The mysterious figure at the centre of the “Spygate” scandal — a 20-year-old intern brought to Leeds United by Marcelo Bielsa, the manager — was spending 24 hours before matches conducting undercover reconnaissance in the towns and cities of the club’s forthcoming opponents before being caught outside the Derby County training ground last month.

Rather than simply spying on opponents, this remarkable scouting operation represented an attempt to get under the skin of every aspect of Leeds’ Championship rivals, which, in their submissions to the EFL, the club attribute to youthful enthusiasm.

Throughout the season the Leeds intern has spent time around every Championship club from Swansea City to Middlesbrough, talking to fans, drinking in pubs and consuming local media to gain an insight into