Leedsunited.com 28/5/10
BECKS DEPARTS LEEDS UNITED
Leeds United have cancelled the contract of striker Jermaine Beckford to enable him to find a new club.
Jermaine will depart Elland Road with the best wishes of everyone connected with Leeds United and he is now free to find another club with immediate effect.
After the departing Rui Marques, Becks was the longest serving player at Elland Road, having joined the club in March 2006, making his debut as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace.
Jermaine made four more appearances from the bench that season as United pushed for the Play-Offs.
The following season Jermaine made his debut against Chester in the Carling Cup and his one and only league start for the club that season came at Sunderland on Boxing Day, when he played up front with Tresor Kandol for the first time.
During 2006/07, Jermaine also spent a month on loan at Carlisle, scoring on his debut against Millwall, and spent over four months at Scunthorpe United, where his eight goals helped the Iron gain a place in the Championship.
But he returned to Leeds in the summer of 2007 and it was under Dennis Wise that the striker's career took off. Becks netted 20 goals in 40 appearances as the club reached the Play-Off final.
The following season, Jermaine netted his first professional hat-trick, in a 5-2 Carling Cup win at Chester, his first FA Cup hat-trick, in a 5-2 success at Northampton, and his first league hat-trick as Yeovil were swept aside 4-0 at Elland Road.
He netted 34 goals in 37 appearances and became the first Leeds player since Lee Chapman to score 30 or more goals in a season.
Last term, Jermaine achieved the feat again, becoming only the second Leeds player to score 30 or more in a season on two occasions. Only John Charles had achieved this. He will go down in the club's history as the most prolific modern-day goalscorer to wear a white shirt.
He continued to collect numerous Player Of the Month awards, but one of his finest moments came at Old Trafford on January 3 when his goal secured Leeds the FA Cup scalp of Manchester United, and our first victory at Old Trafford since 1981.
He followed that with two goals in the next round at Tottenham, including a 96th minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
While the team struggled for form during the second half of the season, by his own admission Jermaine failed to hit the standards he had set himself in front of goal, but the striker's confidence didn't waiver, and it was fitting that, wearing the captain's armband for the first time, he scored the winning goal against Bristol Rovers on the final day of the season to secure our elevation to the Championship.
Jermaine is now expected to continue his career at the highest level of English football, and all at Leeds wish him every success.
Yorkshire Evening Post 27/5/10
Schmeichel signs for Whites
By Phil Hay
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has become Leeds United's first summer signing – after a transfer which earned the approval of his renowned father, Peter.
United's plans for the Championship took an
impressive step forward as Schmeichel agreed a two-year contract and filled an important vacancy in Simon Grayson's squad.
Leeds fended off a number of Premier League clubs to secure the 23-year-old on a free transfer, taking advantage of his recent release from a lucrative contract with League Two champions Notts County.
The Danish Under-21 international – the son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter – replaces a compatriot in Casper Ankergren who moved on from Elland Road this month after three-and-a-half years with the club.
Ankergren's exit left Shane Higgs as Grayson's only senior keeper but Schmeichel will provide serious competition for a starting place in the Championship next season.
He admitted he had sought the opinion of his father after receiving United's approach and said a favourable reaction had convinced him to opt for a move to Elland Road.
Schmeichel said: "As soon as Leeds came in, he asked me what I wanted to do and said he couldn't agree more. He said it was the best club to be at now.
"There wasn't a lot of decision- making to do. When the question was raised about interest from Leeds I said 'yes'.
Everything
"I've grown up in England, I know a lot about English football and Leeds are one of the biggest clubs in the country. There were other opportunities but Leeds have everything."
Grayson revelled in the capture of a player with "fantastic qualities" who arrived at Leeds on the back of a title-winning term with Notts County. Arsenal and Bayern Munich were the most notable clubs reported to be interested in signing him.
Grayson said: "We wanted to bring another keeper in and Kasper had an excellent season at Notts County. There were Premier League clubs interested in him but he wanted to come here."He's got fantastic ability, he's a winner and he's determined to take this club forward."
Notts County recruited Schmeichel from Manchester City last summer as part of the ambitious but troubled strategy drawn up by the Nottingham club, and the costly five-year deal he agreed at the County Ground – said to be worth £15,000 a week – was terminated at the end of last season.
County were beset by financial issues but still succeeded in dominating League Two, finishing the season 10 points clear.
Schmeichel played in 43 league games and his resume shows more than 120 league appearances in England and Scotland, including time spent on loan at Falkirk while on Manchester City's books.
He was one of a number of keepers on Leeds' radar – Newcastle United's Fraser Forster and Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny were also seen as possible options to replace Ankergren and challenge Higgs – but a deal for Schmeichel was finalised yesterday after a medical at Thorp Arch.
BECKS DEPARTS LEEDS UNITED
Leeds United have cancelled the contract of striker Jermaine Beckford to enable him to find a new club.
Jermaine will depart Elland Road with the best wishes of everyone connected with Leeds United and he is now free to find another club with immediate effect.
After the departing Rui Marques, Becks was the longest serving player at Elland Road, having joined the club in March 2006, making his debut as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace.
Jermaine made four more appearances from the bench that season as United pushed for the Play-Offs.
The following season Jermaine made his debut against Chester in the Carling Cup and his one and only league start for the club that season came at Sunderland on Boxing Day, when he played up front with Tresor Kandol for the first time.
During 2006/07, Jermaine also spent a month on loan at Carlisle, scoring on his debut against Millwall, and spent over four months at Scunthorpe United, where his eight goals helped the Iron gain a place in the Championship.
But he returned to Leeds in the summer of 2007 and it was under Dennis Wise that the striker's career took off. Becks netted 20 goals in 40 appearances as the club reached the Play-Off final.
The following season, Jermaine netted his first professional hat-trick, in a 5-2 Carling Cup win at Chester, his first FA Cup hat-trick, in a 5-2 success at Northampton, and his first league hat-trick as Yeovil were swept aside 4-0 at Elland Road.
He netted 34 goals in 37 appearances and became the first Leeds player since Lee Chapman to score 30 or more goals in a season.
Last term, Jermaine achieved the feat again, becoming only the second Leeds player to score 30 or more in a season on two occasions. Only John Charles had achieved this. He will go down in the club's history as the most prolific modern-day goalscorer to wear a white shirt.
He continued to collect numerous Player Of the Month awards, but one of his finest moments came at Old Trafford on January 3 when his goal secured Leeds the FA Cup scalp of Manchester United, and our first victory at Old Trafford since 1981.
He followed that with two goals in the next round at Tottenham, including a 96th minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
While the team struggled for form during the second half of the season, by his own admission Jermaine failed to hit the standards he had set himself in front of goal, but the striker's confidence didn't waiver, and it was fitting that, wearing the captain's armband for the first time, he scored the winning goal against Bristol Rovers on the final day of the season to secure our elevation to the Championship.
Jermaine is now expected to continue his career at the highest level of English football, and all at Leeds wish him every success.
Yorkshire Evening Post 27/5/10
Schmeichel signs for Whites
By Phil Hay
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has become Leeds United's first summer signing – after a transfer which earned the approval of his renowned father, Peter.
United's plans for the Championship took an
impressive step forward as Schmeichel agreed a two-year contract and filled an important vacancy in Simon Grayson's squad.
Leeds fended off a number of Premier League clubs to secure the 23-year-old on a free transfer, taking advantage of his recent release from a lucrative contract with League Two champions Notts County.
The Danish Under-21 international – the son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter – replaces a compatriot in Casper Ankergren who moved on from Elland Road this month after three-and-a-half years with the club.
Ankergren's exit left Shane Higgs as Grayson's only senior keeper but Schmeichel will provide serious competition for a starting place in the Championship next season.
He admitted he had sought the opinion of his father after receiving United's approach and said a favourable reaction had convinced him to opt for a move to Elland Road.
Schmeichel said: "As soon as Leeds came in, he asked me what I wanted to do and said he couldn't agree more. He said it was the best club to be at now.
"There wasn't a lot of decision- making to do. When the question was raised about interest from Leeds I said 'yes'.
Everything
"I've grown up in England, I know a lot about English football and Leeds are one of the biggest clubs in the country. There were other opportunities but Leeds have everything."
Grayson revelled in the capture of a player with "fantastic qualities" who arrived at Leeds on the back of a title-winning term with Notts County. Arsenal and Bayern Munich were the most notable clubs reported to be interested in signing him.
Grayson said: "We wanted to bring another keeper in and Kasper had an excellent season at Notts County. There were Premier League clubs interested in him but he wanted to come here."He's got fantastic ability, he's a winner and he's determined to take this club forward."
Notts County recruited Schmeichel from Manchester City last summer as part of the ambitious but troubled strategy drawn up by the Nottingham club, and the costly five-year deal he agreed at the County Ground – said to be worth £15,000 a week – was terminated at the end of last season.
County were beset by financial issues but still succeeded in dominating League Two, finishing the season 10 points clear.
Schmeichel played in 43 league games and his resume shows more than 120 league appearances in England and Scotland, including time spent on loan at Falkirk while on Manchester City's books.
He was one of a number of keepers on Leeds' radar – Newcastle United's Fraser Forster and Arsenal's Wojciech Szczesny were also seen as possible options to replace Ankergren and challenge Higgs – but a deal for Schmeichel was finalised yesterday after a medical at Thorp Arch.