So here we are another season that promised so much, has once again failed to deliver. A bright start was extinguished by Christmas leading once again to the now customary looking over our shoulders at relegation by March. Who knows what'll happen next summer and who will still be here but here is your chance to reflect over the last season and vote in the Yeboah Constrictor end of season awards.
I was one of the 18,353 (our smallest home crowd for 16 years) who watched a Leeds side overcome Derby on a horrible, wet, windy night at Elland Road on the 28th September 2005. We didn't know it at the time, but this would become a 'I was there when...' moment as Leeds' 11 subsequent attempts to beat the Rams have all ended in failure with only one point secured from an available 33.The run has robbed Phil Hay of the chance to write the obvious 'Ram Raided' headline and it has robbed Leeds fans of 990 minutes of their lives. This is the story behind the night we actually beat Derby. The pre match backdrop was one that Leeds fans have now become familiarised to, Ken Bates had lamented Leeds' lack of form in his programme notes and Kevin Blackwell's job was said to be hanging by a thread. There were boycotts after Bates' recent ticket price hike, which coupled with the foul weather, made sure it was a low attendance. Derby started the game on top with Danish midfielder Morten Bisgaard (seen here 't**tting' another player) playing numerous defence splitting passes which had the Leeds defence scrambling clear repeatedly, think Luke Murphy's second half performance against Watford. Bisgaard put chances on a platter for Peschisolido and John but Sullivan, the 2004/2005 supporters player of the year, was more than equal to the task. The Dane nearly got himself on the scoresheet with a 20 yard free kick which flew narrowly past Neil Sullivan's goal. However the tide soon turned in Leeds' favour as Eddie Lewis, who would play for Derby in the Premier League, made a number of driving runs leaving Jeff Kenna stranded in his wake. It would however be Robbie Blake, who had replaced the injured Richard Cresswell, who provided the first goal as his mis-cued shot fell to Rob Hulse who duly stuck it past Lee Camp. Within minutes the Rams were further behind as an excellent deep cross from Eddie Lewis was glanced in by Rob Hulse. The Hulse-Lewis axis would come up trumps again as Leeds raced into a three nil lead with Hulse hammering a parried Lewis shot into the back of the net. The game featured a number of Derby-Leeds connections with both Lewis and Hulse going to play for the midlands side, however, the major returnee was Seth Johnson whose £7.75 million and subsequent wages are often quoted as evidence of Peter Ridsdale's loose outlook on the finances of our club. However, it would be a miserable night for Johnson as Leeds controlled the game with Hulse and Blake squandering chances early in the second half. Derby did pull one back however, as Sean Gregan bundled a corner into his own net, but there was no real fightback from Derby and the game petered out into a comfortable Leeds victory, sending us into the top six. Leeds team: Sullivan; Kelly, Butler, Gregan, Crainey (Kilgallon 85); Richardson, Derry, Douglas, Lewis; Cresswell (Blake 25), Hulse (Moore 76) SINCE THEN... we have drawn once (nil-nil) in a dire game at Pride Park also during the 05/06 season and have been beaten one-nil (twice), two-nil (twice), two-one (four times) and three-one (twice) including this season's away match where we exhibited some rather special defending as Will 'albino' Hughes tore us apart. SATURDAY'S MATCH...
The game on Saturday has dead rubber written all over it. Derby will be aiming to build up some momentum before the play-offs which they will hopefully win so we don't have to play them again and Leeds will probably put in one of the naff final day home performances that we're now used to, see Leicester beating us 2-1 last year. It might be the last time we see some of these players with Brown, Pugh and others out of contract this summer (if that doesn't entice you to Elland Road then I don't know what will), some youngsters might get in the team, Walters has been sniffing around but Brian has said he wasn't going to throw any young players in. PREDICTION... 2-2 We can't defend and only two of our players can score. I'm hoping that we will have built upon the three wins out of four, albeit against fairly rubbish teams, and Derby will play a slightly weakened side. The lights go down; stood in front of Will.I.Am, Simon Cowell, Len Goodman and a token female is Michael Brown. Heart pounding, he picks up the microphone and tries to mask his age by singing One Direction in a last ditch attempt to secure a contract extension at Leeds United. Sadly, we will never get to see Michael Brown singing One Direction on national television, but there is the possiblity, after his recent run in the team that he may be given a contract extension and he along with 8 others are hoping to be awarded a new contract this summer. 1) Jamie Ashdown- The goalkeeper was a solid understudy to Paddy Kenny last season before his injury and certain sections of the support were calling for him to be given a run in the league. However, he has yet to feature this season for the first team, only making his return for the under 21s this week in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Sheffield United. Was one of the raft of signings Neil Warnock made this summer, I can't see him being given a contract extension. YC verdict: Release 2)Alex Cairns- The young goalkeeper has spent most of the season on the bench and has yet to add to his single first team appearance which came in the game which is more commonly known as 'Rachubkagate'. He hasn't been given playing time in any of the cups, not that we had much of a run to speak of anyway and I also can't see him being given a contract extension. YC verdict: Release 3) Danny Pugh- Inconsistent at best this season, Pugh has been in and out of the team this season, yet has still managed to clock up over 100 appearances in a white shirt over his two spells. Would probably offer him a new contract as he is a reasonable squad player, but his wages are thought to be high and that money can be spent better on other areas of the squad. YC verdict: Release (too expensive) 4) Adam Drury- Drury has spent two injury hampered season after swapping Norwich for Leeds. Looked reasonable when he played but we have 5 professional left backs and I'm certain Drury will be released. Norwich got Howson, Johnson, Becchio and Snodgrass. We got Drury and Morison. YC verdict: Release 5) Michael Brown- A definite Marmite figure amongst fans he divides opinion more than he attempts to divide opponents legs. At times he appears to give us much needed experience in midfield at others, he seems to be engaging in spot fixing by attempting to get a yellow card as quickly as possible. However, you can't fault his work rate and he looks like one of the few people who cares on the pitch. YC verdict: Retain 6) Paul Green- The Irish international hasn't been given much of a look in at Leeds this season and has spent the latter half of the season on the fringes of the squad at play-off chasing Ipswich. Another player who is reported to take home a sizeable packet we have an abundance of central midfielders already and McDermott shipping him out on loan would indicate that he sees Green's future elsewhere, something Green has said as well. 7) El-Hadji Diouf- Seemingly Diouf spends more time in Senegal than in Leeds at the moment, another who has featured sporadically throughout the campaign. He has the quality on the ball and a good footballing brain, however, when he last came on he looked a good stone or two overweight and I'd certainly expect McDermott to use Diouf's wages elsewhere. YC verdict: Release 8) Omogbolahan 'Gboly' Ariyibi- Signed in December as McDermott looked for a quick fix to the winger problem after impressing on trial. The former Southampton player looked pacy but raw in his two appearances in the white of Leeds this season. Has been loaned out to Tranmere for the back end of the season. He's probably worth another year to see if he improves. YC verdict: Retain 9) Luke Varney- Varndogg played well at the back end of last season, his brace against Wednesday assuring us of our survival and he carried his good form on into the beginning of this season. However, he was displaced by the emergence of Matt Smith and has since been shipped out to Blackburn on loan where they are now sick of him as well. YC verdict: Release |