Leeds United v Bristol City: Kilkenny’s surprise at slump in crowds
Yorkshire Evening Post 21/1/13
By Phil Hay
Neil Kilkenny admitted he was surprised by the dwindling crowds at Leeds United after making a return to Elland Road during Bristol City’s 1-0 defeat on Saturday.
The Australian international, who spent three-and-a-half years as a Leeds player, was at a loss to understand the low-key atmosphere as Elland Road witnessed its smallest attendance of the season for a league game staged on a Saturday afternoon.
A second-half goal from Ross McCormack earned United a precious win – their sixth straight league victory at home – and kept the club on the fringes of the Championship’s play-off positions while worsening Bristol City’s prospects of survival.
Kilkenny was part of the Leeds squads who won promotion from League One in 2010 and finished seventh in the Championship the following year but crowds at Elland Road have dipped significantly since he moved on to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2011.
“When I was here we used to get 30,000 most weeks and now they say it was 18,000,” Kilkenny said. “I don’t know what’s gone on over the year-and-a-half that I’ve been away but it’s disappointing.
“It was great to play here in front of 30,000 but it can get daunting when results aren’t going too well.
“You need to have big balls and take it. That’s what we did (during his time at Leeds) and that’s why we succeeded.
“In my last season we finished two points off the play-offs and that was a massive disappointment.
“We’ll see if Leeds can beat that because they didn’t last year. They could push on still and they need to push on because the fans demand success.”
Kilkenny expressed gratitude to the Elland Road crowd for clapping him from the field following his substitution on 72 minutes.
The 27-year-old has been critical in the past of United’s struggle to retain key players and openly admitted his disappointment after failing to agree a new contract with Leeds in 2011.
“Hopefully they (the supporters) remember what I did for the club,” Kilkenny said. “People know I love this club.
“They’ve got players like (Tom) Lees and (Sam) Byram coming through but a lot of talent has left.
“That’s disappointing for the fans and the club but what can you do?”
It is still not clear whether another key player might move on from Elland Road this month with Leeds into the final 10 days of the transfer window and still to offer firm reassurance about the future of top-scorer Luciano Becchio.
The striker was recalled after illness on Saturday and completed 90 minutes but he struggled to involve himself and saw few opportunities.
McCormack’s clinical header on 67 minutes was enough to hand Leeds yet another home win.
Warnock admitted prior to the clash with Bristol City that he wanted to see what Becchio’s “head was like” after questioning whether the temptation of a transfer elsewhere was distracting the Argentinian.
Speaking after full-time, Warnock said: “He’s definitely got to play better. I don’t think he was at his best.
“But when February 1 comes, if everything’s put to bed, he’ll hopefully start again.
“I’ve had a chat with him as far as I can but when players nod their head and say ‘yes gaffer’, you don’t know if they mean it or if they’ll go outside and ring their agent.
“You don’t have a clue.”
By Phil Hay
Neil Kilkenny admitted he was surprised by the dwindling crowds at Leeds United after making a return to Elland Road during Bristol City’s 1-0 defeat on Saturday.
The Australian international, who spent three-and-a-half years as a Leeds player, was at a loss to understand the low-key atmosphere as Elland Road witnessed its smallest attendance of the season for a league game staged on a Saturday afternoon.
A second-half goal from Ross McCormack earned United a precious win – their sixth straight league victory at home – and kept the club on the fringes of the Championship’s play-off positions while worsening Bristol City’s prospects of survival.
Kilkenny was part of the Leeds squads who won promotion from League One in 2010 and finished seventh in the Championship the following year but crowds at Elland Road have dipped significantly since he moved on to Ashton Gate in the summer of 2011.
“When I was here we used to get 30,000 most weeks and now they say it was 18,000,” Kilkenny said. “I don’t know what’s gone on over the year-and-a-half that I’ve been away but it’s disappointing.
“It was great to play here in front of 30,000 but it can get daunting when results aren’t going too well.
“You need to have big balls and take it. That’s what we did (during his time at Leeds) and that’s why we succeeded.
“In my last season we finished two points off the play-offs and that was a massive disappointment.
“We’ll see if Leeds can beat that because they didn’t last year. They could push on still and they need to push on because the fans demand success.”
Kilkenny expressed gratitude to the Elland Road crowd for clapping him from the field following his substitution on 72 minutes.
The 27-year-old has been critical in the past of United’s struggle to retain key players and openly admitted his disappointment after failing to agree a new contract with Leeds in 2011.
“Hopefully they (the supporters) remember what I did for the club,” Kilkenny said. “People know I love this club.
“They’ve got players like (Tom) Lees and (Sam) Byram coming through but a lot of talent has left.
“That’s disappointing for the fans and the club but what can you do?”
It is still not clear whether another key player might move on from Elland Road this month with Leeds into the final 10 days of the transfer window and still to offer firm reassurance about the future of top-scorer Luciano Becchio.
The striker was recalled after illness on Saturday and completed 90 minutes but he struggled to involve himself and saw few opportunities.
McCormack’s clinical header on 67 minutes was enough to hand Leeds yet another home win.
Warnock admitted prior to the clash with Bristol City that he wanted to see what Becchio’s “head was like” after questioning whether the temptation of a transfer elsewhere was distracting the Argentinian.
Speaking after full-time, Warnock said: “He’s definitely got to play better. I don’t think he was at his best.
“But when February 1 comes, if everything’s put to bed, he’ll hopefully start again.
“I’ve had a chat with him as far as I can but when players nod their head and say ‘yes gaffer’, you don’t know if they mean it or if they’ll go outside and ring their agent.
“You don’t have a clue.”
