BBC 4/8/06
Keeper Warner joins Leeds on loan
Leeds have signed goalkeeper Tony Warner on a one-month loan from Fulham.
First-choice keeper Neil Sullivan is doubtful for Saturday's Championship opener against Norwich with a dead leg.
So 32-year-old Warner has been taken on as a standby goalkeeper and could even go straight into the team for the game at Elland Road.
Warner began his career at Liverpool and also played for Millwall and Cardiff before joining Fulham, initially on loan, in 2005.
BBC 4/8/06
Westlake completes move to Leeds
Leeds United have signed Ian Westlake from Ipswich Town, with Dan Harding moving in the other direction.
Town say that in addition to Harding they have also received a fee of £400,000, possibly rising to £500,000.
Westlake, 23, and England Under-21 international Harding, 22, have signed three-year deals with their new clubs.
Harding started his career at Brighton before joining Leeds in July 2005 for £850,000, while Westlake came through the ranks at Ipswich.
Westlake made 126 appearances for Town and his move completes a busy few days for Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell, who has also signed Geoff Horsfield and Tony Warner.
"There are also certain sell-on conditions attached to Ian's move," Town chairman David Sheepshanks told his club's website.
"So although we don't like to see one of our own move on, a £500,000 deal plus Dan adds up to a good deal for Ipswich Town."
BBC 3/8/06
Horsfield moves to Leeds on loan
Leeds have signed Sheffield United's Geoff Horsfield on loan until Christmas with a view to a permanent move.
The 32-year-old striker made only one league start for the Blades last season after a row with manager Neil Warnock.
"We are going to take him on loan to see how Geoff performs," manager Kevin Blackwell told the Leeds website.
"If things go well we have got the option to complete something. He is raring to go and it will be nice to see him in a white shirt."
The former West Brom striker is expected to make his debut against Norwich in Leeds' opening game of the season against Norwich on Saturday.
"I just want to be playing football regularly," Horsfield told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"I haven't been given that chance with Sheffield United. It's nice to still be wanted.
"Leeds is a massive club with great facilities and are gearing up for the Premiership and my aim is to help them reach that goal.
"The last eight months have been a nightmare. I've been stuck in the reserves and last week I was thrown in with the kids. Neil Warnock must not rate me as a player and I don't know why."
leedsunited.com 2/8/06
SWAP SHOP
United have agreed terms with Ipswich Town on a swap deal involving Dan Harding and midfielder Ian Westlake.
Westlake is set to join Leeds in exchange for Harding plus cash.
Any deal is subject to the two players agreeing personal terms and completing their respective medicals.
The 23-year-old Westlake has scored 17 goals in over 100 appearances for Ipswich.
Harding joined United last summer from Brighton and made 20 appearances for the club.
The 22-year-old enjoyed two spells in the side last season, but was unable to dislodge first-choice full-back Stephen Crainey.
Telegraph 2/8/06
Bates accuses Chelsea of 'tapping up' players
By Telegraph online and PA
(Filed: 02/08/2006)
Leeds owner Ken Bates has reported his former club Chelsea to football's authorities, claiming they recruited two Elland Road players after making illegal approaches.
Bates, who sold Chelsea to Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003, said he has notified the Football Association, Premier League and Fifa over the cases of England Under-16 internationals Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, who began their careers at Leeds before moving to Stamford Bridge.
A third player, England Under-17 squad member Daniel Rose, was also approached illegally, according to Bates. Rose, however, is still with the Yorkshire club.
Last June, Chelsea were fined £300,000 and given a three-point deduction, suspended for a year, by the Premier League following the illegal approach they made to Arsenal's Ashley Cole.
Manager Jose Mourinho was fined a record £200,000 and Cole himself given a £100,000 penalty, which was later reduced to £75,000 on appeal.
Bates told Sky Sports News: "We want to be compensated for the amount of work that has been put into developing the players.
"Recently Chelsea have been involved in another squabble with another player (John Obi Mikel), this time with Manchester United, and they had to pay £16 million for that.
"That puts the £200,000 they have offered us in perspective.
Bates insisted his action was not due to any "personal vendetta" with Abramovich or between Leeds and Chelsea.
He said: "This is a straightforward dispute over the blatant breaching of Football League rules regarding to players.
"As of today we have reported Chelsea to the Football Association regarding the alleged tapping-up of three of our young players.
"Woods and Taiwo are now registered as scholars at Chelsea, and Rose is staying at Leeds."
The complaints have arisen following the departure last July of Leeds' former academy staff member Gary Worthington, who left for a similar post at Chelsea after five years at Elland Road. Leeds offered scholarship terms to all three players in September last year, but Woods and Taiwo turned them down.
Bates said that Leeds are taking separate legal action against Worthington.
The FA said they have not yet received an official complaint, although a spokesman said "we have had communication from Leeds United".
Any official complaint would come under the FA's jurisdiction, rather than the Premier League or Football League, because the two clubs are not in the same division.
Leedsunited.com 1/8/06
NO OP FOR KEVIN
New Leeds United signing Kevin Nicholls looks set to avoid surgery on his injured knee.
Kevin underwent a scan on the injury and has also visited a specialist.
The scan shows ligament damage, but the specialist has advised against surgery at this moment in time.
The injury to the £700,000 signing will be reviewed again in four weeks, but Kevin has been warned he could still face a recuperation period of up to three months on the sidelines.
United manager Kevin Blackwell said: "It's good news that Kevin doesn't need an operation right now.
"These days there is always the risk of complications with surgery, as we found out with Steve Stone last season."
Kevin damaged his knee during his first training session with the club last week.
Keeper Warner joins Leeds on loan
Leeds have signed goalkeeper Tony Warner on a one-month loan from Fulham.
First-choice keeper Neil Sullivan is doubtful for Saturday's Championship opener against Norwich with a dead leg.
So 32-year-old Warner has been taken on as a standby goalkeeper and could even go straight into the team for the game at Elland Road.
Warner began his career at Liverpool and also played for Millwall and Cardiff before joining Fulham, initially on loan, in 2005.
BBC 4/8/06
Westlake completes move to Leeds
Leeds United have signed Ian Westlake from Ipswich Town, with Dan Harding moving in the other direction.
Town say that in addition to Harding they have also received a fee of £400,000, possibly rising to £500,000.
Westlake, 23, and England Under-21 international Harding, 22, have signed three-year deals with their new clubs.
Harding started his career at Brighton before joining Leeds in July 2005 for £850,000, while Westlake came through the ranks at Ipswich.
Westlake made 126 appearances for Town and his move completes a busy few days for Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell, who has also signed Geoff Horsfield and Tony Warner.
"There are also certain sell-on conditions attached to Ian's move," Town chairman David Sheepshanks told his club's website.
"So although we don't like to see one of our own move on, a £500,000 deal plus Dan adds up to a good deal for Ipswich Town."
BBC 3/8/06
Horsfield moves to Leeds on loan
Leeds have signed Sheffield United's Geoff Horsfield on loan until Christmas with a view to a permanent move.
The 32-year-old striker made only one league start for the Blades last season after a row with manager Neil Warnock.
"We are going to take him on loan to see how Geoff performs," manager Kevin Blackwell told the Leeds website.
"If things go well we have got the option to complete something. He is raring to go and it will be nice to see him in a white shirt."
The former West Brom striker is expected to make his debut against Norwich in Leeds' opening game of the season against Norwich on Saturday.
"I just want to be playing football regularly," Horsfield told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"I haven't been given that chance with Sheffield United. It's nice to still be wanted.
"Leeds is a massive club with great facilities and are gearing up for the Premiership and my aim is to help them reach that goal.
"The last eight months have been a nightmare. I've been stuck in the reserves and last week I was thrown in with the kids. Neil Warnock must not rate me as a player and I don't know why."
leedsunited.com 2/8/06
SWAP SHOP
United have agreed terms with Ipswich Town on a swap deal involving Dan Harding and midfielder Ian Westlake.
Westlake is set to join Leeds in exchange for Harding plus cash.
Any deal is subject to the two players agreeing personal terms and completing their respective medicals.
The 23-year-old Westlake has scored 17 goals in over 100 appearances for Ipswich.
Harding joined United last summer from Brighton and made 20 appearances for the club.
The 22-year-old enjoyed two spells in the side last season, but was unable to dislodge first-choice full-back Stephen Crainey.
Telegraph 2/8/06
Bates accuses Chelsea of 'tapping up' players
By Telegraph online and PA
(Filed: 02/08/2006)
Leeds owner Ken Bates has reported his former club Chelsea to football's authorities, claiming they recruited two Elland Road players after making illegal approaches.
Bates, who sold Chelsea to Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003, said he has notified the Football Association, Premier League and Fifa over the cases of England Under-16 internationals Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, who began their careers at Leeds before moving to Stamford Bridge.
A third player, England Under-17 squad member Daniel Rose, was also approached illegally, according to Bates. Rose, however, is still with the Yorkshire club.
Last June, Chelsea were fined £300,000 and given a three-point deduction, suspended for a year, by the Premier League following the illegal approach they made to Arsenal's Ashley Cole.
Manager Jose Mourinho was fined a record £200,000 and Cole himself given a £100,000 penalty, which was later reduced to £75,000 on appeal.
Bates told Sky Sports News: "We want to be compensated for the amount of work that has been put into developing the players.
"Recently Chelsea have been involved in another squabble with another player (John Obi Mikel), this time with Manchester United, and they had to pay £16 million for that.
"That puts the £200,000 they have offered us in perspective.
Bates insisted his action was not due to any "personal vendetta" with Abramovich or between Leeds and Chelsea.
He said: "This is a straightforward dispute over the blatant breaching of Football League rules regarding to players.
"As of today we have reported Chelsea to the Football Association regarding the alleged tapping-up of three of our young players.
"Woods and Taiwo are now registered as scholars at Chelsea, and Rose is staying at Leeds."
The complaints have arisen following the departure last July of Leeds' former academy staff member Gary Worthington, who left for a similar post at Chelsea after five years at Elland Road. Leeds offered scholarship terms to all three players in September last year, but Woods and Taiwo turned them down.
Bates said that Leeds are taking separate legal action against Worthington.
The FA said they have not yet received an official complaint, although a spokesman said "we have had communication from Leeds United".
Any official complaint would come under the FA's jurisdiction, rather than the Premier League or Football League, because the two clubs are not in the same division.
Leedsunited.com 1/8/06
NO OP FOR KEVIN
New Leeds United signing Kevin Nicholls looks set to avoid surgery on his injured knee.
Kevin underwent a scan on the injury and has also visited a specialist.
The scan shows ligament damage, but the specialist has advised against surgery at this moment in time.
The injury to the £700,000 signing will be reviewed again in four weeks, but Kevin has been warned he could still face a recuperation period of up to three months on the sidelines.
United manager Kevin Blackwell said: "It's good news that Kevin doesn't need an operation right now.
"These days there is always the risk of complications with surgery, as we found out with Steve Stone last season."
Kevin damaged his knee during his first training session with the club last week.