In an age when games at the top level are moved for the demands of television or on police advice regardless of how inconvenient this makes life for fans, the Elland Road 's drop into the third tier was expected to bring some respite.

With only a handful of League One encounters being shown live, the chances of travel plans being thrown into chaos seemed remote. The reality, however, has been rather different with changes aplenty.

Some have been merely an inconvenience, such as the kick-off time being pulled forward by a couple of hours against both Huddersfield and Carlisle at Elland Road, plus Swindon Town and Hartlepool United away.

Other changes have, unfortunately, been rather problematic for supporters with the visits to Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Hereford United and Crewe Alexandra all being switched to either the Friday night or Sunday afternoon. It doesn't matter whether it is on police advice or for live transmission by Sky, the ones to suffer the most have been those who have paid for the privilege.

To add insult to the injury caused to so many pockets, travel plans to Southend United in January had to be changed not once, but twice after the game was initially selected for live transmission and brought forward to the Monday night only to then return to the original date of Tuesday because of fixture congestion.

In total, there have been 15 changes to the fixture list released by the Football League last June. Is it any wonder the heads of United fans have been spinning at times this season?

Now, to the ordinary man in the street, this may not sound too problematic – simply alter your travel plans.

Unfortunately, life on the road for a football fan is not so simple with coach and train travel having to be organised well in advance and particularly so in terms of the railways where a return to London or further can cost more than a typical family's weekly shopping bill.

April neatly sums up what United fans have been up against with the rearranged derby games at Doncaster and Huddersfield having to be slotted into a schedule that already contained costly trips to Millwall, Leyton Orient and Yeovil Town – the latter having been, yes you've guessed it, already switched to Friday night.

The two Yorkshire derbies should, of course, have already been played with the February 16 visit to Doncaster being frozen off amid claims that had the kick-off stayed at the original time of 3pm then the game would have gone ahead.

Likewise, the postponement at Huddersfield came after the original game had been put back a day from Easter Monday on police advice. Unfortunately, events then conspired against those Leeds and Town fans who live further afield and had booked their travel when Gary McAllister's side had three players called up for international duty.

The fact only Tresor Kandol of that trio travelled – and even then didn't play for Congo last Wednesday – only added to the frustration of those who, once again, had been forced to change their plans at short notice and secure additional time off work.

It is easy to see why United supporters feel the joke has been on them all season long.