Now the lovely old stadium will be rocking and rolling tonight as United take on Preston North End in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals.
There is something special about evening matches at Elland Road, with the memory of those great European campaigns in the UEFA Cup and the Champions League still relatively fresh in the mind.
What has happened in-between does not bear thinking about, so let's concentrate on the positives.
The club was on its knees when Bates rode into town in January 2005, but with his cash injection, some shrewd transfer activity by manager Kevin Blackwell, gritty displays on the park and the faithful backing of the best supporters in the land, Leeds have defied the pundits and, in the process, won back their self-respect.
A fifth-place finish in the league was good enough to ensure United's place in the 2005/6 play-offs. And here is an opportunity for Leeds to announce to the football world that they are going back to where they belong.
It is vital that with home advantage in tonight's first leg – and the backing of those partisan fans – that United open up a big enough advantage to ensure that Preston have a mountain to climb in Monday's renewal of hostilities.
The reward for an aggregate victory would be a £30 million showdown with either Watford or Crystal Palace in the play-off final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on May 21. Yes, the stakes are that high.
With Premiership status, increased television revenue and bigger incomes from sponsorship, marketing and corporate activity, the prize up for grabs is precious indeed. So everyone must play their part tonight.
The manager must have his tactics spot-on, the players must perform out of their skins and the crowd – some 35,000 are expected – must back them to the hilt with a crescendo of noise.
Marching On Together is a wholly appropriate theme.
COME ON LEEDS!