By Adam Walker![]() One of the few things that is predictable about Leeds United is the stuffy lethargy of the summer months. More generally, the pattern of resigned, defeatist behaviour the Club have shown in transfer window after transfer window, turning us into a pushover and laughing stock in the eyes of no-marks from East Anglia. Typically, the last fixture ends; 'kicking on next season' is the talk of the manager's office; the players, agents, managers and tea ladies apparently render the entire sport comatose by taking a two-week holiday; the players return and pictures are taken of them hard at work on the training pitch in their psychedelic (psychopathic?) Macron gear; subsequently players with real potential are sold with a shrug of the shoulders, and dead-end journeymen are brought in to replace them, Shaun Harvey likely cooing about how he's 'maximised resources in an effective fashion to secure future income streams for the Club'. But the current board at United cannot sustain their dying grip on those resources for much longer. For seven years, they have chopped, changed, whinged, planned, constructed, made excuses, litigated, whinged some more and, ultimately, failed to deliver progress on the football pitch. Supporters Trust Chairman Gary Cooper's suggestion that the Snodgrass sale is partly their doing is a very worrying sign indeed. How many more outward transfers can they still influence? How soon before they are willing to sign the papers which confirm their departure so Sheikh Abdulrahman and his merry men can finally be ushered in? Aside from that easily-detected worry, though, is a deeper-seated threat. When Neil Warnock rolled into Elland Road, a giddy excitement gripped the fanbase. Gone were the apparently wishy-washy tactics of the Grayson days, and in would come solid defending and... more solid defending. The fact of the matter is that Warnock's team failed to score enough goals last season, and we regressed on Grayson's hard-fought position three points from the playoffs (incidentally, the same distance we'd reached in a season where Gradel, Johnson, Howson and Kilkenny had populated our midfield before they were snatched away). When Warnock arrived, we went from an attacking extreme to a defensive extreme. Foolishly, I suggest, because the midfield was severely weakened. Is it being strengthed now as a matter of priority? Signings are being made there, but to me, it's a step too far to say that Rodolph Austin and Paul Green count as a strengthening. Paul Green is by all accounts the Yorkshire-born equivalent of Danny Pugh, and Austin, while he leaves Bergen with rave reviews, is still unproven in a truly competitive division and is middle-aged for a footballer. David Norris is another midfielder we have signed to bolster our midfield to give Neil Warnock more options.The common link between these players is that they're known as try-hards who can look after themselves. I love the idea and legend of Dirty Leeds as much as anyone. You don't have to have watched the Revie side to know it's still a tradition strongly associated with the club - the persistent topping of the fouling charts by Lee Bowyer at the turn of the Millennium; the bottom and penultimate placing of Leeds in the fair play table over the last two seasons under Simon Grayson; the iconic status of Paddy Kisnorbo sporting the bloodied headband; the tackle from Michael Brown which put an end to the fragile Jacob Butterfield's season on that dreadful January day at Oakwell; Paul Connolly stating how he thrived on the atmosphere after his and Paul Robinson's 'smashing' of opposition players. But Dirty Leeds aren't just dirty. There's more to it than that. Norman Hunter won Football Writers' Player of the Year award. Johnny Giles was a revered talent around the globe. Bowyer played in a team full of talent, with playmakers like Olivier Dacourt and Harry Kewell (spit), the wily Viduka, the cultured Harte and the pin-point tackling of Radebe. Kisnorbo played alongside Beckford, an undoubted talent when he can find his way to the ball. Brown played alongside Snodgrass - the Championship's second-top assistant last season, and Adam Clayton, a touch of class for much of the season before he was unwisely elected as the resident holding-role enforcer. Rodolph Austin could have been excellent foil for a dynamic pass-merchant like Clayton to work his magic and drive the five-man midfield forwards. And it's with Snodgrass and Clayton's exits that the threat of Warnockism once again sets off the mental alarm bells. In the BBC's Leeds United - The Glory Years, probably the video which was responsible for drawing many younger fans' attention further than just the contemporary Leeds side and into the truly rich history of our club, John Motson hails 'Leeds United's footballing A,B, C: Arrogance, Belligerence, and Confidence'. Neil Warnock will provide the first two, there's no doubting that, but a tripod without its third leg cannot stand. The departure of Snodgrass and Clayton and their respective replacements - Varney, and Green/Norris - does not represent progress. Unless this essential void of creative talent and true potential is filled, the class of the Leeds fanbase will not have been truly rewarded in kind with class on the pitch. It doesn't need to be spelt out how Leeds fans will react if they feel they've been fleeced. Another season of mediocre, defensive drudgery will simply not do. The playoffs are the minimum expectation of one of Europe's great all-time clubs, and rightly so. And they can only be achieved with a proper balance between defence and attack - a balance which must be present in the core of midfield, the beating heart of any good football team. This is how the final rung of that footballing ladder - Confidence - will be scaled. Announce the new owners and their statements of intent, sign at least three genuinely talented players who can drive Leeds to promotion and beyond, and listen to the fans' proposals via the excellent representatives we have at LUST. Three simple steps which would truly enrichen the Club if they decided to act. The choice is theirs.
65 Comments
joe leeds
27/7/2012 02:08:29 am
jesus man . im sick of all the negativity from leeds fans. sure the takeover is annoying everybody me included, but your not even giving these new players a chance. i for one am happy with the signings we have made. warncok knows what he is getting ; hard working, championship battlers his aim is to get us out of the league, if we do then next year you buy prem players to ensure survival. snodgrass wanted to go so let him and clayton wasnt part of nw plans. judge them on the 18th. NOT before they have played a game that counts.
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Steven
27/7/2012 02:57:22 am
Adam this isn't Championship Manager...... Your writing off players before they have kicked a ball.... We took mc cormack when he couldn't get a game at Cardiff plus clayton was rotting in man city's reserves, snoddy was unheard of coming from
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HM
27/7/2012 03:40:06 am
You're right to mention Snoddy, McCormack and Clayton, because they're exactly the sort of players we should be signing (and retaining once they're here, not shifting to Norwich as soon as they get their wallets out).
img29
27/7/2012 04:04:23 am
Right on bro
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Longy
27/7/2012 07:44:29 pm
Re: above - "Fans of every club he's managed say that his problem is a lack of flexibility and open-mindedness - he just sticks with what he knows"
Gavin Chapman
27/7/2012 04:47:06 am
Im with Warnock. I like the players he has signed I dont think without a few more quality signings we cant achieve promotion. What is wrong with battlers? Seem to remember Savage dominating our Howson, Clayton midfield didnt hear their names for 90mins. Snodgrass was good but id take 3mill for him "See you later!". Would love to see Somma on the 18th but wont happen. MOT.
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Mike
27/7/2012 02:09:31 am
To be honest I am not bothered snodgrass has left, good riddance, no one is bigger than Leeds united, Warnock made some decent signings, add to that the few marquee signings he's been mentioning, along with the return of Robbie Rodgers and davide Somma, I think we have a decent chance of promotion. And if so then who will look stupid, hopefully Norwich will get relegated as we get promoted, would be priceless to see what a big mistake all three players have made. If the takeover does go through, which I am a little bit sceptical about, I feel we have the possibility to become a leading for force again in the premier league, but with or without investment I feel we have a good chance of promotion
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coach
27/7/2012 08:29:16 am
Talk about blind faith. Your comments epitomise that. Get real.
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HM
27/7/2012 02:16:29 am
Joe, how are 'hard working, championship battlers' going to set up and score the goals we'll need for promotion? I'm sure they'll close down the opposition plenty and play the square ball and occasionally score from set pieces, but without proper playmakers or any sign of them, can we really start to believe in promotion? Or even the top half?
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Dave
27/7/2012 02:18:45 am
At least Warnock is not just tinkering around the edges of the squad. He may not be able to compete for the players he would really like to get, but he will have to live and die by his signings. It may not work, but personally I'm quite excited. I was getting frustrated by the slow death we have been suffering, seeing one or two in, one or two out, when clearly the squad has not been good enough. The players coming in have rarely been better than those leaving, either.
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coach
27/7/2012 08:33:10 am
What the hell are you excited about? We constantly sell our best players to bring in cheaper options. Exciting innit. FFS.
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fringo
27/7/2012 02:19:29 am
I agree with everything you've written. A two-legged tripod indeed!
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sydney leeds
28/7/2012 08:25:25 pm
fringo your only a ballbag make judgement wen you see the players play we made snods and we will make plenty more never happy we aint the team we used to be so if the take over happens maybe we can become a team that attracts the good players untill then lets work with what we have and i wish all the new players to have a great season and hopefully succesful season
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Andy
27/7/2012 02:21:18 am
Jeez, I heading for the hospital after that, wrists all a slashed. What a load of gash. Glass 90% empty per chance?
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NILEEDS
27/7/2012 02:24:13 am
so 27 is middle aged for a footballer? rodolph austin is a hard worker great passer strong tackler not to mention a great stricker of the ball and scores amazing free kicks... did clayton do any of this last season.. piss of with ur negative if you dont want to get behind the team go support another club you muppet
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Adam Walker
27/7/2012 02:30:35 am
NILEEDS, of course 27 is middle-aged for a football player. An average football player starts his career properly at 20 and ends it usually around 34 years old. Do the maths on that. You haven't even seen Rodolph Austin play yet, you've just watched clips of his best bits on YouTube like everybody else. I will get behind the team, if you read the blog I don't say anywhere I won't get behind them. All I'm saying is that the club isn't going in the directions I'd like it to go. This blog is about my opinion mate, not yours.
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NILEEDS
27/7/2012 02:46:42 am
your opinion is negative shit
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Adam Walker
27/7/2012 03:10:11 am
I'd like to hear your opinion mate. You probably think we're gonna walk it into 1st and stay there for all 46 games.
mrbigwheels
27/7/2012 03:09:35 am
Well I'm pleased you've got it off your chest!.
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Adam Walker
27/7/2012 03:38:01 am
A lot of Leeds fans, just like yourself, need to get real... honestly. Saying my blog is wrong? I'd like to hear your views mate...
mrbigwheels
27/7/2012 03:52:36 am
Adam...
mrbigwheels
27/7/2012 06:36:50 am
Well you aked me for my view after your reply to me... and I did.
Adam Walker
27/7/2012 07:57:04 am
I can't agree anything is changing. In some ways it is but not as much as I would like. We were promised a re-vamp by Warnock and so far he hasn't shovelled any of the shit out just as Nunez, Paynter and O'Brien and I'm not impressed with all of his signings. He isn't a scout he has a directory of people he has worked with in the past and just signs them. He needs to broaden his scouting horizons to get modern, new and exciting talent. Not the dead wood that he has been signing. And as for the takeover, not so sure any more. We are very happy with the signings so far. Yes, we want more of the same or better if we can afford it, but Warnock will build a team to make us proud of and these new players can deliver. They will be mighty, mighty men, in the mighty white shirts. More to come yes, but lets be positive and move on! If Bates go, we could be playing in Europe in three season! MOT
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davidbyrnes
27/7/2012 02:30:50 am
Snodgrass just has not got the pace so lets wait for the icing on the cake.Warnocks your man.
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joe leeds
27/7/2012 02:36:04 am
hm, fair point but he also said of 3 marquee signings . i think craig mackail smith would be a great addition for us if it goes through. once we get a good goalscorer i think we will be a force this season
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fringo
27/7/2012 06:19:28 am
we've got 2, McCormack and Becchio. Just need to keep them. 20 goals a piece scorers. Mackail smith is very good, but his goal tally is low.
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HM
27/7/2012 02:44:55 am
Joe, I hope these marquee signings do come about and it's not just more demotees on the cheap.
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joe leeds
27/7/2012 02:49:54 am
yeah true but at the end of the day all any of us can do it wait and see who warnock brings in.we can judge him after the wolves game.
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ZackLUFC
27/7/2012 02:47:06 am
I dont understand this overbearing pessimism surrounding the incoming transfers Warnock has made. Varney at his best is a top player and if Warnock can get him playing in that free role I beieve he can get into double figures. Having lived in Plymouth all my life, I know first hand what Norris can bring to the team, he is a great professional and leader, both by instruction and example. He also has a goal or 2 in him. Pearce, Green, Drury, Austin and Kenny - all strong chanpionship quality in my opinion, this will give us a strond spine to our team. As for Gray and Ashdown, it is clear to me they are not first choice players, they are there for back up and that is exactly what they will provide. And to call the incoming players as inadequte replacements for Snodgrass is unfair to Warnock, as they were not intended to be replacements at all - Warnock wanted to keep Snodgrass! If you really want to judge Warnock for his signings, judge him on post-snodgrass 'marquee' signings.
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Cockney White
27/7/2012 02:54:24 am
I'm sick of the negativity, it does no good. I'm sick of players being written off before they've kicked a ball in anger. Yes, I'm sick of the protracted takeover, but all good things come to those who wait. We'd better hope all our new signings don't read blogs like this, because it's enough to make anyone lose all hope.
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27/7/2012 03:02:18 am
Doom and gloom!!! Theres' a hole in your pot mate, do you know anything about football Mr Walker?? I for one, did not rate Snake-in-grass, he spent too much time look at his feet sulking and as for Varney et-al, I think they are commited players with more than a little skill. MOT, well almost eh!! Mr walker and LUST seem to be marching on another motorway, fixated on keeping the crowd low and 'feelgood' factor well away to validate their existence !!
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HM
27/7/2012 03:21:18 am
He set up an awful lot of goals for someone staring at the floor the whole time. And scored a lot. And skilled a lot of defenders. And put in a lot of crosses. But your choice to retrospectively not rate him just because he left is none of my business. Everyone has their own coping strategy for losing something precious.
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27/7/2012 03:48:37 am
H M, I assure you I do not need 'coping stratagies' my friend, I've been watching football far longer than the two or three weeks you seem to have watching from your bar-stool. And, should LUST or Mr Walker, feel they need to voice their lopsided opinions, that they put forward as fact, and then need people to 'lay-off' then there's a very easy solution....
joe leeds
27/7/2012 04:04:49 am
i for one wasnt having a go everyone is entitled to their opinions and views on such matters . i just believe that negativity isnt the right way forward , no matter how poor our team may be ( although i think its taking shape) being positive for the start of the season i think helps. when we had -15 points i was positive and saidwe would reduce the deficit within five games, just believe guys our time is nigh !! MOT
joe leeds
27/7/2012 03:02:20 am
gk : kenny
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Adam Walker
27/7/2012 03:24:04 am
Kenny, I'm happy with and Ashdown will provide us with better backup than Rachubka anyway.
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craig
27/7/2012 05:30:56 pm
Deffinately I rekon 12 players wil easily beat 11 most weeks, is that allowed now?
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Shut up you miserable fuck! It's not about next season, it's about the long term. The club is going to be taken over, that's the start, the rest will follow. I'm not bothered about next season, I'm bothered about the next 10 seasons and beyond. If the take over wasn't happening they'd announce it, no news is good news until it either happens or it doesn't. It's a complex business deal with millions of quid, it won't happen according to your timescale, it'll be done when it's done
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Adam Walker
27/7/2012 03:28:17 am
You certainly have a lot of time on your hands then David. 10 years? Every team goes out to win the title you moron. Everyone wants to gain promotion, so why is that not our target? Everyone from Barnsley to Charlton, to favourites such as Bolton and Wolves will be trying to win every game possible to get promoted. 10 year plan? What you on mate? I'll have whatever you're on for sure
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sydney leeds
28/7/2012 08:35:36 pm
adam i think your a huddersfield supporter nothing positive coming out of your gob give sg a kiss wen you see him
sydney leeds
28/7/2012 08:39:43 pm
adam i think your a huddersfield supporter nothing positive coming out of your gob give sg a kiss wen you see him i think if you were the gaffer you d want smith kewel etc
Tare
27/7/2012 03:19:56 am
I have seen them all: DRs collective band of brothers, HWs War horses, DOLs babies. What has been common of those great teams that the Whites always strike back whether that takes more or less time pick the choice, But it was DRs vision of this club that should be the guideline for all owners and Managers that there is always the ultimate objective ; to be the number One. What ever that takes so if we are talking of this season challenge is pure and simple: Sky Sports multi billion PL TV rights money flow will be in the start of the 2013-2014 and the money which is pouring to PL clubs is enormous. So a lot of clubs in Championship are looking the way out here. We must be in it, no way we can expect anything less than promotion. If this scenario is not happening then the financial gap between PL and CS is getting really big. But I have always been positive that when the going gets tough then the tough gets going. HWs comment I remember that LEEDS UNITED is unused Rolls Royce and my spice for that is with well oiled V12 engine with terrain package. But things are happening at the moment I can't wait the outcome of it. Tare
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joe leeds
27/7/2012 03:27:34 am
nice to see a bit of optimism Tare, thought i was the only one
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mrbigwheels
27/7/2012 03:35:06 am
Hi Tare... Good levelling comments. Cooled me down now.
irishFan
27/7/2012 03:24:39 am
What is it with with constant negativity from select few of so called fans?
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gjsmsmith
27/7/2012 04:36:29 am
As another Leeds fan based in Plymouth, I can second the opinion of ZackLUFC. Back when Plymouth were in the championship, Norris stood out head and shoulders above the rest of his team mates, he scored a fair few goals, led the midfield well and and had a good range of passing..... he looked the sort of quality player a top 3 championship team should be employing, hence the reason he left :) Anyway, I know he has aged a little since then, but his game wasnt about pace and to be fair, i am glad we have signed him... he should be given the benefit of he doubt...... PS. I watched the game against Tavistock (poor opposition I know) and interestingly one of the standout players was Rogers, who came on as a sub........
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Tom
27/7/2012 05:54:39 am
What a complete and utter tool you are!
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Tare
27/7/2012 06:15:38 am
Tool for success thinking mate... In my personal life or what ever comes to the Whites I have have never shirked any responsibility to make my point, if You are a believer or not then stick to it or forget it. No time for fainted hearts here this NW project has its cool winning football tag in it and can't wait the season begin. If anything I do not like these 7 year wilderness moaners, it happened so get on with it (PR adventure). It is really recent history but part of our inheritance here is that we are living this very day and looking for greener pastures here. Yep in the midst of this Olympic games opening ceremonies this is my view here. Tare
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Richielufc
27/7/2012 06:02:36 am
As mentioned before, I hope none of the new signings read these blogs. I doubt they will, but to hear some of the stuff that people are writing about them... and before they even kick a ball!! I think we were all expecting some big name signings since this takeover ever came to light, but in fairness, I think Warnock has made some great signings. Lads like Pearce, Drury, Green know whats needed at this level and thats what we need right now. This season we also have Rogers and hopefully Somma. Kenny, in my opinon is a better keeper than Lonergan, and the back four look solid... something we haven't seen in a long time. Snodgrass wanted to leave, and to be honest, we've been relying on him for far too long now. He was marked out of games far too easily last season, leaving our predictable tactics horribly exposed. And lets not forget, we have Warnock this season. As much as I liked Grayson, his tactics were awfully predictable and persistant and when plan A failed, we simply fell apart. Colin is a crafty manager, he knows what he's doing. MOT
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fringo
27/7/2012 06:32:24 am
those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them, and Leeds are a yo-yo club. I understand why KB has sold all our best players, and is pretending to sell the club; he's gouging it. It's sickening to see, a really promising team 12 months ago, thorn up, and replaced with nothing more than a hope and eternal optimism. Onwards and upwards? Backwards and downwards!
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sydney leeds
28/7/2012 08:50:04 pm
fringo you and adam walker are huddersfield fans keep your comments to yourselfs wipe your mouth the shit thats coming out of it
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Nick
27/7/2012 06:46:05 am
Lets get this right the sorry bunch representing us last season got thumped on a number of occasions including home games - I don't care who has left including snodgrass and clayton even if they are better technically than their replacements and the reason is this - the replacements are warnocks men and they will all give 110% and for me that will do at LUFC - give them all your support and you will see the difference - oh and if McCormack wants to go let him go too
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Tare
27/7/2012 07:32:57 am
Simply saying this is LEEDS UNITED and now compromising factor in it. tare
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Pattaya Rag
27/7/2012 12:06:54 pm
Odd you would take such a negative stand on an unfolding story.
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Tare
27/7/2012 12:17:28 pm
If so then blame me, but never surrender. In my life there has never been this "who to blame" issue there is always one factor that covers that all; thinking solution, verify it and commence it. That is called strategy. Tare
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27/7/2012 04:31:33 pm
Stop being so bloody negative and giving the twats from west ham on games gone crazy and the combine drivers from Norwich something to write about!! Colin's brought in experience and fighters who will play for the shirt! Three more exciting signings will put a smile back on all LUFC supporters and I still have a sneaking suspicion we haven't seen the last of Beckford!! Maynard would be good and dirty Bothroyd is just what we need!! Roll on the take over and roll on the start of the season! I for one think we are going up!!!
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Tare
27/7/2012 05:18:14 pm
I have this promotion view here no doubt about it.... Tare
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Andy
27/7/2012 06:46:20 pm
The ABC you mention is arrogance, belligerance and CLASS. Wilko got us up with journey men Strachan and Batty aside. Mentality and graft will get us back up not whinging self doubt. Keep the faith MOT!
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Tare
27/7/2012 08:31:09 pm
Wilko's War horses were excellent and huge memories of them... Gordon Strachan was the leader and Vinny Jones was ER teaser leader so what we really want here like NW has said he wants leaders on the pitch. We will see that 1st v Wolves. Tare
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kevin
27/7/2012 10:50:54 pm
I agree leeds should have done mire to keep top players and if nw thinks he can justify selling snodgrass and replacing him with varney then its another dull season for leeds I'm sick to the back teeth of all the best players getting sold and bieng replaced by either old men or free transfers lets see some real transfers to get us where we should be
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dewhites
28/7/2012 02:02:49 am
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dwhites
28/7/2012 02:05:13 am
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a casual observer
28/7/2012 12:43:49 pm
Spot on article....the deluded apologist faction wont like it but the truth hurts hence the moans about the article being negative blah blah. The only thing Leeds United fans will be winning this season is the award for being the most apathetic supporters in the uk.... r.i.p the real Leeds United
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HM
29/7/2012 11:59:59 am
Bang on mate.
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