Yorkshire Evening Post 8/12/07
Leeds United reign on Billy's day
By Phil Hay
Leeds United 4 Huddersfield Town 0
IT was Billy Bremner's day at Elland Road yesterday, and it therefore stood to reason that it should be Leeds United's as well.
On the weekend of the 10th anniversary of Bremner's passing, a capacity crowd acknowledged the legend born in Scotland but bred in the heart of Leeds in the way that modern day football knows best, with a simple and heartfelt round of applause.
The tribute honoured a man of unique talent and personality, and one who is virtually peerless around Elland Road. The city of Leeds vowed never to forget, and has held rigidly to that promise.
It was, however, with an impeccable sense of occasion that yesterday's West Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield Town was settled in United's favour with the help of a midfielder carrying Bremner's iconic number four on his back.
A first-half goal from Jonathan Douglas – the modern-day holder of Bremner's famous shirt – set Leeds on the path to a commanding victory in the first league fixture between the clubs for two decades, and gave Elland Road the result that the bulk of a crowd of 32,501 had turned out to see.
The outcome would have mattered to Bremner. These days, Dennis Wise takes just as much pride in the success of the club. By the time Tore Andre Flo rounded off the victory in the 87th minute, Wise's name was also resounding around Elland Road. The past and present of Leeds United were thus satisfied.
A 4-0 scoreline at the end of a derby can be construed as a massacre, and Huddersfield's players were desperate to make their escape at the final whistle.
But as United ran away with the game during the second half, it was easy to forget the contribution that Town had made to the start of a breathless encounter, and how different the outcome might have been had their best chance not been squandered in the second minute. Leeds scored when it mattered; Huddersfield, repeatedly, had no reply.
United's preparation was unquestionably better than the build-up experienced by Andy Ritchie. Huddersfield were dragged to Southend on Wednesday evening, and travelled home nursing the damage of a 4-1 defeat and the red cards shown to goalkeeper Matt Glennon and experienced defender Frank Sinclair, a former Chelsea team-mate of Wise.
Ritchie accepted Sinclair's dismissal but had anticipated overturning Glennon's on appeal, only to be disappointed by the Football Association's decision to uphold his red card on Friday.
With both players automatically suspended yesterday, it left 17-year-old keeper Alex Smithies to fill Huddersfield's most serious void at Elland Road, the early pinnacle of a career which began in earnest with his first senior appearance as Glennon's replacement at Roots Hall.
The only relevant concern for Wise was Jermaine Beckford, who injured his shin in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Port Vale but was passed fit after completing a light training session 48 hours before kick off.
Beckford struck his 11th goal of the season against Vale but, if Smithies was seen as a potentially weak link by Wise, United's ponderous start did not threaten to break it or to tease a Carson-esque error from Huddersfield's trainee.
The hosts took until the 24th minute to direct a meaningful shot at Smithies' goal, but the fact that the effort brought United's opening goal put the youngster in extreme peril. Chided by United's supporters yet largely blameless it was, in the end, a cruel stage on which to make a full debut.
Smithies could not have been blamed for failing to stop the low, sweeping and beautifully accurate strike from Douglas which curved into the net at his right-hand post, but a Huddersfield team who had appeared quietly confident while the game was goalless suddenly looked in danger of over-exposure.
That United had stumbled through the first quarter of the match, struggling as they did with Town's pace and slick passing in attack, will have offered no consolation to Ritchie, whose side should have taken the lead in the second minute.
Malvin Kamara out-ran Andrew Hughes on the right wing, stretching Leeds' defence, and a series of rebounds directed the ball to Ronnie Wallwork whose side-footed effort past the post was as casual as it was wasteful.Had Wallwork beaten Casper Ankergren, United – for all the spirit of Bremner – would not have relished the scenario of trailing before their capacity crowd. They were, before Douglas' contribution, comfortably second best.
But Leeds have rarely failed to protect themselves when handed the lead this season, and the match began to follow what has become a familiar course at Elland Road.
Huddersfield pressed repeatedly, laying on a volley for Phil Jevons which dropped wide of a scrambling Ankergren in the 33rd minute, but they were susceptible to the type of opportunity created by Leeds in the next passage of play.A flicked header from Tresor Kandol utilised the pace of Beckford, whose rising shot from inside the box whistled beyond Huddersfield's goal at pace. Leeds' sharp finishing had guided them out of trouble against Vale earlier in the week, and their performance seemed to rely again on their penchant for goals.
That clinical habit revealed itself again five minutes into the second half. Douglas dug out possession in midfield and provoked an attack which left David Prutton unmarked on the left wing. His low cross found Smithies absent from his near post, and Beckford slid in to guide his 12th league goal into a vacant net. His strike left Huddersfield to salvage what pride remained on offer, which amounted to little.
Ankergren's flap at a cross in the 62nd minute almost gifted a chance to Michael Collins but the bounce of the ball aided Leeds, but Town's spirit was broken seven minutes later.Beckford's overhead kick played in Ian Westlake, who unselfishly squared a pass to Prutton inside the box. The winger's fierce strike was brilliantly parried by Smithies, but Beckford poached the rebound a yard from the line.
With the result confirmed, Flo – who is moulding himself into the perfect substitute – stepped off the bench to score with his first chance in the 87th minute, set-up by Smithies' excellent parry from Westlake's shot.
Bowed and beaten, Huddersfield held up their hands. It is what United might call the Bremner effect.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/12/07
A waiting game
By Phil Hay
The Football Association today admitted it is in the dark over Leeds United's plan to fight their 15-point penalty through independent arbitration.
The governing body has received notice from Elland Road that Leeds intend to force an independent review of the Football League penalty. But officials at Soho Square are still waiting to learn the exact details of United's complaint – and for confirmation of who the complaint will be lodged against. Leeds have fought the 15-point penalty ever since their first appeal to the Football League was rejected in August, and the FA have twice turned down direct requests from United for the punishment to be overturned. The club are entitled to request independent arbitration under FA rules, but a spokesman for Soho Square said: "We haven't been told who their case is specifically against or been given a clear explanation of what their complaint is. This can't move forward until that happens." Confirmation of the details of United's complaint would see a three-man panel set up to rule on the matter, including one member selected by Leeds, one by the FA and an independent chairman agreed by both sides. The FA would normally take responsibility for selecting the chairman if the opposing parties fail to reach an agreement, but if the governing body is itself the subject of United's complaint – as it is likely to be – the final member of the panel would be elected by the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel, a London-based body which operates independently of the FA.
Leeds United reign on Billy's day
By Phil Hay
Leeds United 4 Huddersfield Town 0
IT was Billy Bremner's day at Elland Road yesterday, and it therefore stood to reason that it should be Leeds United's as well.
On the weekend of the 10th anniversary of Bremner's passing, a capacity crowd acknowledged the legend born in Scotland but bred in the heart of Leeds in the way that modern day football knows best, with a simple and heartfelt round of applause.
The tribute honoured a man of unique talent and personality, and one who is virtually peerless around Elland Road. The city of Leeds vowed never to forget, and has held rigidly to that promise.
It was, however, with an impeccable sense of occasion that yesterday's West Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield Town was settled in United's favour with the help of a midfielder carrying Bremner's iconic number four on his back.
A first-half goal from Jonathan Douglas – the modern-day holder of Bremner's famous shirt – set Leeds on the path to a commanding victory in the first league fixture between the clubs for two decades, and gave Elland Road the result that the bulk of a crowd of 32,501 had turned out to see.
The outcome would have mattered to Bremner. These days, Dennis Wise takes just as much pride in the success of the club. By the time Tore Andre Flo rounded off the victory in the 87th minute, Wise's name was also resounding around Elland Road. The past and present of Leeds United were thus satisfied.
A 4-0 scoreline at the end of a derby can be construed as a massacre, and Huddersfield's players were desperate to make their escape at the final whistle.
But as United ran away with the game during the second half, it was easy to forget the contribution that Town had made to the start of a breathless encounter, and how different the outcome might have been had their best chance not been squandered in the second minute. Leeds scored when it mattered; Huddersfield, repeatedly, had no reply.
United's preparation was unquestionably better than the build-up experienced by Andy Ritchie. Huddersfield were dragged to Southend on Wednesday evening, and travelled home nursing the damage of a 4-1 defeat and the red cards shown to goalkeeper Matt Glennon and experienced defender Frank Sinclair, a former Chelsea team-mate of Wise.
Ritchie accepted Sinclair's dismissal but had anticipated overturning Glennon's on appeal, only to be disappointed by the Football Association's decision to uphold his red card on Friday.
With both players automatically suspended yesterday, it left 17-year-old keeper Alex Smithies to fill Huddersfield's most serious void at Elland Road, the early pinnacle of a career which began in earnest with his first senior appearance as Glennon's replacement at Roots Hall.
The only relevant concern for Wise was Jermaine Beckford, who injured his shin in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Port Vale but was passed fit after completing a light training session 48 hours before kick off.
Beckford struck his 11th goal of the season against Vale but, if Smithies was seen as a potentially weak link by Wise, United's ponderous start did not threaten to break it or to tease a Carson-esque error from Huddersfield's trainee.
The hosts took until the 24th minute to direct a meaningful shot at Smithies' goal, but the fact that the effort brought United's opening goal put the youngster in extreme peril. Chided by United's supporters yet largely blameless it was, in the end, a cruel stage on which to make a full debut.
Smithies could not have been blamed for failing to stop the low, sweeping and beautifully accurate strike from Douglas which curved into the net at his right-hand post, but a Huddersfield team who had appeared quietly confident while the game was goalless suddenly looked in danger of over-exposure.
That United had stumbled through the first quarter of the match, struggling as they did with Town's pace and slick passing in attack, will have offered no consolation to Ritchie, whose side should have taken the lead in the second minute.
Malvin Kamara out-ran Andrew Hughes on the right wing, stretching Leeds' defence, and a series of rebounds directed the ball to Ronnie Wallwork whose side-footed effort past the post was as casual as it was wasteful.Had Wallwork beaten Casper Ankergren, United – for all the spirit of Bremner – would not have relished the scenario of trailing before their capacity crowd. They were, before Douglas' contribution, comfortably second best.
But Leeds have rarely failed to protect themselves when handed the lead this season, and the match began to follow what has become a familiar course at Elland Road.
Huddersfield pressed repeatedly, laying on a volley for Phil Jevons which dropped wide of a scrambling Ankergren in the 33rd minute, but they were susceptible to the type of opportunity created by Leeds in the next passage of play.A flicked header from Tresor Kandol utilised the pace of Beckford, whose rising shot from inside the box whistled beyond Huddersfield's goal at pace. Leeds' sharp finishing had guided them out of trouble against Vale earlier in the week, and their performance seemed to rely again on their penchant for goals.
That clinical habit revealed itself again five minutes into the second half. Douglas dug out possession in midfield and provoked an attack which left David Prutton unmarked on the left wing. His low cross found Smithies absent from his near post, and Beckford slid in to guide his 12th league goal into a vacant net. His strike left Huddersfield to salvage what pride remained on offer, which amounted to little.
Ankergren's flap at a cross in the 62nd minute almost gifted a chance to Michael Collins but the bounce of the ball aided Leeds, but Town's spirit was broken seven minutes later.Beckford's overhead kick played in Ian Westlake, who unselfishly squared a pass to Prutton inside the box. The winger's fierce strike was brilliantly parried by Smithies, but Beckford poached the rebound a yard from the line.
With the result confirmed, Flo – who is moulding himself into the perfect substitute – stepped off the bench to score with his first chance in the 87th minute, set-up by Smithies' excellent parry from Westlake's shot.
Bowed and beaten, Huddersfield held up their hands. It is what United might call the Bremner effect.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/12/07
A waiting game
By Phil Hay
The Football Association today admitted it is in the dark over Leeds United's plan to fight their 15-point penalty through independent arbitration.
The governing body has received notice from Elland Road that Leeds intend to force an independent review of the Football League penalty. But officials at Soho Square are still waiting to learn the exact details of United's complaint – and for confirmation of who the complaint will be lodged against. Leeds have fought the 15-point penalty ever since their first appeal to the Football League was rejected in August, and the FA have twice turned down direct requests from United for the punishment to be overturned. The club are entitled to request independent arbitration under FA rules, but a spokesman for Soho Square said: "We haven't been told who their case is specifically against or been given a clear explanation of what their complaint is. This can't move forward until that happens." Confirmation of the details of United's complaint would see a three-man panel set up to rule on the matter, including one member selected by Leeds, one by the FA and an independent chairman agreed by both sides. The FA would normally take responsibility for selecting the chairman if the opposing parties fail to reach an agreement, but if the governing body is itself the subject of United's complaint – as it is likely to be – the final member of the panel would be elected by the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel, a London-based body which operates independently of the FA.