Irish Independent 30/9/07 Leeds parking the self-pity Leeds have reverted to the ethos of the legendary Revie era in their quest to repair damaged pride, writes Aidan O'Hara HAD Peter Cook been alive today, he could easily have sued Leeds United for stealing his ideas. It was Cook, in the guise of his fictional football manager character Alan Latchley who created the week-long seminar called 'Dare to Fail', targeting clubs with the emphasis on embracing failure as a noble characteristic. "It's for people who have had some degree of success in their life to come along and see what it's like to be at the bottom of the pile," said the cliché-ridden Latchley in a television interview a couple of years before his death in 1995. "They come along and learn how to get to the bottom with their pride and dignity intact." In the last few years though, Leeds might have struggled with the last bit. Dignity is not something that has been plentiful at Elland Ro...
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Yorkshire Post 28/9/07 Leeds consider legal standpoint as FA refuse to join their battle By Ian Appleyard LEEDS United chairman Ken Bates was taking legal advice last night after the Football Association refused to enter the fight against the club's 15-point deduction. Bates wanted the FA to recommend an independent review of the Football League sanction which was imposed when the club broke rules on exiting administration this summer. But the FA insist the Football League have acted in accordance with their own rules and so have rejected his plea. Last night, United's chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "We are amazed that the Football Association do not feel it is appropriate to intervene in a matter which we believe is fundamentally wrong, and sets a dangerous precedent for the future. "We will fully reflect on this surprising decision and are taking the advice of our legal team." Leeds, who were also deducted 10 points for entering administration in the final ...
Yorkshire Post 24/9/07 Leeds looking more and more likely to have last laugh By Ian Appleyard THEY sneer and snigger at Leeds United's decline around other parts of God's Own County. They laugh at the way a club which threatened to win the Champions League six years ago is now slumming it in the third tier of English football.But those people who throw stones should take heed, for a quiet revolution is taking place at Elland Road. At this rate, it will not be long before Leeds are climbing back to the top, possibly even by-passing those who are currently looking down their noses. The motto 'gaining strength from adversity' should be carved into the club's logo. There were times when the future looked bleak, when fans appeared so fed up that they might turn their back on Elland Road for good. But this summer has heralded the dawn of a new era and, suddenly, the people of Leeds – both young and old – are flooding back to support their local team. On Saturday, for the ...
Leedsunited.com 22/9/07 SEVENTH HEAVEN UNITED 2 (Beckford 62, Prutton 67), SWANSEA 0 United: Ankergren, Richardson, Heath, Marques, Clapham, Prutton, Douglas, Hughes, Carole (Westlake 74), Beckford (Flo 90), Kandol. Subs: Martin, Huntington, Parker. Swansea: De Vries, Rangel, Lawrence, Monk, Painter, Butler, O'Leary (Pratley 68), Bodde, Anderson (Orlandi 66), Scotland, Duffy (Feeney 68). Subs: Austin, Knight. Referee: G Laws (Whitley Bay) Booked: Monk (Swansea), Prutton, Marques, Hughes (United) Att: 29,467 After an amazing start to the season, Dennis Wise and his United players were looking at the prospect of making history against Swansea City at Elland Road. A seventh successive league win would equal the record set by Don Revie's all-conquering side back in 1973. United were backed by the biggest crowd of the season and after enjoying some early pressure, Seb Carole fired the first shot of the game wide of the mark after Wise's men won successive corners. It was an enco...
Yorkshire Evening Post 21/9/07 Leeds United boss on verge of new record as hype kicks in By Phil Hay The late Don Revie casts a large shadow over Elland Road, and Dennis Wise is happy to occupy the shade. Appreciating the historical importance of Revie's tenure is a prerequisite of managing Leeds United – a fact misjudged spectacularly by Brian Clough – and Wise will not seek comparisons with his most revered predecessor if his side earn their share of a club record tomorrow. He is more inclined to do what he always does; greet the victory with a sense of perspective before retreating once more behind the barricades.Wise has not been tempted to mention promotion this season, and a seventh league win against Swansea City tomorrow is unlikely to break his poker face. Leeds are at the point of equalling a record set by Revie's players in 1973, when with seven straight victories they constructed the finest start to a season ever staged by a United team, but the fact has almost pass...
BBC 19/9/07 Poyet hit with misconduct charge Leeds United assistant manager Gus Poyet has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after he openly criticised referee Andy D'Urso. Poyet suggested D'Urso held a vendetta against him and Leeds boss Dennis Wise going back to their playing days. Poyet said at the time: "Andy D'Urso is not good enough for us and I don't want to see him at a Leeds match again." The comments came after Leeds' second round Carling Cup defeat to Portsmouth. Poyet has until October 4 to appeal. Leeds lost the tie at Fratton Park 3-0 and Poyet, who was sent off by D'Urso during his playing career, added: "He can't forget things he's done to us in the past. "It's sad and has happened again since we've been in management. "He keeps laughing during games and doesn't make any decisions. If there is something complicated in the box he never gives it. "We had a bet with the fourth o...
Leedsunited.com 15/9/07 JOY OF SIX Gus Poyet was quick to salute the players after they moved off the bottom and out of the relegation places after winning in Bristol on Friday night. The lads made it six successive wins by beating Bristol Rovers 3-0 at the Memorial Stadium and the victory was enough to haul United off bottom spot for the first time this season. It was another gritty performance from the side - in front of Rovers biggest ever crowd - and three quality goals sealed another memorable evening. "The team was very professional," said a delighted Gus. "We knew when to play, when to defend, when to suffer and when to pass it. "We scored at the right times, and I think professional is the word. "I think the team understand that when you have players like Jermaine Beckford and Tresor Kandol on the pitch, you always have the chance to score. "The other nine know they have to work very hard for them and give them one or two chances, because they wil...
Yorkshire Evening Post 12/9/07 Leeds United move to tie up strike pair By Phil Hay Leeds United are in negotiations with strikers Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford over new contracts at Elland Road. United have opened discussions with the representatives of Kandol and Beckford after witnessing their contribution to the club's sequence of five straight league victories. Kandol is League One's top scorer with four goals, and Beckford claimed his third of the season with a sublime chip during Saturday's 2-0 win over Hartlepool United. Their form led manager Dennis Wise to initiate contract talks at the end of last month, just three weeks into the new campaign, with fears already growing that the January transfer window will see widespread interest in both players. Kandol signed for Leeds from Barnet at the start of this year, and his present deal at Elland Road runs to the end of the 2009-10 season. Beckford, meanwhile, is under contract until the summer of 2009, but the 23...
Sunday Times 9/9/07 Beckford stars as Leeds march on Leeds 2 Hartlepool 0 Pete Oliver at Elland Road LEEDS UNITED’S match programme boldly carries their version of the “real’ League One table, which sees their team sitting firmly at the top with a 100% record. To the rest of the football world yesterday’s fifth successive win merely kept them anchored at the bottom. But what isn’t open to debate is that Leeds are on the move, and this time in an upward direction with the 15-point penalty imposed by the Football League on the eve of the new season already wiped out. Their best start to a season since winning the original League Championship in 1973-74 must be considered against the fact that they have never previously played at as low a level as this, but so far they have done all they can to try and make amends. Accordingly a season’s best crowd of 26,877 saw Leeds continue their winning run against a Hartlepool team that is also unrecognisable from some of its predecessors. When Leeds...
Yorkshire Post 1/9/07 Result: Leeds United 1 Luton 0 By Richard Sutcliffe at Elland Road TRESOR KANDOL'S first half goal was enough for Leeds United to claim their best start to a league season in almost a quarter of a century. The former Barnet forward struck just before the break to capitalise on fine work by partner Jermaine Beckford and ensure United claimed a fourth consecutive victory. It is the first time Leeds have enjoyed such a start in the league since Eddie Gray was manager in 1984 and means that another win next week against Hartlepool United will mean the draconian 15-point penalty imposed by the Football League will have been wiped out. United broke the deadlock in front of a magnificent crowd of 26,856 when good work from Jermaine Beckford on the left saw the ball worked to Kandol and he smashed the ball past David Forde in the Hatters' goal from 12 yards out. The lead was deserved with Leeds having wasted a golden chance to open the scoring just before the half...
Daily Mail 1/9/07 A relish for the scraps keeps Bates hungry for a challenge with Leeds By MATT LAWTON Ken Bates rolls into Monte Carlo's Casino Square on a bus. 'From my apartment to here costs 45p,' he says proudly before taking his usual table at the Cafe de Paris. 'But why travel here any other way? Why waste the money?' He hates wasting money, just as he hates what he found when he first took charge of Leeds United in January 2005. 'It wasn't a business,' he says as he reflects on a turbulent two-and-a-half years at Elland Road — a tale of administration, relegation and what has now become a fierce battle with the Football League in the wake of their controversial 15-point deduction. 'Leeds were very similar to Chelsea when I walked in there 20-odd years ago,' he says. 'Rotten from top to bottom. I was stunned by the club's inefficiency when it came to making money. 'Loads of paperwork churned out with no information. Too many ov...
Leedsunited.com 31/8/07 LATE DEALS Portuguese left winger Filipe Da Costa became Dennis Wise's third capture on deadline day when he put pen to paper on an initial one-year deal with the club late on Friday night. Filipe has joined United from Ionokis and joins fellow deadline day signings Paul Huntington and Alan Martin at the club. However, Gylfi Einarsson left the club on Friday evening and is now a free agent. The Icelandic international parted company with the club after making 25 appearances in almost two years. The midfielder, who is currently recovering from injury, scored his only goal for the club at Burnley in early 2005 on his second appearance. He made his debut in January 2005 after originally joining from Lillestrom in November 2004. DEFENDER SIGNS Newcastle United central defender Paul Huntington has joined United for an undisclosed fee. Paul becomes the second signing of transfer deadine day, following goalkeeper Alan Martin, who completed his move from Motherwell ...