CB: #4, Clarke Carlisle, 32LB: #15, Frazer Richardson, 31RM: #18, Simon Walton, 25CM: #8, Sean Gregan, 37CM: #7, Jermaine Wright, 35LM: #12, Danny Pugh, 36CF: #9, David Healy, 28CF: #30, Brian Deane, 24 (Matthew Kilgallon has 28 starts as a centre-back) Julian Joachim - Coventry City, 14 June, free Michael Ricketts - Middlesbrough, 23 June, free Jermaine Wright - Ipswich Town, 30 June, free Matthew Spring - Luton Town, 1 July, undisclosed Brian Deane - West Ham United, 22 July, free Neil Sullivan - Chelsea, 31 July, free Stephen Crainey - Southampton, 10 August, £200,000 Serge Branco - Stuttgart, 20 August, free Sean Gregan - West Bromwich Albion, 16 September, £750,000 Shaun Derry - Crystal Palace, 18 February, undisclosed Kevin Pressman - Leicester City, 25 February, free Ian Moore - Burnley, 23 March, £50,000 Paul Butler - Wolverhampton Wanderers, free Gylfi Einarsson - Lillestrøm, January Craig Hignett - Leicester City Steve Guppy - Leicester City Danny Cadamarteri - Bradford City Clarke Carlisle - Queens Park Rangers David Healy - Preston North End Danny Pugh - Manchester United Saša Ilić Paul Robinson - Tottenham Hotspur, 14 May, £1,500,000 James Milner - Newcastle United, 2 July, £5,000,000 Stephen McPhail - Barnsley, 2 July, undisclosed Ian Harte - Levante, 3 July, undisclosed Nick Barmby - Hull City, 6 July, freeDominic Matteo - Blackburn Rovers, 7 July, free Danny Mills - Manchester City, 13 July, free Craig Hignett - released, 8 September (later joined Darlington on 8 September) Steve Guppy - released, 8 September (later joined Stoke City) Danny Cadamarteri - Sheffield United, 30 September, £50,000 Scott Carson - Liverpool, 21 January, £1,000,000Andy Keogh - Scunthorpe United, 14 February, undisclosed Brian Deane - Sunderland, 24 March, freeBarry Corr - released (later joined Sheffield Wednesday on 19 April) Alan Smith - Manchester United, May, £7,000,000 Mark Viduka - Middlesbrough, July, £4,000,000 Kevin Pressman - Coventry City, March Jason Wilcox - Leicester City, free Danny Milosevic - Celtic, free Michael Bridges - free David Batty - retired Serge Branco - Queens Park Rangers Henry McStay - Halifax Town Jamie Winter - Aberdeen Shaun Allaway Brett Ormerod - Southampton, 19 September, one month John Oster - Sunderland, 5 November, one month Shaun Derry - Crystal Palace, 23 November Nathan Blake - Leicester City, 31 December, one month Leandre Griffit - Southampton, 6 January, one month Michael Gray - Blackburn Rovers, 3 February, three months Rob Hulse - West Bromwich Albion, 9 February, season-long Marlon King - Nottingham Forest, 4 March Paul Harrison - Liverpool Michael Duberry - Stoke City, 15 October, three months Harpal Singh - Stockport County, 18 February, one month Jamie McMaster - Chesterfield, 7 January, season