Leeds United legend Eddie Gray is convinced changing managers saw the club stay up this season.

Jesse Marsch replaced Marcelo Bielsa as the Whites' head coach at the end of February and has helped guide them towards safety on the final day of the season.

Gray said: “I've been up to the training ground to watch a few of his training sessions, they're good, enthusiastic, he puts a lot into it and he's a nice man. I think they've bought in what the club do, they've took some bold steps, sacking Bielsa and bringing a new manager in that no one really knew about.

“It's proved to be the right decision. I thought it was time for him to probably go, obviously he was a great coach. But when things start to go wrong, disappointing results, he's not the type of manager to put his arm round anybody, there was no real communication, I don't think, between him and the players.

“Sometimes you need a hand round the shoulder and he was never like that. Jesse Marsch has not only been round long but I know him better than Marcelo. Marcelo didn't have great communication skills for talking to people off the football pitch, on the football pitch he was a genius, the players say that.

“He didn't really mix with the players and that makes it difficult. I wouldn't say he's aloof but I don't know whether he was a shy man but the football pitch was his domain. I don't think he thought of anything other than football but his legacy at the club will live forever, what he did."