Leedsunited.com 10/9/06
UNITED LOSE IT AT THE DEATH
UNITED: Warner, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Carole, Douglas, Westlake, Lewis (Stone 83), Healy, Moore (Beckford 78) Subs: Sullivan, Gregan, Blake.
WOLVES: Murray, Olofinjana, Breen, Craddock, Henry, Cort (Bothroyd 46), Edwards, Johnson (Clarke 75), Potter, Jones, Mulgrew (Little 44). Subs: Ricketts, Ikeme.
Referee: L Mason
United manager Kevin Blackwell handed Jonathan Douglas his first start since joining the club on a permanent basis while David Healy returned from goalscoring duty with Northern Ireland to partner Ian Moore in the front-line.
And both sides started brightly,
playing some neat attacking football. Carl Cort, who had a good early chance, and Jemal Johnson forged a lively strike pairing for Wolves while Ian Westlake and Douglas were pivotal in driving Leeds forward during the early stages.
United's best moment early on came when Seb Carole threaded the ball through to Westlake, but the midfielder was unable to apply the finishing touch due to some good defending.
In keeping with the lively start Cort fluffed an opportunity at the other end before Moore forced Matt Murray into making his first save of the game. From the resultant corner, Matt Kilgallon had a header cleared off the line and Paul Butler fired wide of the mark.
The game continued apace with both sides playing a refreshing brand of open football. Johnson twice saw shots blocked by Stephen Crainey and Kilgallon while Moore again went close at the other end when he tested Murray after more good build-up play.
Wolves duo Gary Breen and Charlie Mulgrew also found their names in the referees notebook, following cynical challenges on Moore and Gary Kelly as Leeds looked to break quickly.
Wolves goalkeeper Murray was kept busy, however, and he pulled off his third good save of the first-half on 37 minutes when did well to deny Carole after more good work by Douglas. In contrast, United keeper Tony Warner was comfortably able to watch a Johnson shot fly high over the bar after the
visitors responded with a quick break.
Wolves made a substitution at half time bringing on Jay Bothroyd for Cort and the visitors attacked immediately and Warner had to pull off a good near post block when Jemal Johnson hit a close range shot.
Westlake took United onto the attack with a strong run from midfield before he was fouled by Seyi Olofinjana but Lewis, from a good position a few yards outside the penalty area, hit the free kick just wide. Shortly afterwards a mix up in defence caused United an anxious moment until Warner punched the
wall away.
Carole raised United's hope with a menacing run on the right before cutting inside but his hard, low shot was blocked. Then United weathered a spell of Wolves pressure which forced two corners in quick succession.
Healy turned quickly just outside the Wolves penalty area but his rising shot passed over the bar and shortly afterwards United had a chance when Wolves keeper, Matt Murray, dropped a cross. The ball fell for Butler, who turned and fired goalwards only to see Gary Breen block the ball.
With 12 minutes to go, United replaced Moore with Jermaine Beckford and the young striker made his presence felt with some good work on the right which ended with a good low cross that caused a mix up between Murray and Craddock but the latter recovered sufficiently to scramble the ball behind for a
corner.
United attacked strongly at the end but Wolves held on and shocked United with a 90th minute strike, Bothroyd firing in a 25 yard rising shot.
BBC 10/9/06
Leeds may be debt-free in a year
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell has revealed that the club will be almost debt-free within a year.
Blackwell told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "It is only 18 months since the club was relegated and in £121m worth of debt.
"We have had to deal with that millstone around our necks and still try to win games - and despite having lost so many players.
"But this time next year the club will not be in any debt whatsoever."
As a result of Leeds' crippling debt - and drop into the Championship - they were forced to sell many of their biggest players.
Robbie Fowler, Harry Kewell, Jonathan Woodgate, Aaron Lennon, Paul Robinson, Danny Mills and Olivier Dacourt are just some who departed.
Not all of those who left the club left the payroll.
Fowler and Nicky Barmby were being paid by Leeds up until this summer.
And BBC Sport understands that Mills and Paul Okon are still receiving a salary - and will do so until the end of this season.
According to Blackwell there are more than half a dozen ex-Leeds players still drawing money from the club.
Blackwell said: "We have not invested in players this year but that has helped to pay the players - seven of them - who are not at this football club anymore.
"That situation ends at the end of the season and the club will move on quite quickly and have actually dealt with its debts.
"Whereas other clubs are still carrying £40-50m worth of debt, we will be right down to maybe £4-5m. "My understanding is that this time next year the club will be well off in terms of finances - in the top six or seven clubs in the country."
UNITED LOSE IT AT THE DEATH
UNITED: Warner, Kelly, Butler, Kilgallon, Crainey, Carole, Douglas, Westlake, Lewis (Stone 83), Healy, Moore (Beckford 78) Subs: Sullivan, Gregan, Blake.
WOLVES: Murray, Olofinjana, Breen, Craddock, Henry, Cort (Bothroyd 46), Edwards, Johnson (Clarke 75), Potter, Jones, Mulgrew (Little 44). Subs: Ricketts, Ikeme.
Referee: L Mason
United manager Kevin Blackwell handed Jonathan Douglas his first start since joining the club on a permanent basis while David Healy returned from goalscoring duty with Northern Ireland to partner Ian Moore in the front-line.
And both sides started brightly,
playing some neat attacking football. Carl Cort, who had a good early chance, and Jemal Johnson forged a lively strike pairing for Wolves while Ian Westlake and Douglas were pivotal in driving Leeds forward during the early stages.United's best moment early on came when Seb Carole threaded the ball through to Westlake, but the midfielder was unable to apply the finishing touch due to some good defending.
In keeping with the lively start Cort fluffed an opportunity at the other end before Moore forced Matt Murray into making his first save of the game. From the resultant corner, Matt Kilgallon had a header cleared off the line and Paul Butler fired wide of the mark.
The game continued apace with both sides playing a refreshing brand of open football. Johnson twice saw shots blocked by Stephen Crainey and Kilgallon while Moore again went close at the other end when he tested Murray after more good build-up play.
Wolves duo Gary Breen and Charlie Mulgrew also found their names in the referees notebook, following cynical challenges on Moore and Gary Kelly as Leeds looked to break quickly.
Wolves goalkeeper Murray was kept busy, however, and he pulled off his third good save of the first-half on 37 minutes when did well to deny Carole after more good work by Douglas. In contrast, United keeper Tony Warner was comfortably able to watch a Johnson shot fly high over the bar after the
visitors responded with a quick break.
Wolves made a substitution at half time bringing on Jay Bothroyd for Cort and the visitors attacked immediately and Warner had to pull off a good near post block when Jemal Johnson hit a close range shot.
Westlake took United onto the attack with a strong run from midfield before he was fouled by Seyi Olofinjana but Lewis, from a good position a few yards outside the penalty area, hit the free kick just wide. Shortly afterwards a mix up in defence caused United an anxious moment until Warner punched the
wall away.
Carole raised United's hope with a menacing run on the right before cutting inside but his hard, low shot was blocked. Then United weathered a spell of Wolves pressure which forced two corners in quick succession.
Healy turned quickly just outside the Wolves penalty area but his rising shot passed over the bar and shortly afterwards United had a chance when Wolves keeper, Matt Murray, dropped a cross. The ball fell for Butler, who turned and fired goalwards only to see Gary Breen block the ball.
With 12 minutes to go, United replaced Moore with Jermaine Beckford and the young striker made his presence felt with some good work on the right which ended with a good low cross that caused a mix up between Murray and Craddock but the latter recovered sufficiently to scramble the ball behind for a
corner.
United attacked strongly at the end but Wolves held on and shocked United with a 90th minute strike, Bothroyd firing in a 25 yard rising shot.
BBC 10/9/06
Leeds may be debt-free in a year
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell has revealed that the club will be almost debt-free within a year.
Blackwell told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "It is only 18 months since the club was relegated and in £121m worth of debt.
"We have had to deal with that millstone around our necks and still try to win games - and despite having lost so many players.
"But this time next year the club will not be in any debt whatsoever."
As a result of Leeds' crippling debt - and drop into the Championship - they were forced to sell many of their biggest players.
Robbie Fowler, Harry Kewell, Jonathan Woodgate, Aaron Lennon, Paul Robinson, Danny Mills and Olivier Dacourt are just some who departed.
Not all of those who left the club left the payroll.
Fowler and Nicky Barmby were being paid by Leeds up until this summer.
And BBC Sport understands that Mills and Paul Okon are still receiving a salary - and will do so until the end of this season.
According to Blackwell there are more than half a dozen ex-Leeds players still drawing money from the club.
Blackwell said: "We have not invested in players this year but that has helped to pay the players - seven of them - who are not at this football club anymore.
"That situation ends at the end of the season and the club will move on quite quickly and have actually dealt with its debts.
"Whereas other clubs are still carrying £40-50m worth of debt, we will be right down to maybe £4-5m. "My understanding is that this time next year the club will be well off in terms of finances - in the top six or seven clubs in the country."
