Leeds United legend Eddie Gray has bemoaned the brutal nature of football after the Whites lost the chance to finish above Fulham in the Championship table after playing out a 3-3 draw with Norwich City at Elland Road.
Garry Monk's men were spying an opportunity to take the race to finish in sixth place to the final matchday next weekend and saw a chance with Fulham struggling to beat Brentford.
But despite Leeds fighting back from three goals down to 3-3, they could not find a winner, meaning even though Fulham drew 1-1 with Brentford, they are now set to miss out on the playoffs as the Cottagers' boast a three-point lead and a goal difference of plus 27, while Leeds' is plus 14.
And Gray has bemoaned Leeds' fate, noting until recently they were miles ahead of Fulham; Leeds fans were openly thinking about pushing for automatic promotion.
"Football is brutal", Gray said on LUTV.
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"We were so far clear of Fulham that everybody thought it was over."
He also feels Leeds' mentality might have been different if they had been the team doing the chasing rather than being the side chased.
"If we had come from the back and been behind all the teams, but when you're sitting there fourth, four weeks ago, you think you're in it.
"But fair play to the other teams. When the crunch came they got results and we didn't manage to get results."
Leeds form slump has been an astonishing slip at a crucial time of the season, with the Whites taking just nine points from their last nine league matches.
Fulham have taken 17 from their last nine, while Sheffield Wednesday have collected 19; Reading have 18.
