MARCELO BIELSA’S sacking was highly controversial at the time - and five months on the decision still grates with a slim majority of Leeds fans.

That is according to Sky Bet’s Fan Hope Survey, where 80 supporters of the Yorkshire club were asked, in hindsight, if it was the wrong choice to axe the Argentine hero.

Fifty-five per cent agreed that it was an error on the club’s part.

Chairman Andrea Radrizzani can point to the fact that Leeds were leaking goals like a sieve in the four defeats that preceded Bielsa’s exit in February.

And that Jesse Marsch, the man he named as successor, did manage to rescue them from relegation.

It went down to a nerve-shredding final day victory at Brentford, but the American pulled it off.

Bielsa is unique in that his everyman persona struck a chord with the Leeds faithful, who adored his down-to-earth approach in an age of football largesse.

He also ended their 16-year exile from the Premier League in style, developing youngsters like Kalvin Phillips, now of Manchester City.

The word legend is overused in football but to Whites supporters, it is absolutely fitting when it comes to Bielsa.

Anyone who directly followed him in the dugout was going to be up against it from the get-go.

And Marsch is no exception after an underwhelming, if ultimately successful, first five months in charge.

Seventy-six per cent of Leeds fans surveyed feel the ex-RB Leipzig boss is the right man to take him forward.

It sounds a lot, but for context, only followers of Southampton and Everton were less supportive than that.

While Marsch also has some going to win over supporters of other Premier League clubs, with 1500 fans voting him the second-worst manager in the division and second most likely to be sacked first this season - both after Frank Lampard.

Meanwhile, Leeds supporters are welcoming the involvement of NFL Franchise the San Francisco 49ers in the ownership model of the club - with 73 per cent claiming it is a positive.