When the opening whistle blew at Elland Road to commence play against Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the 22/23 campaign, Leeds United perhaps had a glimmer of hope that victory could be secured and a stunning ascent from the relegation zone at the death could be achieved.
It was not to be. The Lilywhites comprehensively drubbed the stricken Whites 4-1 and a return to the Championship after three terms in the top flight was confirmed.
Leeds were the architects of their own demise, winning just one of their final 11 top-flight matches, with the appointment of relegation specialist Sam Allardyce too little too late.
Turning to the new season, Leeds are now eyeing a permanent manager to lead them back to prominence, and former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is at the forefront of candidates, according to the Sun.
Despite coming up short with the Villans and receiving the sack earlier this term, Gerrard proved during his time with Scottish giants Rangers that he can craft success and mount a title challenge to ascend from the Championship swiftly.
Should Leeds appoint Steven Gerrard?
Gerrard is believed to be enticed by the opportunity to take the helm at Elland Road, presented with the perfect opportunity to rekindle his managerial career to coincide with an outfit desperate for a fugacious stay back in the second tier.
Praised as an "incredible leader" as a player by Wayne Rooney, Gerrard favours an attacking, possession-based 4-3-3 style of football, which could work nicely at Leeds if implemented aptly, given the blistering success of Marcelo Bielsa, whose entertaining style sent the club barrelling back into the Premier League and indeed cementing a spot in the top half.
There will be alarm bells over his failure to unlock the full potential of the Aston Villa squad, which is evidenced by the very same set of players ascending to a seventh-placed finish the very same season under the sage tutelage of Unai Emery, now awaiting a return to European competition.
Sometimes, though, it just doesn't work out, and Gerrard demonstrated his aptitude with the Gers by clinching the Scottish Premiership title in an invincible campaign where the outfit harvested 102 points and ended nine years of Celtic's dominance.
In that campaign, the balance was found superbly and Rangers scored a stunning 92 goals while shipping just 13 at the back, drawing six times and indeed avoiding defeat across the 38-game campaign.
While Leeds might struggle to avoid a loss throughout the turbulence of the Championship season, Gerrard holds the formula for crafting a team capable of challenging for a century when provided the tools.
Some will be apprehensive over the feasibility of appointing the Liverpool legend, but should Leeds retain enough talent to forge an immediate challenge for a spot at the top of the table while boasting enough pull to clinch several first-rate new signings, and if Gerrard can indeed stamp his style into the squad, it could be a dream made in heaven.