Yorkshire Evening Post 1/10/07
Strikers in at the double for Leeds United
By Phil Hay
Leeds United have averted a serious selection crisis by signing strikers Mark De Vries and Wayne Andrews on one-month loans.
Andrews accepted a transfer to Elland Road from Coventry this morning and Dennis Wise moved to tie up a deal for Leicester's De Vries at lunchtime after United's 1-1 draw with Gillingham on Saturday left him without a fit senior forward in his squad.
The stalemate at Priestfield cost United their 100 per cent start to the League One campaign, denying the club a record-breaking eighth straight win, and red cards for Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford created a critical shortage of players ahead of tomorrow's night's clash with Oldham.
Kandol and Beckford were dismissed for two bookable offences by referee Danny McDermid, giving Leeds no right of appeal, and both strikers will serve a one-match suspension during the league fixture at Boundary Park.
The strike partnership has provided 11 goals already this season, but Wise had no experienced replacements available to him after revealing that Tore Andre Flo has been sidelined by another foot problem.
Flo has managed only four appearances as a substitute this season, and Leon Constantine is around a month away from completing his recovery from a broken ankle.
But Andrews and De Vries are now preparing to lead the line tomorrow evening, and their arrival has eased the strain on Wise's squad. The loss of Kandol and Beckford initially left 19-year-old Tomi Ameobi as the only fit forward in Wise's ranks.
United's manager was incensed by both red cards at Priestfield and the performance of McDermid, and the repercussions of Saturday's game are likely to stretch far beyond tomorrow's visit to Oldham after a fractious afternoon in Kent.
Wise was banned from the visiting dugout by McDermid after protesting against the decision to book Kandol twice for dissent in the first half – once for sarcastically applauding the referee – and United's boss is likely to face a misconduct charge from the Football Association as a result of his dismissal.
The FA may also investigate events after the final whistle, when McDermid and his assistants left the field under a hail of missiles from United's supporters, but the London-based official could be the subject of disciplinary action after Wise accused McDermid of swearing at him after the full-time whistle.
Yorkshire Evening Post 1/10/07
Ref nightmare as United falter
By Phil Hay
Gillingham 1 Leeds United 1
Leeds United have threatened to create new standards of consistency this season, but the pursuit of perfection can warp perspective.
In terms of the Football League, United's record is almost unique, and only Bristol City can claim to have mirrored Leeds by traversing eight unbeaten games. It said much about the excellence which has emanated from Elland Road that Saturday's draw at Gillingham felt like a defeat.
An impeccable run of victories had to end somewhere, and it will have secretly delighted Paul Scally, Gillingham's chairman, that Priestfield was the venue responsible.
Scally and Dennis Wise go back a long way. Twelve years ago, Wise and Chelsea provided the opposition for a pre-season friendly at Priestfield, an occasion which marked Ruud Gullit's debut for Chelsea, and Scally's first fixture as Gillingham's chairman. A firm friendship was established between Scally and Wise on that warm July night in 1995, but the former cannot claim to be universally popular at Elland Road.
As one of the 64 chairman who voted to shackle Leeds with a 15-point penalty, Scally will have anticipated the rough and abusive ride he was given by United's supporters on Saturday.
He seemed to be enjoying the last laugh as he reflected on a 1-1 draw, but his hollow description of referee Danny McDermid as "spot on" is unlikely to earn him a warmer welcome when he makes the return journey to Yorkshire on the last day of the season.
Wise has braced himself for the arrival of what he called 'the kick' – the bump that would inevitably disrupt United's seamless flow – but it came on Saturday with unpredictable force.
The 90th-minute goal which rescued an inept and relegation-bound Gillingham team was bad enough, depriving Leeds of an eighth straight win and the best start to a league campaign in the club's history, but the loss of Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford to red cards was, and is, a greater concern.
Kandol was dismissed on the back of two yellow cards before half-time, and Beckford suffered the same fate during three second-half minutes which set the tone for an unsavoury conclusion at full-time.
McDermid, who had banned Wise from the visiting dugout after a terse conversation at the interval, attempted to walk from the field after blowing the final whistle, but he and his assistants were forced to sprint down the tunnel as United's travelling support pelted them with missiles.
His rapid departure added greater weight to what is likely to become a complex investigation by the Football Association.
Guardian 1/10/07
Siege mentality proves Leeds' undoing as Cox ends record run
Mark Tallentire at Priestfield
Monday October 1, 2007
The Guardian
Indignation at being deducted 15 points has given Leeds United a siege mentality not seen since 2000-01, when two of their players were on trial during the run to the Champions League semi-final, and again it has been a positive force, which has helped the team equal the winning record of the great 1973-74 side to lift themselves out of the relegation places.
It can also be a negative influence, however, and was almost their undoing at Gillingham, where they took the lead with 11 men but had to hang on with nine players for more than half an hour to leave the manager, Dennis Wise, also sent off at half-time for swearing at the referee, and the fans seething at the perceived injustice.
Tresor Kandol was dismissed for two bookable offences committed before half-time, both dissent, the second for applauding loudly when awarded a free-kick after Efe Sodje's challenge, and his fellow striker Jermaine Beckford joined him for chipping the keeper after the whistle had gone for offside before needlessly hacking down Sean Clohessy in the right-back position four minutes later.
After the final whistle the referee and his assistants were pelted with coins by a handful of Leeds fans as a huddle of security guards rushed the officials to the tunnel in that corner of the ground, the fourth official using his board to protect his head. Several other Leeds fans exchanged blows with stewards while police dog handlers struggled to restore order. The Football League will now await the referee Danny McDermid's report with interest.
"Leeds are high-octane, play on the edge and their bench is noisier than the crowd," said Iffy Onuora, Gillingham's joint caretaker manager. "I laughed when [Wise's assistant] Gus [Poyet] jumped 10 feet in the air to protest about something then sat down and winked at me. It's a bit of kidology. They had great careers, are well known and like to try and play on it.
"Good luck to them, but the flip side is that when you play on the edge and it goes to the other side you are in trouble, and that's what happened. One or two of their players lost a bit of discipline at the wrong time. I don't think the referee did too much wrong and I don't think he had too many alternatives with the decisions he made."
Leeds's seven league wins had come against clubs in the top half of Saturday morning's table and they would have expected another against a managerless team they had already managed to overtake despite the 15 points. However, Gillingham, who made six changes to the side thumped at Nottingham Forest, were game and competitive despite going a goal behind, when Matt Heath knocked a Jonathan Douglas free-kick across goal and Seb Carole headed in from close range.
The home side, whose chairman has added Brian Little's name to a managerial shortlist comprising those of John Gorman, Martin Allen, Micky Adams, Brian Kidd and Graham Rix, pressed hard in the second half and with the fourth official indicating five minutes' injury time and Wise hopping about in the press area anticipating eight, Ian Cox met Barry Cogan's corner and powered a header high into the net to secure their deserved point. All of which made Wise's post-match comment that he intends to report the referee for swearing at him as the officials left the pitch - "it's not acceptable" - somewhat perplexing but that is the Leeds way, and so far it is working for them.
Strikers in at the double for Leeds United
By Phil Hay
Leeds United have averted a serious selection crisis by signing strikers Mark De Vries and Wayne Andrews on one-month loans.
Andrews accepted a transfer to Elland Road from Coventry this morning and Dennis Wise moved to tie up a deal for Leicester's De Vries at lunchtime after United's 1-1 draw with Gillingham on Saturday left him without a fit senior forward in his squad.
The stalemate at Priestfield cost United their 100 per cent start to the League One campaign, denying the club a record-breaking eighth straight win, and red cards for Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford created a critical shortage of players ahead of tomorrow's night's clash with Oldham.
Kandol and Beckford were dismissed for two bookable offences by referee Danny McDermid, giving Leeds no right of appeal, and both strikers will serve a one-match suspension during the league fixture at Boundary Park.
The strike partnership has provided 11 goals already this season, but Wise had no experienced replacements available to him after revealing that Tore Andre Flo has been sidelined by another foot problem.
Flo has managed only four appearances as a substitute this season, and Leon Constantine is around a month away from completing his recovery from a broken ankle.
But Andrews and De Vries are now preparing to lead the line tomorrow evening, and their arrival has eased the strain on Wise's squad. The loss of Kandol and Beckford initially left 19-year-old Tomi Ameobi as the only fit forward in Wise's ranks.
United's manager was incensed by both red cards at Priestfield and the performance of McDermid, and the repercussions of Saturday's game are likely to stretch far beyond tomorrow's visit to Oldham after a fractious afternoon in Kent.
Wise was banned from the visiting dugout by McDermid after protesting against the decision to book Kandol twice for dissent in the first half – once for sarcastically applauding the referee – and United's boss is likely to face a misconduct charge from the Football Association as a result of his dismissal.
The FA may also investigate events after the final whistle, when McDermid and his assistants left the field under a hail of missiles from United's supporters, but the London-based official could be the subject of disciplinary action after Wise accused McDermid of swearing at him after the full-time whistle.
Yorkshire Evening Post 1/10/07
Ref nightmare as United falter
By Phil Hay
Gillingham 1 Leeds United 1
Leeds United have threatened to create new standards of consistency this season, but the pursuit of perfection can warp perspective.
In terms of the Football League, United's record is almost unique, and only Bristol City can claim to have mirrored Leeds by traversing eight unbeaten games. It said much about the excellence which has emanated from Elland Road that Saturday's draw at Gillingham felt like a defeat.
An impeccable run of victories had to end somewhere, and it will have secretly delighted Paul Scally, Gillingham's chairman, that Priestfield was the venue responsible.
Scally and Dennis Wise go back a long way. Twelve years ago, Wise and Chelsea provided the opposition for a pre-season friendly at Priestfield, an occasion which marked Ruud Gullit's debut for Chelsea, and Scally's first fixture as Gillingham's chairman. A firm friendship was established between Scally and Wise on that warm July night in 1995, but the former cannot claim to be universally popular at Elland Road.
As one of the 64 chairman who voted to shackle Leeds with a 15-point penalty, Scally will have anticipated the rough and abusive ride he was given by United's supporters on Saturday.
He seemed to be enjoying the last laugh as he reflected on a 1-1 draw, but his hollow description of referee Danny McDermid as "spot on" is unlikely to earn him a warmer welcome when he makes the return journey to Yorkshire on the last day of the season.
Wise has braced himself for the arrival of what he called 'the kick' – the bump that would inevitably disrupt United's seamless flow – but it came on Saturday with unpredictable force.
The 90th-minute goal which rescued an inept and relegation-bound Gillingham team was bad enough, depriving Leeds of an eighth straight win and the best start to a league campaign in the club's history, but the loss of Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford to red cards was, and is, a greater concern.
Kandol was dismissed on the back of two yellow cards before half-time, and Beckford suffered the same fate during three second-half minutes which set the tone for an unsavoury conclusion at full-time.
McDermid, who had banned Wise from the visiting dugout after a terse conversation at the interval, attempted to walk from the field after blowing the final whistle, but he and his assistants were forced to sprint down the tunnel as United's travelling support pelted them with missiles.
His rapid departure added greater weight to what is likely to become a complex investigation by the Football Association.
Guardian 1/10/07
Siege mentality proves Leeds' undoing as Cox ends record run
Mark Tallentire at Priestfield
Monday October 1, 2007
The Guardian
Indignation at being deducted 15 points has given Leeds United a siege mentality not seen since 2000-01, when two of their players were on trial during the run to the Champions League semi-final, and again it has been a positive force, which has helped the team equal the winning record of the great 1973-74 side to lift themselves out of the relegation places.
It can also be a negative influence, however, and was almost their undoing at Gillingham, where they took the lead with 11 men but had to hang on with nine players for more than half an hour to leave the manager, Dennis Wise, also sent off at half-time for swearing at the referee, and the fans seething at the perceived injustice.
Tresor Kandol was dismissed for two bookable offences committed before half-time, both dissent, the second for applauding loudly when awarded a free-kick after Efe Sodje's challenge, and his fellow striker Jermaine Beckford joined him for chipping the keeper after the whistle had gone for offside before needlessly hacking down Sean Clohessy in the right-back position four minutes later.
After the final whistle the referee and his assistants were pelted with coins by a handful of Leeds fans as a huddle of security guards rushed the officials to the tunnel in that corner of the ground, the fourth official using his board to protect his head. Several other Leeds fans exchanged blows with stewards while police dog handlers struggled to restore order. The Football League will now await the referee Danny McDermid's report with interest.
"Leeds are high-octane, play on the edge and their bench is noisier than the crowd," said Iffy Onuora, Gillingham's joint caretaker manager. "I laughed when [Wise's assistant] Gus [Poyet] jumped 10 feet in the air to protest about something then sat down and winked at me. It's a bit of kidology. They had great careers, are well known and like to try and play on it.
"Good luck to them, but the flip side is that when you play on the edge and it goes to the other side you are in trouble, and that's what happened. One or two of their players lost a bit of discipline at the wrong time. I don't think the referee did too much wrong and I don't think he had too many alternatives with the decisions he made."
Leeds's seven league wins had come against clubs in the top half of Saturday morning's table and they would have expected another against a managerless team they had already managed to overtake despite the 15 points. However, Gillingham, who made six changes to the side thumped at Nottingham Forest, were game and competitive despite going a goal behind, when Matt Heath knocked a Jonathan Douglas free-kick across goal and Seb Carole headed in from close range.
The home side, whose chairman has added Brian Little's name to a managerial shortlist comprising those of John Gorman, Martin Allen, Micky Adams, Brian Kidd and Graham Rix, pressed hard in the second half and with the fourth official indicating five minutes' injury time and Wise hopping about in the press area anticipating eight, Ian Cox met Barry Cogan's corner and powered a header high into the net to secure their deserved point. All of which made Wise's post-match comment that he intends to report the referee for swearing at him as the officials left the pitch - "it's not acceptable" - somewhat perplexing but that is the Leeds way, and so far it is working for them.