Leeds United made grave sale error under Ken Bates - it wasn't Max Gradel or Jonny Howson | OneFootball

FLW look back in time to the sale of Kasper Schmeichel under Ken Bates at Leeds United.

Leeds United’s ownership under Ken Bates, from 2005 to 2012, was a turbulent period that saw a number of damaging player sales, contributing to the club's decline, including Kasper Schmeichel.

Bates, who had previously owned Chelsea, took over a financially crippled Leeds, promising to stabilise the club. However, his tenure became notorious for controversial decisions, including selling key players to cover financial losses, which severely impacted the team’s ability to compete.

Among the most damaging sales was that of Fabian Delph to Aston Villa in 2009. Delph was seen as one of the brightest young talents in English football, and his departure left Leeds without a crucial creative force in midfield. The loss of star striker and the club's best player in Jermaine Beckford in 2010, after firing Leeds back to the Championship with his goals, also hit the club hard.

Robert Snodgrass, another key player, was sold to Norwich City in 2012, just as Leeds looked to rebuild. He joined the likes of Jonny Howson, Bradley Johnson, and Luciano Becchio at Carrow Road in a short space of time. Many of these players were crucial to promotion under Simon Grayson in 2010.

Leeds' player exits under Ken Bates were pretty severe

Leeds also saw the sale of key forward Max Gradel, which further damaged the squad.

Gradel was a dynamic winger who provided creativity and goals, while the consistency of someone like Becchio as a striker made him a fan favourite. Howson, a homegrown talent and the club’s captain, was pivotal in midfield as well.

These departures stripped Leeds of the talent needed to mount a serious promotion challenge. Remarkably, Leeds had all these players together at one point, including future Premier League winner Kasper Schmeichel in goal, too. During the 2010/11 season, Leeds fans enjoyed their goalscoring exploits, with numerous contributions from both midfield and attack.

Behind Watford, and despite finishing seventh, they were the second-highest scorers in the division. They boasted a strong forward line with Gradel, Snodgrass, and Becchio, as well as a solid midfield trio of Howson, Johnson, and Neil Kilkenny. But it was Schmeichel that provided the only reliable presence at the back with his strong performances between the posts.

What Leeds lacked was defensive depth, especially in central defence. Manager Simon Grayson pushed hard to sign Wes Morgan to partner Patrick Kisnorbo, believing it would give Leeds the defensive solidity needed to push for a play-off spot. He was unsuccessful in his pursuit, but a stronger defence in front of Schmeichel could have been the difference between finishing seventh and securing promotion that season.

Grayson had many of the pieces of the promotion puzzle at his disposal, but Bates' lack of spending and willingness to sell the best assets conspired to see Leeds fall just short. Failing to go up that season proved costly, as Leeds were then forced to sell key players like Schmeichel, weakening the team further and extending their stay in the Championship.

Leeds' biggest mistake in 2011 was selling Kasper Schmeichel

Before joining Leeds, Schmeichel spent time at Notts County, where he impressed in League Two despite the club’s financial troubles. He joined Leeds in 2010, immediately becoming the first-choice goalkeeper and playing a key role in their finish that season.

Despite his strong performances, Schmeichel was controversially sold to Leicester City in 2011 for a fee of just over £1 million, with Leeds citing financial reasons. At Leicester, Schmeichel’s career flourished. He helped the Foxes secure promotion to the Premier League in 2014 and became a pivotal figure in their historic title-winning campaign in 2015/16. That could, in another reality, have been Leeds had they retained his services and built around him 13 years ago instead.

Schmeichel's leadership and shot-stopping ability earned him a place among the Premier League’s elite goalkeepers, while his role in Leicester’s FA Cup triumph in 2021 further cemented his legacy at the club. Leeds were sat on a goldmine with him, Gradel, Howson, and others, but instead fell into mid-table obscurity for many years, even after Bates' decision to sell the club.

Bates' lack of ambition cost Leeds for years, with Schmeichel likely to have been part of the spine of an excellent side in 2011/12 had they allowed fewer stars to leave for cut-price fees. These exits, combined with Bates’ unpopularity for prioritising financial gain over footballing success, left Leeds in a prolonged period of mediocrity.

It wasn't until a change of ownership after further turbulence under GFH and Massimo Cellino, and subsequent promotion to the Premier League under Andrea Radrizzani and Marcelo Bielsa, that the club finally began to recover.