The tears of home-town hero Alan Smith at the final whistle said it all for Leeds will be playing Nationwide League football next season as the club completed their startling transition from European heroes to relegation fodder in the space of three short years.

Barring the mother of all mathematical miracles, Leeds' 14-year top-flight existence is over, with United remaining six points adrift of nearest rivals Manchester City with just two matches to play, and with a goal difference far inferior to Kevin Keegan's side.

Hard to envisage that on this date in 2001 Leeds stood on the brink of the Champions League final, with Spanish giants Valencia standing in their way.

Money appeared to be no object as top names flooded into Elland Road, but one by one the wheels fell off the gravy train for since those heady times, players, managers and chairmen have all departed the scene due to financial recklessness on an epic scale.

It is a case of how the mighty have fallen.

The one constant has been the supporters, who revelled in the highs, but who have been forced to endure catastrophic lows, both on and off the field, with this latest result the latest insult.

If only the players had provided the same sort of consistency as those who have backed them to the hilt these last few tortuous months, then Leeds would perhaps not have found themselves in such a dire situation.

Unsurprisingly, they looked frail in the opening exchanges, and no wonder as they had conceded early goals in each of their last three matches from which they had taken a mere point.

It appeared as if Bolton, buoyed by a run of three successive victories to thrust them to the fringes of a UEFA Cup place, would scythe open Leeds at will.

The chants in the opening minute from the Bolton fans of "going down, going down," and "Nationwide, Nationwide," seemed to cut deep too, and Leeds were within inches of collecting further wounds in the fifth minute.

Bolton skipper Jay-Jay Okocha's long throw into the penalty area found its way to Henrik Pedersen for a first-time shot from eight yards which took a slight deflection inches past Paul Robinson's left-hand post.

It was a let-off for Leeds who were then forced into desperate defending as captain Dominic Matteo and Michael Duberry both produced important blocks to deny goal-bound efforts from Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff.

But the Whites managed to weather the storm, although step forward Mark Viduka for creating his own tempest, and ultimately United's downfall, at a time when Leeds needed cool heads.

The catalyst was referee Steve Bennett, the Orpington official awarding Leeds a spot-kick in the 25th minute when Emerson Thome hauled down Smith, although there was a minimum of contact.

Thome was subsequently cautioned for his protests, however, as last man and given the letter of the law, the Brazilian centre-back should have been dismissed.

After the furore had abated, Viduka strode forward to score his 12th goal of the season and his seventh in his last 10 appearances to raise hopes among the Leeds supporters.

But then Viduka continued to take centre stage, but for all the wrong reasons for just five minutes later he was awarded the first of his two yellow cards for a petulant kick at Thome at a point when the game was beginning to boil over.

It prompted the likes of Smith - as remarkable as it sounds given his track record - Matteo, Gary Kelly and caretaker-manager Eddie Gray all urging the Australia international to keep his cool.

But Viduka failed to heed their words and just 90 seconds later was cautioned for a second time, and handed a subsequent red by Bennett, for an elbow aimed at Bruno N'Gotty.

Up until the break, 10-man Leeds held sway as Bolton lost their edge, and it was the Whites who came close to adding a second just before the break, with Ivan Campo clearing off the line a James Milner header.

It proved to be the last positive act of a doomed team for within 10 minutes of the second half Leeds were hammered by three quick goals.

Gray's side needed to hold firm in those early moments after the restart, but within 86 seconds Bolton were level as Youri Djorkaeff slipped an angled shot past Robinson.

After Kelly had cleared a scintillating Djorkaeff drive off the line soon after, the former France international was not to be denied as he then followed up two blocked Nicky Hunt shots by rifling home the go-ahead goal from close range.

When Ian Harte turned a Simon Charlton cross over his own line in the 55th minute it was all over, with Kevin Nolan hammering home the final nail in the 78th minute after a sublime through ball from Okocha.

The Leeds fans sang "going down, but we'll be back," and followed that with a touch of gallows humour with a chorus of "we're all going on a Nationwide tour."

When Leeds were last relegated in 1982, it took them eight years to reclaim their place in the top flight.

Given the mess the club are in, and with their top stars like Smith to be sold off this summer, it could be even longer before they do so again.

Teams

Bolton Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Thome (Barness 38), N'Gotty, Charlton, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Pedersen (Javi Moreno 69), Djorkaeff, Davies (Giannakopoulos 84).

Subs Not Used: Poole, Frandsen.

Booked: Thome, Hunt, Davies.

Goals: Djorkaeff 47, 53, Harte 55 og, Nolan 78.

Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Duberry, Caldwell, Harte, Pennant, McPhail, Matteo, Milner (Wilcox 60), Viduka, Smith.

Subs Not Used: Carson, Barmby, Lennon, Kilgallon.

Sent Off: Viduka (33).

Booked: Viduka, Pennant.

Goals: Viduka 27 pen.

Att: 27,420

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).