How have Leeds got on in their first six games in past five seasons?

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Leeds United kick off their Championship campaign later today away at Bolton Wanderers.

Ahead of Leeds’ Championship season curtain-raiser against Bolton, HITC Sport has taken a look back at how the Whites got on in their first six league games in the past five seasons to see how their opening results compared with how the side finished in that particular campaign.

2016/17

In Garry Monk’s first six league games in charge at the start of the 2016/17 season, he registered just one win and looked to be on the ropes in terms of keeping his job. A crushing 3-0 defeat to QPR on the opening day was followed by a loss to Birmingham. Defeat against Fulham was only avoided by Chris Wood’s stunning late equaliser and a win against Sheffield Wednesday suggested things were moving in the right direction.

They were, but defeats against Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield suggested otherwise as Leeds were left in the bottom three after six games. They would enjoy a considerable turnaround however, feeling hugely disappointed with finishing seventh having spent so much time in the top six.

2015/16

While Monk kept his job after a slow start, Uwe Rosler turned out to be halfway through his tenure after their sixth game in all competitions despite actually making a fairly bright start. After drawing against Burnley, Reading, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday, a dramatic victory against Derby suggested that there was something to be positive about.

The Whites maintained that unbeaten run in the next game, drawing with Brentford, but Rosler would secure just one more league win, and three consecutive defeats soon after saw him leave.

Steve Evans did a decent job, but never really threatened to take Leeds close to the play-offs as they finished 13th.

2014/15

2014 was certainly an eventful year for Leeds with Massimo Cellino arriving and the bizarre and scarcely-believable appointment of Dave Hockaday as head coach. Hockaday would last just four league games, winning once – quite fortunately against Middlesbrough – while losing his other three, with Millwall, Brighton and Watford all taking victories. Neil Redfearn’s appointment as caretaker saw an upturn in fortunes as they beat Bolton and drew away at Birmingham.

Redfearn’s spell would end when Darko Milanic was given the role not long after, but he was soon gone and Redfearn was back at the helm on a permanent basis – delivering a respectable 15th given the chaos that seemed to be going on on a regular basis.

2013/14

Leeds began the 2013/14 season under Brian McDermott extremely positively. They beat Brighton on the opening day, before draws with Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday were followed by a win against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. QPR would inflict their only league defeat in the first six and they rounded off their opening fixtures with a narrow win away at Bolton.

That win would take them sixth, but a poor form from around Christmas time saw them register a 15th place finish just as they would one year later.

2012/13

Under Neil Warnock, Leeds got off to a flyer at the start of 2012/13, beating recently-relegated Wolves at Elland Road. Had Whites fans known that Wolves would be relegated again that season, they may not have got so excited with the three points. Narrow losses to Blackpool, Cardiff and Hull came amongst a win against Peterborough and a dramatic draw with Blackburn.

Interestingly, after the defeat to Hull, Leeds would find themselves 13th in the table, and that is where they would ultimately finish the campaign.