Mighty Leeds Weblog

leedsunited.com 24/3/11 MIDFIELDER JOINS FOR PROMOTION PUSH Tottenham youngster joins on loan... Leeds United have signed Tottenham midfielder Jake Livermore on loan until the end of the season. The 21-year-old's loan deal includes provision to stay on until May 31 should the club reach the Play-Offs. Jake, a product of Tottenham's Academy, has made 44 career appearances and has had loan spells with Derby, Peterborough, and Ipswich. He played against Leeds earlier in the season for Ipswich at Portman Road. United manager Simon Grayson said: "Jake is a hungry, young player who has gained good experience at this level with both Derby and Ipswich. "We're at an important stage of the season and he gives us increased competition for places. He is a good addition to our squad."

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 24/3/11 Redfearn: McCormack will be Leeds United hit John Wray Ross McCormack has sent manager Simon Grayson a message – don’t worry about Billy Paynter’s suspension, I’m ready to go. Striker Paynter picked up a three-match ban after being sent off in Leeds’ 2-0 defeat by Sheffield United at the weekend but, if McCormack has his way, Paynter could be kicking his heels much longer. The Scot fired home four goals in the reserves’ 6-0 demolition of Hartlepool and reserve boss Neil Redfearn admitted: “He was almost unplayable at times." The 25-year-old striker has only made four first-team starts and 12 substitute appearances since joining Leeds from Cardiff last summer and has yet to score at that level. But Redfearn is convinced that McCormack’s form against Hartlepool is no fluke. “There have been times in the last three or four games when he’s been like that. It will give him confidence. He knows that if he goes back in the first team he’ll soon brea...

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 21/3/11 Paynter red card completes derby woe as Blades hit promotion hopes Sheffield United 2, Leeds United 0 Leeds’ prospects of automatic promotion suffered a blow after a bitterly disappointing display at relegation-threatened Sheffield United. The meek surrender of three points was bad enough but Billy Paynter’s off-the-ball offence two minutes from the end earned the substitute striker a red card and a three-match ban after the referee’s assistant spotted the incident. It was the first time Leeds had failed to score in successive games for a year. They are still fifth but now six points behind an automatic Championship promotion spot after second-placed Norwich drew at Hull. Although it is claimed Sheffield broke regulations by naming six loan players in their 18-man squad and having five on the pitch at one time, including goal-scorer Bjorn Helger Riise, Leeds had no excuse for a below par showing. Manager Simon Grayson said: “I am hugely frustrated...

Mail 20/3/11 Sheffield Utd 2 Leeds 0: Billy Paynter dismissal adds to United's derby despair By John Helm Should Leeds fail to make the play-offs, they will look back in anger on the curse of the Yorkshire derby. They have dropped 12 points in games against Barnsley, Doncaster, Hull and struggling Sheffield United. The form book went out of the window in a feisty encounter at Bramall Lane, and the Championship's top goalscorers failed to register while the division's lowest scorers netted twice. It was the home team's second win in 18 games while promotion-chasing Leeds lost for the third time in 24. Sheffield United included four former Leeds players, plus Leeds-born and resident Nick Montgomery, the man of the match, while manager Micky Adams was in the Leeds team when their manager Simon Grayson made his playing debut for the club. It might have been different had Max Gradel buried Eric Lichaj's far-post cross in the first half, but he missed, and only Kasper Sch...

Yorkshire Post 16/3/11 Revie’s stars reflect on the man who turned Leeds into legends FIFTY years ago today, Don Revie was appointed Leeds United manager and the Yorkshire club was about to be changed forever. He was only 31 at the time and the task of breathing life into a Second Division club that had become the very epitome of ‘moribund’ was a tough one. Leeds was a rugby league city where not only were the Loiners at Headingley considered superior to United, but also Hunslet and Bramley. Revie, however, was not without ambition – as underlined by his changing of the team colours to all-white in an attempt to instil a Real Madrid-style ethos into his players. But he also realised it would take time, and the development of a youth policy that would provide a conveyor belt of talent into the first team, to transform United into winners. The Leeds board, led by Harry Reynolds, were prepared to be patient and their support was rewarded a little over three years after Revie’s appointment...

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 16/3/11 Leeds United reach milestone since appointment of greatest manager John Wray Today marks the 50th anniversary of Don Revie’s appointment as Leeds manager – the start of a 13-year reign that took the club from the depths of the old Second Division to undreamed of glory at home and abroad. Revie was famously handed the job by United chairman at the time Harry Reynolds, who drafted a letter recommending him to Bournemouth before deciding to appoint him instead. Leeds narrowly avoided relegation to the Third Division in Revie’s first season in charge but the man of many superstitions – who had played with distinction for Leicester, Hull, Manchester City, Sunderland, Leeds and England – went on to manage United to trophies in the League Cup, FA Cup, Second Division Championship, League Championship, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and Charity Shield. He was manager of the year three times – in 1968-9, 1969-70 and 1971-2 – and became Sir Alf Ramsey’s successor a...

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 15/3/11 Leeds United chief defends club ownership structure The chief executive of Leeds United today told MPs he has no knowledge of the people behind the “mysterious trust” that owns the club - and that chairman Ken Bates does not know either. Leeds’ ownership structure came under the microscope at the culture, media and sport select committee’s inquiry into football governance at a hearing at Burnley FC today. The club’s chief executive Shaun Harvey said Leeds is owned by a holding company called FSF, based in the West Indies island of Nevis and owned by three discretionary trusts. The trustees have appointed two men, Patrick Murrin and Peter Boatman, to run the club and they had asked Bates to be chairman. Harvey told the committee: “I don’t know who the beneficiaries of this discretionary trust are, no.” Asked if Bates knew, he replied: “Not to my knowledge.” He added: “There is no individual [owner], that’s the nature of discretionary trusts - it’s ...

Yorkshire Evening Post 14/3/11 Leeds United v Ipswich Town: Whites prove a point to prizes On the evidence of the past fortnight, a goalless draw in the Championship is not the worst of results. Leeds United’s game against Ipswich Town befitted that scoreline perfectly. Elland Road will stage more raucous football in the weeks to come than it hosted on Saturday. How much value Simon Grayson should place on the point accrued – against a distinguished but unauthoritative Ipswich team – is, as ever, a matter of opinion. In a league where Nottingham Forest are without a win in six matches and Swansea City have flown unwittingly into turbulence, other managers in Grayson’s position might be wary of sniffing at an orderly draw. Paul Jewell, for one, was largely content. “We were all over Leeds for the first 10 seconds,” the Ipswich manager joked. “But nil-nil is never a bad result away from home.” That outcome loomed from an early stage of Saturday’s game. Aside from isolated shots on target...

Mail 12/3/11 Leeds 0 Ipswich 0: Tractor Boys dent United's promotion push Leeds' automatic promotion hopes were dealt a blow as poor finishing cost them all three points in their goalless draw with Ipswich. The hosts had an opportunity to move level on points with second-placed Swansea in the npower Championship but their profligacy in front of goal cost them dearly. In fairness, the Ipswich defence held firm in spite of a Leeds onslaught in the second-half to grab a point. But Max Gradel, Jonny Howson, Robert Snodgrass, Billy Paynter and Andy O'Brien all had chances - but no one in a white shirt could find the back of the net. It was not all doom and gloom for Leeds as they did close the gap on Swansea to two points - but they will know they missed an opportunity. The main talking point before the game centred on Kieron Dyer's debut in his second spell with the Tractor Boys. The midfielder rejoined his former club on a one-month loan deal yesterday from West Ham. Dyer ...

leedsunited.com 12/3/11 UNITED HELD IN STALEMATE UNITED 0, IPSWICH 0 United manager Simon Grayson named an unchanged side for the visit of Ipswich, following his side's midweek win at Preston, while the visitors handed a "second" debut to new loan signing Keiran Dyer. Ipswich had won at Cardiff the previous weekend, but followed that with a midweek home defeat at the hands of Reading. They had also beaten Leeds at Portman Road back in October, and they carved out the first opportunity of this game when Tamas Priskin sent a low shot wide. It wasn't the most entertaining starts, but it was Ipswich who were looking to play the early football and Leeds had some defending to do during the opening 10 minutes. Ipswich goalkeeper Marton Fulop had to make an save on 12 minutes when he got down well to deny Max Gradel with a strike from distance. Gradel also forced a corner following some good build-up play that ended with a great cross from Eric Lichaj. Kasper Schmeichel was c...

Yorkshire Evening Post 9/3/11 Preston North End v Leeds United: Unlikely lads set up Whites victory Preston North End were responsible for one of Leeds United’s gravest humiliations but, as the Championship table stands, the club from West Yorkshire can live with that. There is more to their season than the restoration of pride or the matter of a minor Roses rivalry. Beaten 6-4 at Elland Road in ridiculous circumstances five months ago, Leeds returned the favour last night with fewer goals and less fuss, settling a competitive Championship fixture with goals in either half from Neil Kilkenny and Billy Paynter. Revenge was mentioned beforehand and duly delivered by Leeds, though Preston might argue that the moral victory was theirs over two league fixtures between the clubs. From Simon Grayson’s perspective, the events of Elland Road on September 28 became irrelevant many weeks ago. Preston will be relegated and United are closer to the Championship play-offs than they have been for fiv...

Yorkshire Post 5/3/11 Leeds United 5 Doncaster Rovers 2: O’Driscoll backs Whites for promotion BILLY SHARP netted an equaliser on the stroke of half-time as Leeds United’s tendency to shoot themselves in the foot returned, writes Richard Sutcliffe. Luciano Becchio, Max Gradel and Jonny Howson scored the all-important goals in the final 15 minutes to seal United’s first victory in four Championship outings. On the balance of chances created, Leeds were good value for their win but Rovers deserve tremendous credit for playing a full part in a derby that kept the 27,027 crowd enraptured until the closing stages. Rovers had seized the initiative at the start of the half and gone ahead within four minutes of the restart courtesy of a fine finish from Franck Moussa after he had been found by a Brian Stock header. The lead lasted less than a minute, however, with Jonny Howson dragging United level with a drilled shot from 20 yards after the Elland Road captain had charged down a Stock clearan...

Bradford Telegraph & Argus 3/3/11 Leeds United must wait on loan recruits Leeds are being thwarted in their attempts to bolster their defence for the run-in towards promotion. Recent matches have exposed the United backline as the weak link – only three Championship teams have conceded more than their 55 goals this season, including two in the relegation zone. Manager Simon Grayson had hoped to make a move in the loan market for some Premier League players. Leeds chairman Ken Bates still thinks that is possible but pointed out the problems they are having. “We hope to make one or two signings this week or next but Premier League clubs are suffering injuries and suspensions,” said Bates. “We have a situation where three players Simon had in mind, who we had provisionally agreed to sign, are now on hold because their present clubs are concerned they may need them themselves.” Bates also revealed that agents’ desire to secure full-time deals for their clients rules out some targets. L...