Peter Lorimer is convinced Leeds United will soon be back in the Premiership.

The Elland Road legend, 63, insists it is only a matter of time before his old team are firmly established as a top six side in the Premier League, and that they are as big a club as the likes of ­Tottenham and Aston Villa.

Lorimer told the Sunday Mirror: "I firmly believe we have the potential to be the best team in the country again - certainly one of England's top six clubs.

"Look at Spurs and Villa and what they achieved last ­season. We can do what they have done because we are every bit as big as them. And, when you look at the size of our fan base - we had 38,000 for that Bristol Rovers game - then that shows we are not only as big as those two, but bigger than most clubs in the Premier League.

"I know how big we are and what we are capable of.

"But you only get to the top and achieve what you want to in this game by putting in the hard work and hard yards.

"You don't just get there ­simply by saying, 'We are a big club because of our history and tradition.'

"We can be at the pinnacle again, but we must earn it. When you can command crowds of 38,000 like we do, though, then the whole of ­football knows and ­appreciates what kind of club this is."