Champagne corks were popping around Elland Road yesterday, but more in celebration of David O'Leary's decision to finally sign on the dotted line, than in reaction to the quality of football his side displayed on the pitch earlier.
As an opening act to the contented speechifying of O'Leary and chairman Peter Ridsdale later on the Leeds players were wooden at best and consistently fluffed their lines, even when handed the ultimate prompt of a penalty.
O'Leary met with Ridsdale after the game to horse-trade over the former assistant coach's only sticking point to a signature - transfer money. O'Leary had been looking for substantial funds to be made available to bolster the squad and it's believed he will now have in the region of £12 million at his disposal.
"I felt on Friday we had a broad agreement with David's solicitor (Michael Kennedy)," said Ridsdale. "We then sat down tonight, hammered out the finer points and when it was all agreed we opened a bottle of champagne."
"This is a great opportunity for me," said O'Leary. "I know it's a hard job, but what a job to start your managerial career with."
With an estimated salary of £600,000 a year, O'Leary was not exaggerating.
"I had to be satisfied with promises about money for new players and I've got the guarantees I was looking for.
"What I am looking for in the short term is for us to finish fifth in the league again as we did last season, so guaranteeing us a place in Europe, and reach a cup final.
"If we manage to do that then I shall be totally satisfied."
On the evidence of yesterday afternoon's performance by the team, next May will find O'Leary a broken man.
Sadly a poor game's common thread was the hanging-judge performance of referee Mike Reed, who grinned inanely as he delivered his version of the gospel according to an unsympathetic official. Twelve players were cautioned in total, eight during the course of a first half which was utterly wretched and did not boast even an undercurrent of malice.
Still, those hardy souls who braved the awful weather were probably happy to have Reed provide them with something to discuss as they began turning up their collars in readiness for a miserable journey back home.
The better players were those in blue and there was much to admire in Chelsea's football, but also much to deride. Dennis Wise had a looping corner-kick cleared off the line by Danny Granville and Brian Laudrup was smartly denied by Leeds' 17-year-old goalkeeper Paul Robinson, making his debut as Nigel Martyn had damaged ribs.
On the basis that penalty-kicks should always be converted, Leeds should have won for the first time in almost six weeks. The game's defining moment appeared to have arrived in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Michael Duberry tugged away merrily at Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's left sleeve as the pair chased Robert Molenaar's long punt.
Hasselbaink's spot kick was driven centrally and, although Ed de Goey threw himself down to his left, the ball hit a trailing leg and flew away to safety. Thereafter there was nothing at all to raise the spirits. It really was that bad.
Frank Leboeuf's departure for a clattering challenge on Harry Kewell - he had earlier been booked for dissent - should have served as an invitation for Leeds to move from passenger seat to driver's seat. That it did not surprised no one at all.
Leeds: Robinson, Radebe, Woodgate, Molenaar, Hiden, Hopkin (Haaland 72), Bowyer, McPhail, Granville, Hasselbaink (Wijnhard 80), Kewell. Subs Not Used: Wetherall, Halle, Santos. Booked: Bowyer, Molenaar, Hasselbaink, Wijnhard, Radebe.
Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer, Leboeuf, Duberry, Babayaro, Zola (Poyet 66), Di Matteo, Desailly, Wise, Laudrup, Casiraghi (Flo 76). Subs Not Used: Lambourde, Nicholls, Hitchcock. Sent Off: Leboeuf (61). Booked: Zola, Di Matteo, Leboeuf, De Goey, Wise, Duberry, Babayaro. Att: 36,292.
Referee: M Reed (Birmingham).
