Leeds United remain well on course to win a long-awaited promotion back into the Premier League this season under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa. 

The Whites are currently sat top of the Championship table, and will be hoping they can extend their seven-point lead over third-placed Fulham heading into the final nine games of this year's campaign.

However, recent off-the-field events have called an abrupt halt to that promotion charge this term, with no scheduled return date being put in place as of yet.

Leeds were last in the Premier League back in the 2002/03 season, where a disappointing league campaign saw them relegated into the Championship, where they have struggled to return to the top-flight since.

Speaking in an interview with Leeds Live, former Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman spoke out on what the Premier League has been missing without the Yorkshire-based side.

"The Premier League has missed Leeds massively, because of the support.

"I never forget when I was there as an apprentice. Matchday was just absolutely massive for the city. All the phone-ins in the mornings, it probably still does on there now, but when we were in the Premier League, or the top division then, it was just huge."

Seaman started his youth career with Leeds, but didn't make a senior appearance for the Whites. The boyhood Leeds fan went on to admit that he wants to see Marcelo Bielsa's side win promotion this season, despite recent events bring the campaign to a temporary halt.

"We'd go away and play our games as apprentices and then on the way back we'd be in the minibus getting back to the ground to get back and do our jobs and that. It was just so special listening to it on the radio.

"It's something that Leeds miss. They miss being in the big time and I think once they get back there, I think they can really kick on there because everybody knows they've got the support.

"They've got mega support and it's just something that I want to happen. I just don't want this virus to get in the way."

Can you identify these Leeds United players by looking at these pixilated images? Test your knowledge in our quiz!

The Verdict: 

The Elland Road faithful will absolutely love this.

Seaman is a boyhood Leeds fan, and I think he speaks for the majority of the Elland Road faithful in saying that the impressive support from the club's supporters has been what the Premier League has been missing in recent years.

Marcelo Bielsa's side have been the team to beat this season, and I just can't see any teams standing in their way as they look ahead to potential life back in the top-flight.

If they achieve promotion, then I can see Leeds being in the Premier League for a prolonged spell.