Leeds chairman Bates to accelerate plans after Man Utd shock

Leeds United chairman Ken Bates believes Sunday's FA Cup win at Manchester United can help accelerate their plans for the club.

But for now, the Leeds chairman flies to Cape Town tomorrow for his annual winter holiday and is not due back until January 20.

So, although his phone will be on, he is in no hurry to offload Jermaine Beckford or sit counting the £1.5million raised already this week from playing Manchester United at Old Trafford.

What Bates demands is that Sunday’s shock FA Cup win is a stepping stone. He wants Leeds back where they belong.

One victory, outstanding though it was, does not change the layered plans for a return to the Premier League, but Bates told the Daily Mail: "It makes a change for Leeds to be in the headlines for what happens on the pitch.

"Of course Sunday was the stand-out day since I came to Leeds, partly because it was a good shop window for demonstrating how far we have come."

The 15-point deduction two years ago seems a distant nightmare and Bates’ undiminished energy and vision as a sprightly 78-year-old mean that everyone at Leeds should stay on their toes.

Bates added: "Days like Sunday lead us to believe we might accelerate our plans for filling the ground again and getting back to the level where we think Leeds should be — among the elite in the country.

"I don’t think it is unrealistic to put a five-year plan forward as a target date. Hopefully sooner. As far as the side is concerned, we have come very close to parity against Liverpool and we felt we deserved to win at Old Trafford despite the added 'Fergie time'."