It was May 2004 when Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League following a catastrophic financial meltdown.
Not much has gone right since.
There have been three miserable years in League One and precious little sign of the fallen giants being capable of returning to the promised land.
Yet the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa to the Elland Road hot-seat has encouraged hopes of a genuine and long-awaited renaissance.
The legendary Argentine took his seat in the dug-out at the famous old stadium for the first time on Sunday afternoon as Leeds hosted Las Palmas in front of a crowd of 11,499.
It was their final pre-season friendly before the Championship opener at home to Stoke City next Sunday and a largely disappointing affair which Leeds won 1-0 thanks to Kemar Roofe’s 86th-minute strike.
Bielsa’s arrival at Leeds on a two-year deal worth in excess of £2m per annum was seen as a major coup.
The former Argentina boss is the highest-paid manager in the club’s history and has also managed the Chile national side plus Espanyol, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Lazio and Lille.
Leeds have gone through 15 managers – including two in caretaker charge — since losing their Premier League status in 2004.
Bielsa’s spells in charge of Lazio and Lille were both very short lived with the coach – nicknamed El Loco or ‘The Madman’ – walking out on Lazio after just two days in the manager’s hot seat.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described Bielsa as the “best coach in the world” while Tottenham chief Mauricio Pochettino played for Bielsa at Newell’s Old Boys, describing the 63-year-old as “like my football father”.
Yet whatever Bielsa is, he is not a miracle worker.
A squad who finished 13th last season under Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom (both of whom were sacked) remains in need of serious improvement.
Two Chelsea players – midfielder Lewis Baker and goalkeeper Jamal Blackman – have been signed on season-long loans.
Wolves left-back Barry Douglas has also been captured on a three-year deal.
The 28-year-old Scotland international scored five league goals in 39 appearances last season but did not feature against Las Palmas.
Patrick Bamford is also poised to complete a £7m switch from Middlesbrough after a protracted £11m move for Derby’s Matej Vydra came to nothing.
On this evidence, Leeds need a few more signings if Bielsa is to conjure anything approaching a serious promotion challenge.
Las Palmas, relegated from Spain’s top flight last season, were the better side during the opening 45 minutes.
The team from the Canary Islands looked technically superior to Leeds and midfielder Fidel twice smacked the crossbar with first-half free-kicks.
Leeds lined up with Bailey Peacock-Farrell in goal and a back three of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Gaetano Berardi with Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas as wing backs.
Ronaldo Vieira sat in midfield while Kemar Roofe played up front with Samuel Saiz, Ezgjan Alioski and Pablo Hernandez for support.
In truth, though, Leeds created next to nothing during the first half.
Baker and Mateusz Klich came on at half-time and the latter provided some much-needed urgency in the middle of the park.
Tyler Roberts also entered the fray and brought a spark to proceedings on the left flank.
But genuine goalscoring opportunities remained scarce at both ends of the pitch and the fare served up was uninspiring to say the least.
With four minutes remaining, though, Roofe showed some neat footwork inside the box to create the space to rifle home a low left-foot shot from close range.
The good news for Bielsa and Leeds supporters is that Bamford will undergo a medical and sign for the club on Monday.
Bamford and Douglas should make their debuts in the league opener against Stoke while Pontus Jansson is also expected to feature after missing the pre-season games following his World Cup commitments with Sweden.
Adam Forshaw will also return to action, so Leeds should look considerably stronger when they face the Potters.
But the feeling persists that still more quality is needed if Bielsa is to fashion a genuine promotion push.
It could be a busy few days at Elland Road before the transfer window closes.
