Leeds United Must Never Drop Into Championship Again – Former Boss | OneFootball

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Simon Grayson has insisted that Leeds United must never again drop into the Championship and believes the Premier League is better for having the Whites in it.

The Whites secured Premier League survival last week with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, a result that mathematically kept them clear of the relegation zone and justified Daniel Farke’s belief despite a difficult start to the campaign.

Last summer, Leeds backed their Premier League return with major investment, including the arrivals of Lukas Nmecha, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has silenced early doubts by emerging as the club’s top scorer with 15 goals this season.

Since ending their 16-year absence from the Premier League in 2020, the Elland Road outfit have struggled to cement their place among England’s elite, failing to remain in the division for more than three consecutive seasons.

However, Grayson explained that he believes the Whites’ presence in the Premier League would benefit both the club and the city, while stressing that long-term success must be built through smart investment and strong decision-making behind the scenes.

He also expressed hope that the current era under Farke can provide the platform for Leeds to establish themselves as a long-term Premier League club rather than facing another cycle of promotion and relegation.

The 56-year-old added that prolonged top-flight football would further strengthen the bond between the club and their supporters, as he made clear that Leeds cannot again be relegated to the Championship.

Grayson, asked about Leeds moving to the next phase through staying up, said on LUTV (10:11): “Yes, of course it is.

“This is not with rose-tinted glasses.

“This is a huge, huge football club, and the biggest thing that the Premier League needs is Leeds United to be in it for many, many years to come.

“But you’ve got to earn the right, you’ve got to invest right, you’ve got to get the right recruitment, you’ve got to have the right players, the right supporters, and this is hopefully the start of the next X amount of years where we’re going to be in the Premier League and be better for it from a city perspective.

“It makes everybody happy, supporters, 50 odd thousand in a few years’ time.

“Hopefully, this is the basis to go from that we never, ever drop to the Championship again.”

One final assignment remains on Sunday before attention fully turns toward preparations for the 2026/27 campaign, with Leeds facing a potentially pivotal clash against West Ham United at the London Stadium that could yet shape the Irons’ future.

There is still plenty of work to be done behind the scenes, with warnings that the Whites cannot drastically reshape their playing style with the current squad as preparations for next season begin to take shape.

Farke’s side have already started exploring the market, with midfielder Tanner Tessmann linked amid suggestions the club may hold an edge in the race for his signature, while Hidemasa Morita is also on the radar, having stated his desire to play Premier League football.