Since returning to the Championship in 2010, most of Leeds' seasons had seen mid-table mediocrity, with occasional struggles against relegation, and very few promotion challenges. This season, however, would mark the point where they began to turn the corner. Former Swansea City manager Garry Monk took over as Leeds manager, and enjoyed a less-than-auspicious start, losing four of his first six matches in charge. Owner Massimo Cellino nearly sacked Monk, but having seen precious little success with his strategy of chopping and changing managers over the past three years, decided to give him longer.
Cellino was rewarded for his patience when Leeds' form dramatically improved thereafter, with a strong run of form taking them into the play-off places by early November, and even challenging for automatic promotion by the turn of the year, with the goals of Chris Wood, who had already impressed in the previous season, being crucial to their promotion challenge. While they remained in the play-off places until the final weeks of the seasons, an injury crisis combined with a barren spell for Wood saw the promotion challenge slowly unravel. They ultimately finished in 7th place with 75 points; in many seasons this would have been good enough for a play-off spot, but an exceptionally strong top six meant Leeds ultimately came nowhere close to securing a spot. Still, the season still marked only the third time since relegation from the Premier League in 2004 that Leeds had finished in the top half of the Championship.
Off the pitch, the season saw Cellino wind down his interest in the club, selling half of his shares to compatriot Andrea Radrizzani in January, before selling him the remainder after the season ended.
Source: English Football League, Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Points in head-to-head matches; 5) Goal difference in head-to-head matches; 6) Goals scored in head-to-head matches; 7) Play-off. (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted Notes:
^Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the Premier League.
