The next few months may be among the most important in Leeds United’s history – they are likely to reveal if the club have the potential to get back to their former glory or are destined to be among the also-rans of football.

The 37,036 who packed Elland Road for the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Millwall – all but 1,000 of them supporting Leeds – was the biggest crowd in the entire Football League this season.

Leeds continue to dominate the crowd statistics below the Premier League and in some cases are ahead of some clubs in the top flight, but there has to be a question mark about how much longer fans will support a side in the third tier of English football.

While last season’s average home gate of 23,639 is impressive by League One standards, it was 11 per cent down on last season.

There is some optimism among the fans from the run of only two defeats in 17 starts at the end of the season and the 12-match unbeaten home run. But much will depend on what happens over the next few weeks.

If chairman Ken Bates announces he will now put the repurchase of Elland Road and the Thorp Arch training ground on the backburner, fans will be concerned, as they will also be if stars Jermaine Becklford and Fabien Delph are put up for sale.