Diary of a Leeds Fan (23/04-02/05/18)

Monday 23/4

On this day, exactly 120 years ago, Leeds United's home staged its first-ever football match.

Hunslet beat Harrogate 1-0 in the West Yorkshire Cup final. The attendance was 3,400.

Tom Pearce on his memorable first goal for Leeds and how he thinks he’s acquitted himself in the first team: “To play for Leeds United is different class but to score, I can’t describe it. Obviously there was space to drive into and I see everyone shoot all the time so I thought I may as well have a go. Luckily it’s gone in.”

Tom Pearce celebrates his first goal for Leeds.

“Obviously on my debut I was nervous but I thought I grew into the game. I didn’t play again until (AstonVilla) when I thought I did well and I felt I did well again (against Barnsley).”

Heidi Haigh on an interview with Dean, the chance of a new book, seeing Leeds win in the sun and the LUDO end of season ‘do’.

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/leeds-united-v-barnsley-21st-april-2018-at-elland-road

Thank you Heidi.

My Grandson Finlay in his first ever Leeds kit. He’s Leeds like his Grandad.

Leeds United under 23’s finished their season with a tremendous 4-0 win over Bristol City under 23’s at Ashton Gate. Own goal by Bristol City’s Ali, Sam Dalby and two from Tyler Denton were the scorers for Leeds. The under 23’s have lost only once in their last ten games.


Tuesday 24/4

Happy 73rd Birthday to former Leeds striker Mick Jones. The striker scored 111 goals in 313 appearances for Leeds between 1967 and 74 and he was a key member of Don Revie’s squad that won two league titles, the FA Cup and League Cup as well as the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Carlos Coberan on how the under 23’s have improved as the season progressed: “We know that at the start of the season we create too many new players, we take the risk to start the season without create the real squad, little by little we work to introduce some players and then of course I think the decision of the scouting area with Victor Orta and Andrea (Radrizzani)and the people who work in the club help us a lot to put some very good players in under-18 and under-23's.”

“This is what we need, we need to work with potential players and now I feel proud because I am watching players ready to help the first team. This system only works because now we can see Tom Pearce and Paudie O'Connor in the last game help a lot to win with the first team. This for me is unbelievable because now we are getting our objectives, we are making players ready to be competitive in the first team and the 23's are winning games which is our objective too. In the same time we are making our supporters feel proud of the team and that's what we want.”

The club announce it will play two friendly games in Myanmar(Burma) against the National Team and the Myanmar National League All-Stars.

Statement from the club “Leeds United are delighted to announce the AYA Bank Tour 2018, featuring two friendly matches in Myanmar against the National Team and the Myanmar National League (MNL) All-Stars.”

The fixtures are as follows: 9th May 2018 – MNL All Star Team v Leeds United (Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon 11th May 2018 – Myanmar National Team v Leeds United (Mandalar Thiri Stadium.

Adam Pope Tweeted after the announcement “I’ve spoken to Leeds United about the post season trip to Myanmar (Burma) which is sponsored by a bank. The region has a population of 50m and is seen as a market of interest and one that can afford the visit of Leeds as opposed to top PL clubs who regularly go to wealthier areas of Asia.”

Get your map out Gary Edwards, looks like a long, long away trip!

The reaction from fans and most of the media was mainly negative as Burma has a terrible record on human rights and is a place that the Home Office has said you should only travel to if it is necessary to go there.

Amnesty International UK on Leeds' tour to Burma: “Far too often sporting events have been used as a cheap PR tool to ‘sportswash’ the stain of a country’s human rights record."

Another poor decision by Andrea Radrizzani following on from the fiasco of ‘Badge-Gate’ earlier in the year.

Liverpool win the first leg of their Champions League Semi Final 5-2, Liverpool had been 5-0 up before two late goals for Roma could make the second leg interesting considering.

In the Championship: Derby County 3 Cardiff City 1, Nottingham Forest’s 3 Barnsley 0.

Blackburn Rovers are Promoted to the Championship following their 1-0 victory at Doncaster Rovers.


Wednesday 25/4

The fallout from yesterday’s announcement of the post season tour rumbles on. Dr Rosena Allin-Khan Shadow Secretary for Sport put her ‘two-pennies’ in by saying: “I’ve written to @LUFC expressing my anger at their decision to hold a post-season tour in Myanmar. No UK club or organisation should promote a country which carries out state sponsored mass murder. They must rethink it, history will judge them to be on the wrong side of this.”

An open letter from Andrea Radrizzani to LUFC supporters and the football community about the controversial tour of Myanmar. https://www.leedsunited.com/news/club-news/23306/open-letter-from-andrea-radrizzani

Real Madrid beat Bayern 2-1 in the second Champions League Semi Final at the Allianz Arena, Munich. Marcelo and Asensio the goal scorers.


Thursday 26/4

Today twenty six years ago Leeds did something pretty special. League Champions 1991/92.

Fan favourite to remain at Elland Road: “Leeds United are pleased to announce that Pablo Hernandez has signed a new contract to remain at the club. The Spaniard has put pen to paper on a new two-year-deal to stay at Elland Road, which runs until the summer of 2020.

Pablo Hernandez has been one of the side’s standout performers this season, making 42 appearances and finding the net nine times, he has also captained the Whites on numerous occasions throughout the campaign and led by example on and off the pitch.

His deal was due to expire this summer, but the club have moved to secure his services for the foreseeable future and are delighted Pablo has agreed to see out his career at Elland Road.

The deal includes a clause to extend if Leeds are promoted to the Premier League.

Pablo Hernandez on his new contract: "I'm very happy. It's good news because I always said my intention was to stay at Leeds United, I had some options but I'm very happy here."

Wembley Stadium is set to be sold to Shahid Khan the owner of Fulham and the NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars. The price £1 billion pounds. If the deal is successful England would still play major internationals at the stadium as would the FA Cup Final. The deal is seen as a forerunner to the eventual NFL franchise being set up in England.

Paul Heckingbottom on...

Hernandez: “Yeah, delighted, delighted that he's chosen to stay because lots of teams wanted him and he would have been a great asset to any squad and we've managed to keep. Like I said, Pablo wants to be part of something and it's not a player chasing money, it's not a player after anything else, it's something that he enjoys and where he feels like he's valued and he feels like he can achieve something so we're really pleased.”

The tour: “I think you're on about health things, safety, all that kind of stuff. Our CEO Angus is out there. He's been out there a few days carrying out all the necessary checks. What needs to be done, whether it's safety, medication, the provisions out there and that's the people's job. The club are going through all the right processes to make sure it's a trip that goes off smoothly and a trip we get something out of.”

Has the tour been discussed with the players: “We've not got that far. We've got another meeting today, got some health jabs today, we've got lots of players who won't be going regardless for other reasons. We've got players who are possibly away on international duty, players who's partner's are expecting, players who need another issues at the end of the season so the squad will be different. The squad will be made up of players who are available to go, can get benefit out of the trip and so we're taking everything into account.”

Samuel Siaz’s reaction at being subbed versus Barnsley: “We obviously don't want that, he knows that, nobody is bigger than the team, including me, no players. It's all about the team. No player is better than any other player and no player deserves to be on the pitch over any other player unless they perform.

"Samu did some real good things in the game, he knows it was tactical coming off. You've got a team pushing who are playing really direct which was bypassing his role and at that moment in time they didn't really have a shape.

“He wasn't brought off because he was poor or anything like that. He's a player who is desperate to win when he's on the pitch, you can see that. His bravery to get on the ball, we have to channel that and make sure he understands what it takes to win.”


Friday 27/4

We’ve met before
Norwich 2 Leeds 3 Champ Nov 2016
Norwich 1 Leeds 1 Champ Oct 2014
Norwich 1 Leeds 1 Champ Nov 2010
Norwich 1 Leeds 0 Champ March 10
Norwich 2 Leeds 1 Champ Feb 07

Preview

Norwich like Leeds have under achieved and sit in mid table just like their visitors. If you look at their squad it should be capable at the very least to be challenging for a top six place. Daniel Farke will have to improve or he will follow former boss Alex Neil out of the door. Wes Hoolahan plays his last game at Carrow Road on Saturday after saying he is leaving the club in the summer. Leeds beat Norwich earlier in the season 1-0, Jansson with the goal.

Paul Heckingbottom will decide on keeping the eleven that started against Barnsley or include one or two of the youngsters from the under 23 squad that finished their season with a resounding 4-0 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Sam Dalby and Jack Clarke deserve at least a place on the bench and look a better option than either Grot and Lasogga, who will hopefully return to Germany in the summer.

The last away trip of the season and ‘Billy Bremner’s Barmy Army’(the supporters) certainly deserve a win, it’s been a long time since they’ve seen one of those. Leeds 2-1.

It still baffles me why the owner has announced a post season trip to a place with definite problems and it certainly has had most people talking about Leeds for the wrong reasons. He (Radrizzani) seems to have his own agenda on taking the team there, hopefully there will be no problems when they arrive and stay in
Myanmar.

Increasing revenue should never outweigh the safety of the team.


Saturday 28/4

Leeds United under 28’s lose 1-0 to Charlton Athletic in their Playoff Semi Final at Thorpe Arch. Despite the defeat it has been a very encouraging season for them.

Norwich City vs Leeds United

Team News: One change; Liam Cooper replaces Paudie O’Connor.

Team: Peacock-Farrell, Pennington, Cooper(c), Pearce, Vieira, Phillips, Alioski, Siaz, Hernandez, Roofe

The Game

It’s very hard to find any positives out of the 2-1 defeat in East Anglia, ahead for a few minutes courtesy of a Kalvin Phillips goal before a shot by Hoolahan got a lucky bounce that beat Peacock-Farrell just before the break. It seemed that trying your best for the supporters doesn’t come high on the agenda of the worst squad I’ve had the displeasure of watching since the mid eighties. Some of them are a disgrace to the shirt they wear, they seem not to care about putting much effort in and most seem ready for their summer holidays.

Siaz and Roofe had a couple of chances in the second half of the game to give Leeds the second goal but it was the home side who scored the vital second goal, Murphy collecting Hoolahan’s pass and beating Peacock-Farrell from inside the penalty box. The only reply from Leeds was an effort from substitute Adam Forshaw that Gunn parried to safety.

Kalvin Phillips puts Leeds in front at Norwich.

Post Match:

Paul Heckingbottom: “I didn't enjoy the game at all. We said beforehand that what with all was going on we didn't want it to be like a testimonial - but that's what it felt like. Both sides spent a lot of time playing in front of each other and there was not a lot of fire on show. The referee didn't help either by blowing his whistle all the time.”

"I thought the game was there for the taking and we did okay in the first half and got a good goal - but then we were guilty of bad game management by letting them back into it just before half-time with a deflected shot."

Daniel Farke: "If I had a paint a picture of how Wes' career for Norwich would finish that would have been it. He scored a goal, got an assist and put in an excellent performance, and of course we won the game, which I know was his main target.”
"He went out there and showed, at nearly 36, that he could still have a big influence on a Championship game - it's not just the ability, it's the passion as well. It was a very emotional moment when we took him off near the end. The players all came over to wish him well, the crowd were on their feet, and I can tell you a few tears were shed."


Sunday 29/4

On this day: 1970; Leeds 1 Chelsea 2. The Londoners become the first team to win an FA Cup Final away from Wembley. Mick Jones scored the opening goal for Leeds. It was the second time Leeds had fallen at the final hurdle, Liverpool beat Leeds 2–1 five years earlier after extra time.

Andrew Butterwick on the last away game of the season, it rained and Leeds not surprisingly lost the game.

http://leedsfan.blogspot.com/2018/04/norwich-city-v-leeds-utd-28th-april-2018.html

Thank you Andrew.

Paul Heckingbottom’s support with the fans is almost non existent in every poll put on Twitter. Leeds’ performance at Carrow Road again proved that the player’s minds aren’t on their jobs, only Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Liam Cooper excused from the abuse the rest of the under achievers received on social media. There needs to be big changes in attitude and quality of the squad in the summer.

Sunderland sack Chris Coleman after only five months in the job. The ex Wales manager failed to keep the Wearsiders in the Championship and they are also bottom of the league.

Tweet from Phil Hay: “Cultural Leonesa entering the last month of their season, Ideguchi not in today’s squad and hasn’t played since February. His World Cup chances must be slim.”

Such a waste of time for the Japanese midfielder.

Celtic beat Rangers 5-0, the win meant they are Scottish Premiership Champions. They are ten points clear of their nearest rivals Aberdeen.

Barcelona as expected win the Spanish Championship(La Liga). They beat Deportivo 4-2 with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick, as a result of the defeat Deportivo are relegated

The as yet unbeaten winners of La Liga. Take a bow FC Barcelona.


Monday 30/4

Heidi Haigh on the proposed tour to Myanmar, singing songs on the way to Norwich and meeting the Nottingham and Worksop Whites.

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/norwich-city-v-leeds-united-28th-april-2018-at-carrow-road

Thank you Heidi.

Only one game to go before this wretched season is put to bed, to be honest dear readers it can’t come soon enough. It’s been awful!!


Tuesday 1/5

Real Madrid edge out Bayern Munich is a spectacle of a game as they draw 2-2 at home leaving it in 4-3 to Los Blancos as they book a place in their fourth Champions League final in the past five years.

Leeds are linked with an old flame as the summer transfer merry-go-round begins.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-re-signing-swansea-centre-back-bartley-is-a-no-brainer-1-9142603/amp#click=https://t.co/Jc1xoHQvzW

This time it’s Kyle Bartley and Phil Hay explains exactly while although it’s late in the game, Bartley could turn this dwindling team around. Many thanks to the YEP.


Wednesday 2/5

Good news for both Chairman and possibly the club as Radrizanni’s company Eleven Sports broker a deal to take the La Liga coverage away from Sky Sports hands.

Although this may see no significance initially, the windfall of cash that is set to appear could mean were in the money more than the former owners of Sainsburys.

Plus, it’s great to se Sky Sports shafted once like they have done to us many a time before.

Liverpool edge Roma in another thrilling semi final and go through to the final 7-6 on aggregate. The referee stated after the game he was dismayed at two wrong decisions that could have given Roma two additional penalties. However, looking at the one given in the first leg and the one tonight, it seems Karma is balanced after all.

Leeds will now end their season with a packed Elland Road against another mid table side with nothing to play for. Who’s getting the beers in?

By Keith Ingham