Smiling has been one of Big Sam’s big things since arriving at Leeds. He beamed at Pep Guardiola in defeat at Manchester City, grinned for the BT Sport cameras before Saturday’s home debut with Newcastle whilst skipper Luke Ayling resembled a Cheshire Cat when he led his players out at a noisy Elland Road.
Insiders say the mood at the training ground hasn’t been lighter for years. Whatever Marcelo Bielsa’s strengths, stand-up comedy wasn’t one of them.
It would be easy to sniff at Allardyce’s style of man-management in the modern era and a points collection so far of one in six leaves the Yorkshire club in big relegation trouble.