I got released via letter at Leeds United — returning nine years later made me nervous — YEP 14/5/26

By Kyle Newbould

Alex Cairns spent almost a decade away from Leeds United before his 2024 return under Daniel Farke.

Leeds United goalkeeper Alex Cairns admits the end of his previous Whites stint was ‘horrendous’ and he was informed of his release via letter.

Doncaster-born Cairns came through the Leeds academy before turning professional in 2011, acting as back-up for a number of goalkeepers either side of spells on loan at Barrow and Stalybridge Celtic. He made just one appearance during his initial time in West Yorkshire, replacing Paul Rachubka at half-time in a 5-0 defeat to Blackpool.

Cairns was inside the Leeds squad during previous owner Massimo Cellino’s first season in charge at Elland Road, after which his contract was due to expire. And speaking on this week’s Official Leeds United podcast, the Whites goalkeeper explained how neither he, nor manager at the time Neil Redfearn, had any idea he’d be let go.

“It felt like a shambles. The expectation will always be there with Leeds, but the whole place was shambles,” Cairns said. “I remember the Cellino era for me was horrendous, I can't lie, because you got sold so many lies. I remember going into his office and he said ‘I'm going to send you out on loan’. I rang my agent, he'd not had any of them conversations.

“So I was like ‘well, am I here, am I there, what am I doing?’ I was desperate for game time and I found out from a letter from the club saying, thank you, it's time to leave. Even though I was told I was getting a new contract, I ended up getting a letter when we got back from Tenerife. I came back to a letter saying, you've been released.

“I rang the manager at the time, Redders, and he was like ‘Cairns, I know nothing about it. I think I'm going to go as well, by all accounts’. I could never imagine the club being like that now. I feel like there's a process, even with bringing me back to the club, they had their reasons for doing that and what they wanted out of it. I just think for me now, from where it was to where it is, it's like chalk and cheese.”

Cairns dropped deeper into the EFL following his Leeds exit, initially joining Chesterfield before spells at Rotherham, Fleetwood Town, Hartlepool and Salford City. And it was from the latter, in League Two at the time, that Leeds plucked the then-31-year-old from in July 2024.

Alex Cairns on Leeds United set up then vs now

Now 33, the experienced goalkeeper hasn’t played a single minute of competitive football for Leeds but remains a hugely valued member of the squad. And it’s an environment Cairns cannot compare to the one he left nine years ago.

“Yeah, he's been top for me,” the goalkeeper added of manager Daniel Farke. “Obviously he talks about there being no egos. Coming from League Two to a title-contending Championship club, now a Premier League Club, I was nervous about the people. You know, what I was going into?

“I still had that sort of, you know, is there any egos? Obviously they're all on a lot more money than me and what have you. And that was for me, I was a bit nervous about coming into that situation and that environment.

“But the manager spoke to me on the first day, said to me ‘I can't promise you game time, but I will promise that you’ll get your opportunities in training to show what you can do’. And he's always stood by that, he's been great for me. I've loved working with him and long may it continue.”