Mighty Leeds Weblog

Yorkshire Evening Post 9/12/09 Grella double helps set up Red Devils clash By Phil Hay With his financial hat on, Ken Bates spelled out the value to Leeds United of the FA Cup game which lay at their fingertips before kick-off last night. "Apart from honour," he wrote in his programme notes, "I estimate that there is circa £750,000 at stake." And much more besides. For a club like Leeds, a third-round tie at away to Manchester United cannot be valued in monetary terms alone. That seductive reward was waved in front of United's players for 10 days between their two attempts to dispose of Kettering Town, a non-league side whose bravery knows no bounds. The invitation to Old Trafford was accepted with undue difficulty at Elland Road, but accepted nonetheless. Certain opportunities are too good to miss. Leeds, as their chairman outlined, will profit handsomely from a third-round tie which promises to bring in the new year in style, but the draw carried more signific...

Leedsunited.com 5/12/09 HONOURS EVEN WITH HUDDERSFIELD UNITED 2 (Snodgrass 2, Gradel 66), HUDDERSFIELD 2 (Novak 48, Rhodes 78) United: Ankergren, Crowe, Bromby, Michalik, Capaldi, Howson, Doyle, Kilkenny (Gradel 63), Snodgrass (Ephraim 86), Beckford, Vokes (Becchio 63). Subs: A Martin, Marques, Prutton, Grella. Huddersfield: Smithies, Nathan Clarke, Peltier, Peter Clarke, Skarz, Collins, Roberts, Pilkington, Kay, Rhodes (Robinson 89), Novak. Subs: Glennon, Goodwin, Williams, Butler, Berrett, Ainsworth, Referee: M Jones Booked: Capaldi, Crowe (United), Collins, Pilkington (Hudds) Att: 36723 United manager Simon Grayson again rang the changes after the midweek win at Oldham, Jermaine Beckford and Robert Snodgrass both returning from bench duty, while Micky Doyle was also back in the starting line-up. And it took less than 90 seconds for one of those recalled men to make an impact. Sam Vokes had a weak shot which Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies amazingly failed to hold and Snodg...

Yorkshire Evening Post 2/12/09 Whites ease to Roses triumph at Oldham By Phil Hay Beyond accusing Leeds United of enjoying disproportionate luck, the response of Phil Parkinson to their loss at Millwall on the penultimate weekend of October was to describe the result as "good" for League One. The league defeat was United's first of the season and is, to date, their last. Five victories and 15 points later, Parkinson's hope that the division his Charlton Athletic squad set out to win would not descend into a procession towards Elland Road seems ever more forlorn. Goals in either half from Neil Kilkenny and Luciano Becchio notched the fifth of those victories at Boundary Park last night and continued the spurt that neither Millwall nor 17 other League One clubs have been able to seriously hinder. The division en masse remain six points back, with Parkinson's Charlton at their head and the majority of teams out of touch. There are solid seasons developing beneath Lee...

Yorkshire Evening Post 30/11/09 Kettering Town v Leeds United: Match report By Leon Wobschall A county famous for its shoe industry, Northamptonshire – and it's sole cup representative remaining – threatened to put an embarrassing size 12 boot into United's cup hopes for the second season running. Thankfully, an express delivery following yet another lightning Whites raid saved the day. And what a prize awaits. Not surprisingly, it was the predatory feet of Jermaine Beckford that ensured the vast majority of the watching millions didn't start their festive celebrations early – those of a non-Whites persuasion anyway. Although you sense the Leeds hordes landed the perfect Yuletide gift by way of yesterday's most tantalising of round three draws if they overcome the plucky Poppies in the replay at Elland Road. Last year, it was a postman who dispatched United from the cup – remember Histon's Matt Langston anyone? Twelve months on, it was a journeyman pro in the shape ...

New pages uploaded at mightyleeds.co.uk Season 1970/71 – Off like a train/The Jack Charlton affair/Colchester, Tinkler and Fairs success United recover from the heartbreak of missing out on the treble to set the pace in the new season before tribulations for Jack Charlton, controversial defeats and success in the Fairs Cup success Read the full story at http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/seasons/197071part1.htm http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/seasons/197071part2.htm http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/seasons/197071part3.htm http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/pdf/season197071part4.pdf

BBC 26/11/09 Leeds bring in trio on loan deal Leeds United have signed Queens Park Ranger winger Hogan Ephraim, Cardiff defender Tony Capaldi and Liverpool goalkeeper David Martin on loan. Ephraim, 21, will stay at Elland Road until 1 January, Capaldi is due to remain up until 4 January and 23-year-old Martin goes back on 28 December. Northern Ireland international Capaldi, 28, can play either left-back or left midfield and will not be cup-tied. Martin provides added cover for injured keeper Shane Higgs. Ephraim has scored twice in seven games for QPR this season, both in the Carling Cup. "Hogan is quick and direct," Leeds manager Simon Grayson told the club's website. "He'll give us options and competition for places." Ephraim started his career at West Ham before making his first competitive start while on loan at Colchester. He then moved on loan to QPR before making the move to Loftus Road a permanent one in January 2008. Capaldi began his career at Birm...