However, McDermott stuck with largely the same squad from the previous season. McDermott's side began the season slowly with a succession of draws and losses; however, a surge of form through October to December saw Leeds reach a high of 5th place in the table, consistently among the playoff places.
McDermott's team started the new season with a modest beginning, experiencing a string of inconclusive matches and defeats; nonetheless, they experienced an upswing in performance between October and December, ultimately reaching a peak position of 5th place in the standings, consistently residing among the playoff contenders.