Yorkshire Post
Teen's spirit gives Leeds lift
Leeds United 2
Valencia 2
Sam Wheeler
at Elland Road
Simon Walton has everything that Leeds United supporters usually require of their heroes: the 16-year-old midfielder is young, local, brash, combative, nerveless and foolish. With careful application of hair dye, he could soon take the place of Alan Smith in the fans' affections.
Walton was intimidated neither by the opposition – reigning Spanish and UEFA Cup champions Valencia – nor by the occasion of his first senior game at Elland Road in front of a crowd of almost 20,000.
In classic Smith-like fashion, he tormented the Spaniards with crunching challenges, grabbed the ball from infinitely more experienced team-mates to smash home the penalty that kick-started Leeds's come-back – and then got himself sent off.
Manager Kevin Blackwell, who felt that Walton's second yellow card was a "nonsense" decision, could not curb his excitement, although he has sensibly shielded his protege from the media.
"I don't want to put pressure on him, but the fans are looking for a new idol and a 16-year-old kid showed more today than some triallists we've had of 20 years' experience.
"That means he will be the one that they look to," he said. "If he can perform and develop like Alan Smith or James Milner – and he's already shown the desire to work at that level – then there's no reason why he can't go on to become a legend at Elland Road and a cult figure.
"His temperament is not a problem. He is one of the quietest lads you've ever met. It was just a little bit of youthful exuberance. You want to see someone who's got a little bit of devil in them, a little bit of physical. If you don't, you get walked over.
"He's not afraid to put his head above the parapet, not just physically, but psychologically when he took the penalty. That's an astonishing statement from a kid of 16, two weeks into his YTS."
When his school commitments allowed it, Walton played in central defence for Leeds's reserves. He can also play right-back and Blackwell sees no reason why the youngster cannot play a major part in the Coca-Cola Championship this season.
Even apart from Walton's contribution, which ended 19 minutes early, there was plenty of encouragement for and from the fans. After Mohammed Sissoko and Rufete had put Claudio Ranieri's under-strength side ahead against the run of play before the break, Leeds drew level through Walton's penalty, earned by the lively Julian Joachim, and a fierce 35-yard free kick from midfielder Matthew Spring.
Joachim's forward partner Brian Deane was also quick to find favour with the crowd. The former Sheffield United man – in his second spell with Leeds – is the sort of burly, traditional English centre forward that cultured Continental defenders only meet in their nightmares. His wholehearted approach may promise more than it delivers but cries of "Deano, Deano" were echoing around the ground on a regular basis.
The supporters have endured a torrid time of late but their humour appears to have survived intact.
Midway through the second half yesterday, a sizeable proportion broke into a spontaneous chant of "There's only one Jimmy Savile" at Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, who has been left with a luxuriant white mullet by what appears to be an industrial accident involving concentrated peroxide.
Leeds United: Carson; Kelly, Duberry, Butler, Kilgallon; Richardson, Spring, Walton, Pugh; Joachim, Deane. Substitutes (used): Rzasa, Radebe, Carlisle, Guppy, Hignett, McMaster, Johnson.
Valencia: Palop; Torres, Navarro, Pellegrino, Carboni; Rufete, Sissoko, Xisco, de los Santos, Angulo, Mista. Substitutes: Garrido, Butelle, Lopez, Parri, Redondo, Salva, Moretta, Canobbia
Teen's spirit gives Leeds lift
Leeds United 2
Valencia 2
Sam Wheeler
at Elland Road
Simon Walton has everything that Leeds United supporters usually require of their heroes: the 16-year-old midfielder is young, local, brash, combative, nerveless and foolish. With careful application of hair dye, he could soon take the place of Alan Smith in the fans' affections.
Walton was intimidated neither by the opposition – reigning Spanish and UEFA Cup champions Valencia – nor by the occasion of his first senior game at Elland Road in front of a crowd of almost 20,000.
In classic Smith-like fashion, he tormented the Spaniards with crunching challenges, grabbed the ball from infinitely more experienced team-mates to smash home the penalty that kick-started Leeds's come-back – and then got himself sent off.
Manager Kevin Blackwell, who felt that Walton's second yellow card was a "nonsense" decision, could not curb his excitement, although he has sensibly shielded his protege from the media.
"I don't want to put pressure on him, but the fans are looking for a new idol and a 16-year-old kid showed more today than some triallists we've had of 20 years' experience.
"That means he will be the one that they look to," he said. "If he can perform and develop like Alan Smith or James Milner – and he's already shown the desire to work at that level – then there's no reason why he can't go on to become a legend at Elland Road and a cult figure.
"His temperament is not a problem. He is one of the quietest lads you've ever met. It was just a little bit of youthful exuberance. You want to see someone who's got a little bit of devil in them, a little bit of physical. If you don't, you get walked over.
"He's not afraid to put his head above the parapet, not just physically, but psychologically when he took the penalty. That's an astonishing statement from a kid of 16, two weeks into his YTS."
When his school commitments allowed it, Walton played in central defence for Leeds's reserves. He can also play right-back and Blackwell sees no reason why the youngster cannot play a major part in the Coca-Cola Championship this season.
Even apart from Walton's contribution, which ended 19 minutes early, there was plenty of encouragement for and from the fans. After Mohammed Sissoko and Rufete had put Claudio Ranieri's under-strength side ahead against the run of play before the break, Leeds drew level through Walton's penalty, earned by the lively Julian Joachim, and a fierce 35-yard free kick from midfielder Matthew Spring.
Joachim's forward partner Brian Deane was also quick to find favour with the crowd. The former Sheffield United man – in his second spell with Leeds – is the sort of burly, traditional English centre forward that cultured Continental defenders only meet in their nightmares. His wholehearted approach may promise more than it delivers but cries of "Deano, Deano" were echoing around the ground on a regular basis.
The supporters have endured a torrid time of late but their humour appears to have survived intact.
Midway through the second half yesterday, a sizeable proportion broke into a spontaneous chant of "There's only one Jimmy Savile" at Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, who has been left with a luxuriant white mullet by what appears to be an industrial accident involving concentrated peroxide.
Leeds United: Carson; Kelly, Duberry, Butler, Kilgallon; Richardson, Spring, Walton, Pugh; Joachim, Deane. Substitutes (used): Rzasa, Radebe, Carlisle, Guppy, Hignett, McMaster, Johnson.
Valencia: Palop; Torres, Navarro, Pellegrino, Carboni; Rufete, Sissoko, Xisco, de los Santos, Angulo, Mista. Substitutes: Garrido, Butelle, Lopez, Parri, Redondo, Salva, Moretta, Canobbia
