Mighty Leeds Weblog

Mail 27/8 Bradford came from behind in the dying minutes to beat Leeds Matt Smith put Leeds in front eight minutes from time Billy Knott and James Hanson hit back immediately for Bradford Luke Murphy was sent off for Leeds in the first half By CRAIG HOPE If Dave Hockaday is to prolong what appears a doomed existence as Leeds manager then a first West Yorkshire derby defeat in 28 years – in which another of his players was sent off and he was mocked by his own fans – will hardly aid his sorry cause. The 56-year-old cut a shocked and lonely figure amid the cauldron of noise that greeted the climax of a pulsating tie which – for 115 seconds – had even threatened the most unlikely reprieve for the under-fire boss. That two-minute period was the time between Matt Smith’s 82nd-minute breakthrough for 10-man Leeds and Billy Knott’s stunning leveller. Fast forward another 90 seconds and Bradford, thanks to James Hanson’s header, were in front. The reward for the League One side – beat...

Yorkshire Evening Post 27/8/14 by Phil Hay David Hockaday has categorically ruled out the sale of Jason Pearce amid a flurry of interest in the Leeds United captain. Hockaday said Pearce was “not available” and would remain with Leeds beyond the transfer deadline after Sheffield United confirmed that they were looking to buy the centre-back. Pearce – a £500,000 signing from Portsmouth – has been with Leeds for the past two years and his contract at Elland Road runs until 2016 The 26-year-old has started all of United’s games this season and he was given the captain’s armband by Hockaday before the campaign started. United’s head coach said: “I know that one or two clubs have expressed an interest in him but he’s not available. “He’s my captain, he’s happy and we’re happy to have him here. That goes in the bin straight away.” The remainder of the transfer window is likely to see departures from Elland Road, however, with Noel Hunt and David Norris among the players who United wi...

Yorkshire Evening Post 27/8/14 by Phil Hay A defiant David Hockaday insisted he had the backing of Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino and the club’s senior players after a bizarre weekend in which he narrowly avoided the sack. Hockaday claimed he was unaware of any threat to his position, despite Cellino’s publicised plan to dismiss him, and said the subject had not arisen during a two-hour discussion between them on Sunday. United’s head coach, meanwhile, revealed that four members of the club’s first-team squad had come to him to offer their support in the aftermath Saturday’s defeat to Watford amid clear signs that Hockaday’s job was on the line. The 56-year-old’s tenure was set to end after only five competitive games in charge on Saturday as a furious Cellino reacted to a 4-1 loss at Vicarage Road by vowing to remove Hockaday from his post. The Italian changed his mind the following day, however, in a remarkable turnaround which saw Cellino publicly blame himself for Leeds’ m...

Guardian 26/8/14 David Hockaday was a surprise appointment at Leeds, having only previously managed Forest Green. David Hockaday has launched a defiant defence of his position as the Leeds head coach and stated his desire to be with the club on a journey to the Champions League. Fourteen years have passed since Leeds were competing with Europe’s elite and Hockaday is the latest man to have been tasked with setting the club back on the road to former glories. His time in charge looked to have ended at the weekend, though, when the owner, Massimo Cellino, decided to sack him just five games into his tenure, only to perform a dramatic U-turn and then place the blame for the club’s poor start to the Championship season on himself and the defender Giuseppe Bellusci. The Italian – who infamously sacked and reinstated Brian McDermott inside a mad 24 hours back in February – decided that Bellusci was at fault for getting sent off in the 4-1 loss at Watford and that he himself had to shoul...

Sabotage Times 26/8/14 by Paul Sherman Cellino's made an epic balls up and needs to fix it before it's too late... The mangiallenatori chewed up and spat out his first manager at Leeds United early doors and is masticating furiously with his second, unbelievable scenes at Elland Road. McDermott never had a chance having been appointed by the witless, clueless GFH crew and Hock getting the job based on anonymous tip off after a lengthy meeting in a hotel during which you can bet your bottom dollar Massimo did the vast majority of the talking had as much chance of success as a Doncaster virgin remaining intact on a Magaluf weekender. McDermott was somebody else’s mistake, Hock is 100% self inflicted. Cellino has done so much right at Leeds, from buying the club out of the evil clutches of the sand jockeys to bringing in a dozen new recruits, a good looking mix of experience and potential to giving our own talented youth a chance. Appointing Hock and Junior was a brain fart...

Mail 26/8/14 Oscar Garcia set to leave his role as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv on Tuesday due to the ongoing conflicts in the area. The former Brighton manager is back at the Israeli club for the second time, after resigning in 2013 and moving to England. However, with Israel locked in continuing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, and rockets being fired at Tel Aviv, Garcia has decided to leave the region. He is under consideration at Leeds and Fulham as they consider their options in the face of recent results. Garcia had a succesful one-year spell in Tel Aviv two seasons ago, culminating in winning the Israeli Championship in 2013. But results on his return have been less good, with the club going out of the Champions League qualifiers to Maribor, and needed to overturn a two-goal deficit against Greek side Asteras Tripoli on Thursday to reach the Europa League group stage.

Yorkshire Post 25/8/14 LEEDS UNITED captain Jason Pearce has been linked with a move to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United – whose manager Nigel Clough has confirmed his interest in the defender. The Blades are keen to boost their defensive ranks following the departure of Harry Maguire to Hull City, with Pearce figuring high on Clough’s wish-list. Clough admits that financing any prospective deal for Pearce would represent a considerable outlay for the League One club, but he is not ruling out the prospect of a successful move for the 26-year-old. That said, it remains to be seen whether Leeds – who yesterday completed the expected signing of Danish international midfielder Casper Sloth for an undisclosed six-figure sum from AGF Aarhus – would entertain the prospect of doing any business regarding the former Portsmouth man, an ever-present this term and one of the club’s more consistent players during the 2013-14 campaign. Clough, who has also not ruled out trying to persuade Hull...

Yorkshire Post 25/8/14 LEEDS UNITED have completed the signing of Danish international midfielder Casper Sloth for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £600,000. The 22-year-old has become United’s 12th signing of a busy high-summer of transfer activity at Elland Road, with the schemer having signed a three-year deal. Sloth has made eight appearances for Denmark with Leeds believed to have beaten off interest from French outfit Evian to sign him from Aarhus. Sloth has been capped at various youth levels by Denmark and he became a full international in 2012. He made his debut for Aarhus in Denmark’s Superliga as a 17-year-old and he has appeared over 100 times for the club, who were relegated from the top flight last season. Sloth will wear the number 33 shirt at Leeds. United remain in talks aimed at bringing 20-year-old Brazilian play-maker Adryan to the club, with president Massimo Cellino and sporting director Nicola Salerno attempting to persuade Flamengo to c...

Yorkshire Evening Post 24/8//14 by Phil Hay Leeds United head coach David Hockaday received a dramatic stay of execution tonight as owner Massimo Cellino abandoned a plan to sack him and said: “I’m to blame.” In an astonishing turnaround, Cellino confirmed that Hockaday would remain in his job until the the Italian had “a fair chance to judge him” - just 24 hours after a 4-1 defeat at Watford placed Hockaday’s future in serious doubt. Senior officials around Cellino were told to prepare for Hockaday’s dismissal in the aftermath of a result at Vicarage Road which left Leeds a point above the Championship’s relegation places. United were expected to announce the 56-year-old’s departure today, just 66 days after naming him as head coach, but Cellino backtracked suddenly after talks with Hockaday around 6pm. Speaking to the YEP, the Cellino said the defeat at Watford had come down to a “s*** mistake” by new signing Giuseppe Bellusci, a 58th-minute blunder which led to the defender’s ...

Mail 24/8/14 Dave Hockaday will remain as Leeds United manager Owner Massimo Cellino decided to sack Hockaday before changing his mind Leeds are close to the Championship relegation zone after losing three of their opening four games Hockaday only signed a contract two months ago despite no experience in Football League By JACK GAUGHAN Dave Hockaday is staying on as Leeds United manager after a bizarre 24 hours at the football club. Owner Massimo Cellino had made up his mind to sack the boss after a dismal defeat away at Watford on Saturday. But the Italian has now had a dramatic change of heart after a series of discussions at Elland Road on Sunday. Speaking to a reporter from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Cellino said: 'Yes, I decided to sack him. I said ''he's finished.'' But I learned a long time ago to wait on a decision for 24 hours. 'If Bellusci didn't f*** up and we win the game, would I be firing the coach? No. We lost yesterday because o...

Yorkshire Evening Post 24/8/14 by Phil Hay The choice was Massimo Cellino’s in the beginning and he had it to make again on Saturday: to stick with this experiment and the head coach he plucked from nowhere or to back away from a long-odds gamble and take a different view. The Italian’s next move was all but assured as he drove home livid after Leeds United’s defeat to Watford. It seemed cruel that questions about David Hockaday were rife and legitimate after four league games but this is football and this is Cellino; hard, reactive, unforgiving. Yet the Italian showed a forgiving side and by yesterday evening Hockaday was safe. From the sack to a second chance in 24 hours. Cellino stuck his neck out when he introduced Leeds to an unknown coach whose last job earned him a wage in the Conference, and it stood to reason that in the midst of scepticism Cellino’s own faith would be tested eventually. A 4-1 loss at Vicarage Road, tainted further by the collateral damage of two red cards...

Telegraph 23/8/14 Manager's short time in charge at Elland Road set to come to an end as Italian owner prepares to wield the axe Dave Hockaday’s brief spell in charge of Leeds United appeared to be close to an end on Saturday night after they lost 4-1 at Watford. The defeat left Leeds one place outside of the relegation places having lost three of their first four games and owner Massimo Cellino is now poised to act. The two sides went into the break level after a Gabriel Tamas own goal cancelled out Fernando Forestieri’s opener. But Watford pulled clear after the break when Troy Deeney scored a penalty after Forestieri had been fouled by Giuseppe Bellusci. The defender was sent off and Forestieri and Daniel Tozser added the third and fourth goals. Leeds’ misery was compounded when Sam Byram was sent off after clashing with Daniel Pudil in stoppage time. Hockaday had no doubt the game swung on Bellusci’s foul on Forestieri and the subsequent penalty. Asked if Bellusci had t...

Yorkshire Post 23/8/14 Dave Hockaday is reported to be on the verge of losing his job after Leeds United were thrashed 4-1 by Watford. Leeds are fourth bottom after four games with head coach Hockaday already under pressure. Owner Massimo Cellino has a reputation of not sticking by managers for long, and asked whether he thought he would be given time, Hockaday said: “That’s not my decision. “I’m comfortable I’m getting more out of these players than anyone else could. “The boys are giving me everything but we need up to four players with Championship experience.” Watford kept their place among the Championship’s early-season pace-setters with a 4-1 win. The sides were level at the interval after Fernando Forestieri’s opener had been cancelled out by a Gabriel Tamas own goal, but the game swung in the hosts’ favour after the interval when Giuseppe Bellusci was sent off after bringing down Forestieri in the penalty area. Troy Deeney dispatched the spot-kick and Forestieri applie...

Mail 23/8/14 By ADAM SHERGOLD After a testing week in which his managerial methods were scrutinised and his Watford ‘family’ looked close to a break-up, this was a satisfying afternoon for Beppe Sannino. Finding himself on the receiving end of a volley of abuse when Lloyd Dyer scored at Rotherham in midweek, the Italian was forced to admit that as ‘father’ to a squad of ’24 brothers’, he couldn’t possibly keep everyone happy with enough game time. It led to rumours of a widening rift within the squad but, with Dyer dropped and unity restored on the pitch at least, it was very much a happy home at Vicarage Road on Saturday as woeful Leeds United were comfortably beaten. Two wonderful goals from Fernando Forestieri, a free-kick from Daniel Tozser and a Troy Deeney penalty after debutant Giuseppe Bellusci had been dismissed brought back the Hornets’ harmony and, as Leeds hover above the Championship relegation places, turned up the pressure on Dave Hockaday. Watford’s opener was a t...

Yorkshire Post 23/8/14 RAIL closures in the south of England are likely to make travel to Watford a little tricky today for Leeds United supporters; many, meanwhile, will make the trip hoping their side is not about to come off the rails. Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion was a demoralising affair with even a second-half rally unable to lift spirits at Elland Road. Coming just three days after a morale-boosting win at home to Middlesbrough, the below-par display continued the early roller-coaster feel to United’s season and supporters will be hoping that their side can bounce back this afternoon at Vicarage Road. Dave Hockaday, who revealed in the wake of the Brighton loss that his squad had been suffering from a virus, will be on familiar ground today after spending seven years on the Hornets’ coaching staff. “We have been keeping the ball very well other than the first half against Brighton,” said the Leeds head coach. “I have watched the game back a few t...

by Phil Hay The end of the press conference after Leeds United’s defeat to Brighton on Tuesday was more revealing than the press conference itself. “We’re still alive,” David Hockaday said as he left his seat and prepared to leave the room. Managers and coaches are prone to speaking like that but usually in March when death is creeping or the play-offs lie at arm’s length. Still alive after three games. It’s almost a contradiction in terms. On Tuesday the comment was quite appropriate. Hockaday let his guard down. It isn’t customary for a coach as new to the job as him to be talking so defensively, and Sami Hyypia did nothing to betray Brighton’s laboured start to the season, but Hockaday felt the need to shield himself. And so did many of us. For all the holes in his credibility, he’s not a naive man. He knows what’s going on around him and can sense that the balance of support is weighted against him. His throwaway comment on Tuesday was an unwitting appeal for all and sundry – s...

Yorkshire Evening Post 23/8/14 by Phil Hay Leeds United were on the verge of signing Casper Sloth last night after agreeing the terms of a three-year contract with the Danish midfielder. Sloth is poised to complete a move from Aarhus for a fee of around £600,000. The 22-year-old and his agent travelled to Leeds for talks yesterday and United are preparing to make him their 12th signing of a busy summer. Sloth, a Denmark international, is in the last year of his deal at Aarhus and has been linked with a move away from his homeland throughout the summer. French club Evian hold a long-standing interest in Sloth, but Leeds agreed a fee with Aarhus earlier this week and finalised personal terms with the youngster last night. Sloth has more than 100 appearances for Aarhus and made his debut for them in Denmark’s Superliga as a 17-year-old. The club were relegated last season, however, and Aarhus are ready to sell him with Sloth less than 12 months away from the end of his contract. ...

Inside Futbol 22/8/14 Leeds United have failed with a late, late bid to win the race for Sassuolo striker Leonardo Pavoletti, with not even a personal visit from the English club's director of football able to turn the tide in their favour. Pavoletti is heading to Serie A side Genoa on a three-year deal, with the Rossoblu then having agreed to send him instantly on a season-long loan to Cesena. However, the man who was prolific in Serie B for Varese last term, hitting the back of the net 20 times in 36 games, was the subject of a late approach from Leeds. According to Italian broadcaster Sportitalia, Leeds director of football Nicola Salerno appeared in Italy to submit a lucrative offer to Pavoletti. Salerno was hoping to beat Genoa to the 25-year-old's signature, but saw the striker reject Leeds' proposal, having already agreed to move to the Rossoblu. Leeds have shopped extensively in the Italian market this summer, making good use of Salerno's contacts, as well...

Yorkshire Evening Post 22/8/14 by Phil Hay Leeds United’s squad were troubled by a virus during Tuesday night’s sorry defeat to Brighton, according to head coach David Hockaday. Hockaday said “at least half a dozen” players felt the effects of a bug as a one-sided first-half set Brighton up for a 2-0 win at Elland Road. The illness is United’s only major concern ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Watford, though Hockaday admitted that Leeds were carrying “knocks and niggles” after four games in the first 11 days of the season. “I don’t like saying it but we’ve had a viral bug going around,” Hockaday said. “To be fair to the players on Tuesday, at least half a dozen of them were struggling with it. It was a messy place in the dressing room afterwards. It wasn’t very nice. “We’ll see how everyone is for tomorrow but there are going to be knocks and niggles because we’ve had four games in two weeks. We need to be careful. “There are lots of players in our squad but with all due respect,...

Inside Futbol 21/8/14 Leeds United manager David Hockaday has explained how transfer targets at the club are identified and his role in the recruitment process. Hockaday's remit is to manage and coach the team, then selecting the side for matchdays, while the player recruitment side of the Yorkshire giants is handled by director of football Nicola Salerno and president Massimo Cellino, in a decidedly continental style. With the vast majority of Leeds' signings this summer having been players from Italy, questions have been raised as to how much input Hockaday has into new arrivals. And the former Forest Green Rovers boss has outlined the process for selecting and then moving for transfer targets. "We get in a room and names are put in a hat, and we all do our homework on them. And this one [latest signing Mirco Antenucci, ed.] got all the green lights. Then it's a case of the powers that be go and do their job", he told a press conference. "It's a r...

Yorkshire Evening Post 21/8/14 by Phil Hay Leeds United are tracking Denmark international Casper Sloth amid a late push to bring new midfielders to Elland Road. The YEP understands that the Aarhus youngster is one of a number of targets on United’s radar ahead of the closure of the transfer window a week on Monday. Sloth, 22, is a central midfielder and an established member of the first team at Aarhus, a club he made his debut for at the age of 17. His contract has entered its final year and expires next summer. He was capped repeatedly at various youth levels by Denmark and made his first senior international appearance at the end of 2012 amid much expectation about his potential. Leeds are looking to strike a deal to bring him to Elland Road before the end of the month, strengthening an area of their team which was badly exposed in the first half of Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Brighton. United have already made 11 signings this summer but are still to make serious alterations to...

Yorkshire Evening Post 21/8/14 by Phil Hay Leeds United have made Giuseppe Bellusci’s transfer to Elland Road permanent, a week after signing the defender on a season-long loan from Catania. In an unexpected development, Bellusci signed a four-year contract today, committing himself to Leeds until the summer of 2018. United negotiated an option to take Bellusci on a full-time basis next summer but have now paid an undisclosed fee to activate that redemption clause without the centre-back making a single appearance. The decision frees up space for another loanee in Leeds’ squad, with the club still looking to make further signings before the end of the transfer window. Bellusci was one of three loan signings at Elland Road, alongside Catania forward Souleymane Doukara and AC Milan’s Zan Benedicic. Among the players being targeted by United is Brazilian midfielder Adryan - currently on loan at Cagliari from Flamengo. Football League rules limit clubs to a maximum of five loanees ...

Sabotage Times 21/8/14 by Paul Sherman Trouble is: who'd want to work for such a mercurial boss? In a private box high in the East Stand at Elland Road after the match/debacle last night, Massimo Cellino and his inner sanctum very likely had a discussion, actually it was probably more of a presidential diatribe. Cellino bought Leeds United to succeed, to take the club back to the promised land of the Premiership where it belongs, he will not abide failure and craves success like an alchy does booze. Massimo has a huge desire, passion and ego, he asked Sky not to show the Boro game because his creation wan’t ready, he wants to show the world his creation, in all it’s glory, shiny and new and attractive. If he reacts again in a similar way to post Millwall, expect the squad to grow fast with urgent need for trimming than the end of Movember. He said at the beginning of the season that he would have a good idea of what’s what after three games, well here we are and we’ve seen c...

Yorkshire Evening Post 21/8/14 by Phil Hay David Hockaday says a lack of match fitness is behind Zan Benedicic’s absence from Leeds United’s league games. Hockaday revealed that Benedicic was still to put himself in serious contention for a starting place after leaving the Slovenia international out of Tuesday’s defeat to Brighton. Benedicic was missing from United’s 18-man squad for the second time in four days having failed to merit inclusion in their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday. The 18-year-old – signed on a season-long loan from AC Milan at the start of this month – was an unnamed substitute at Millwall on the first day of the season and came off the bench for his debut in Leeds’ League Cup win over Accrington Stanley last week. But asked about Benedicic’s lack of regular involvement, Hockaday said: “It’s about him getting match sharp. “He’d been with Milan in America (for the club’s pre-season tour) but he hadn’t played any games. He came to us, he trained with u...

Mail 21/8/14 Italian striker Mirco Antenucci has joined Leeds for £1million from Ternana The 29-year-old had been at Elland Road for talks on Wednesday Leeds confirmed two-year deal subject to international clearance By WAYNE GARDINER Italian striker Mirco Antenucci has joined Leeds for £1million from Ternana. The 29-year-old had been at Elland Road for talks on Wednesday and tweeted a photograph of himself in front of the pitch as well as one of him signing his papers with the club's football consultant, Graham Bean. 'Proud to be a part of this club,' he wrote. 'I hope to give you a lot of satisfaction.' Leeds then confirmed he had signed a two-year deal subject to international clearance. Antenucci has done the rounds in Italian football, playing for the likes of Giulianova, Catania, Ascoli, Torino and Ternana, for whom he scored 19 goals last season. His best return came in the 2009-10 campaign when he scored 24 times for Ascoli to win the Serie B golde...

Yorkshire Evening Post 20/8/14 Leeds United last night sealed the signing of Mirco Antenucci, landing the striker on a two-year deal from Italian club Ternana. Antenucci put pen to paper after a day of talks at Elland Road and is now awaiting international clearance ahead of United’s game at Watford this weekend. Leeds paid an undisclosed fee to make the former Torino forward their 11th signing of the summer, strengthening an attacking line weakened by the loss of Souleymane Doukara to injury. Doukara will be out for at least a month after rupturing ankle ligaments in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Middlesbrough but Antenucci is in line to make his debut away at Vicarage Road if Leeds secure the necessary paperwork in time. Writing on Twitter, Antenucci said: “Proud to be part of this club. Hope to give you a lot of satisfaction.” United have been monitoring Antenucci for the past fortnight and stepped up their interest in him after a £850,000 bid for Rotherham United forward Kieran Aga...

Yorkshire Post 20/8/14 by Richard Sutcliffe AFTER the delight, the dejection. Such is the up and down life of a Leeds United fan right now. Just 80 hours on from an uplifting victory over Middlesbrough, a crushing sense of reality returned to Elland Road last night as Brighton & Hove Albion claimed not only their first points of the new season but also their first goals. Joao Teixeira and Kazenga Lua-Lua got the all-important strikes that capped an impressive display by the Seagulls. However, the boos that rang out at both half-time and full-time told their own story about how poorly the home side performed on a night when United were out-classed in every department. Leeds’s set-up was all wrong, four midfielders of similar ability and style strung out in a line so rigid during a one-sided first half that they did a passable impression of the statuesque figures on a table football game rod. Brighton, in contrast, fizzed about the field with an energy and enterprise that sham...

Yorkshire Evening Post 20/8/14 by Phil Hay MIRCO Antenucci will arrive in England for advanced negotiations with Leeds United today ahead of proposed transfer from Italian club Ternana. Antenucci was scheduled to fly to Manchester from Rome this morning before travelling to Leeds to meet with owner Massimo Cellino and discuss the details of his contract. United stumbled to a 2-0 Championship loss at home to Brighton last night but 30-year-old striker Antenucci appears to be closing in on a permanent move to Elland Road and could become Leeds’ 11th signing of the summer in the next 24 hours. Antenucci, who is co-owned by Serie B side Ternana and Serie A club Catania, has been heavily linked with Leeds for the past week and the club’s interest in him intensified after their move for Rotherham United forward Kieran Agard fell through. United had an offer of more than £800,000 for Agard accepted by Rotherham last Thursday but the transfer collapsed after they failed to agree personal...

Yorkshire Evening Post 19/8/14 ONE step forward and a quick step back as is so often the Elland Road way. The euphoria of Billy Sharp’s debut against Middlesbrough blew itself out last night as Brighton dragged Leeds United down to earth. The club know better than to leave the ground for long but their head coach, David Hockaday, will wonder how the buzz created by his team on Saturday was lost so comprehensively four days later. The journey from appreciation to booing inside Elland Road was nothing if not quick. There was disquiet at half-time after Brighton waltzed around the pitch unhindered and again at the end of the match as an attempt to redeem those 45 minutes came to nothing. An early goal from Joao Teixeira, a loanee from Liverpool, separated the teams for most of the match but the disparity in dominance and technical proficiency was far wider. Albion had problems before yesterday, or so it was said. Their visit to Leeds was an easy way to get their season going. Teixeira...

Mail 19/8/14 Brighton achieve first Championship win of the season with 2-0 victory against Leeds Sami Hyypia enjoys first league victory as Brighton boss Joao Teixeira gave Brighton the lead after five minutes By CRAIG HOPE Sami Hyypia has former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard to thank for his first league victory in English football. The Brighton boss spoke to Gerrard about 21-year-old Reds playmaker Joao Teixeira last week and the Portuguese duly headed south on a season-long loan deal. Teixeira – signed from Sporting Lisbon for £830,000 in 2012 – made his first start at Elland Road last night and was on target as he inspired Hyypia’s pointless side to a much-needed win. The ex-Liverpool defender was already under pressure having opened the season with back-to-back 1-0 losses against Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham. A conversation with Gerrard, however, helped change that and, on this evidence, Teixeira could well have a first-team future at Anfield when he returns n...

by Nick Westby Billy Sharp has been scoring goals at Championship level since long before Leeds United had become the apple of Massimo Cellino’s eye. The diminutive striker first started tormenting second-tier defences when playing for unfancied Scunthorpe in the 2006-07 season, round about the same time that Mr Cellino was on his 23rd manager at Cagliari. Sharp’s latest goal – some 100-plus strikes later – is one that gives the next man in Cellino’s firing line a precious bit of breathing space. Dave Hockaday had started his tenure in the Leeds dugout in circumstances befitting the most inauspicious of head coaching appointments, but the healing power of a single goal – Sharp’s 87th-minute close-range pounce – can not be under-estimated. It gave validation to Hockaday’s reign, reassurance to the striker that he can still contribute at this level after a couple of nomadic years, and the Elland Road faithful something to smile about at long last after a summer in which there have b...