'Did my job': Gaetano Berardi opens up on sick-note six, feels it was turning point in Leeds career - Leeds United News 2/6/23

Danny Bloomer

Gaetano Berardi believes the ‘sick-note six’ in April 2015 was a turning point in his Leeds United career.

Berardi was speaking in an interview with BBC West Yorkshire Sport after hanging up bis boots and explained how he felt he received ‘more respect from everybody’ from then on.

The infamous situation occurred prior to an away fixture at Charlton Athletic just over eight-years ago, when Leeds were suddenly hit by the withdrawal of six players despite the club being unaware of any injuries.

Mirco Antenucci, Giuseppe Bellusci, Dario Del Fabro, Marco Silvestri, Souleymane Doukara and Edgar Cani – five of which were signed by Massimo Cellino – declared themselves unavailable for the trip to the Valley.

Berardi, who was a player also brought in by Cellino, refused to join forces with the aforementioned sextet, and took a place on the bench, despite carrying a genuine injury himself.

The Swiss defender was still in his first season at Leeds at that time and it is fair to say the jury was out among supporters having already been red carded twice.

However, that display of commitment was something Leeds fans never forgot and from then on he became a big part of the club, which is something he felt almost immediately from that moment.

“Yeah probably because I could show who I am, that I respect my job, I respect my teammates, I respect the club and of course the coach at the time.

“I had the pleasure to know Neil Redfearn and I wanted to respect him. I just did my job and what I had to do, nothing else.

“That moment I felt I received much more respect from everybody but like I said it was just my job.”

Berardi will be the first to admit he was never the best footballer at Leeds but players who consistently give 100% for the badge are always respected.

It would’ve been easier at that moment for Berardi to side with the players whom he was probably closest to, with all having made the move from Italy at a similar time.

Instead, he kept his head down, worked hard and in the end established himself as a cult hero having helped win promotion to the Premier League in his penultimate season at Leeds.