The first few months of the season, it looked like Leeds United were going to mount a promotion charge.

After failing to make the play-offs last season, it looked like Thomas Christiansen would be the man to help get The Whites promoted. However, promotion hopes quickly faded.

Leeds endured a great start to the season, as they finished August unbeaten and third in the Championship.

They ended 2017 fifth in the table. However, results took a turn for the worst at the start of 2018.

Thomas Christiansen's side failed to win in January, and they also lost to League Two Newport 2-1 in the FA Cup third round.

The Danish manager was sacked after a 4-1 loss to Cardiff in February, a result which left them 10th and seven points off the play-offs.

Let's take a look at the factors which made Leeds United's promotion hopes fade away.

Chris Wood was vital for Leeds, and understandably the Whites were reluctant to sell Wood.

However, the New Zealander forced through a move to Burnley for £15 million, late in the summer window. Thomas Christiansen now needed to replace the striker.

The Dane signed Jay Rot Grot, Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Caleb Ekuban. Between them, they have scored a measly twelve goals this season.

Lasogga has scored a majority of these goals, scoring ten this season while Ekuban and Grot have scored one each.

It was obvious Leeds needed to replace Wood. He was a 20+ goal a season striker in the Championship, but he has failed to be replaced.

To be in the promotion hunt, you need to be somewhat consistent. However, consistency has been a nightmare for Leeds this season. Bar the first few months, Leeds have failed to get a run going.

At the moment, Leeds sit 13th winning 15 games and losing 17.  Furthermore, Leeds sit 22nd in the form guide for the last six games.

This season, Leeds have just been too inconsistent to really mount a play-off push. The team has quality, but they have failed to get a winning run going.

Leeds came into 2018 in a solid position. However, since the turn of the year, the Whites have only managed two wins. A bad start to the year led to Thomas Christiansen being sacked.

Since the start of the year, Leeds have conceded 30 goals and have only scored 13 in reply. All the momentum earlier in the season disappeared, and Leeds have failed to get their season back on track.

Paul Heckingbottom has failed to turn fortunes around at the club, and now Leeds have nothing to play for as the season comes to a close.