Mighty Leeds Weblog

ALL YELLOW Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman David O’Leary’s constant complaint in 2000 was that his Leeds United squad didn’t have the strength of, say, Liverpool, who he reckoned had two top quality Premiership elevens to pick from. Peter Ridsdale was still in ‘fiscal responsibility to shareholders’ mode, so O’Leary had to settle for fleshing out his reserves from a far-off, low cost source. The new third choice goalkeeper was an Australian signed from Perth Glory, Danny Milosevic; the same club provided a centre-half from New Zealand, Danny Hay. Jacob Burns, a midfielder, came from Sydney’s Parramatta Power. Three positions all covered for just over half a million quid plus air fare, and they could be company for Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell, too. Although when Leeds Leeds Leeds magazine brought the Aussie contingent together for a themed photoshoot after training, friendly ol’ Kewell decided to go home instead. Burns was first to it, quietly photogenic, ready to tell read...

Leeds United supporters need no reminders of the tragic injustice suffered by Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul on April 5, 2000. By Graham Smyth In the 22nd minute of Saturday’s Premier League game against Southampton, without an announcement or any official notification on the big screen, Elland Road rose as one, turned their back to the play and sang for two of their own. Today, on the 22nd anniversary, Leeds United will mark what is always a sombre occasion with the laying of wreaths outside the stadium’s East Stand by the first team squad and club officials. The murders, which took place on the eve of Leeds’ UEFA Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray, shook English football and the anguish felt in Leeds remains real and raw. Friends and family members, the other victims of the senseless violence, will still be hurting today as they pay their own traditional tributes. Anyone connected with the club at the time has their own haunting memories, which come flooding b...

BIG NIGE Written by Rob Conlon For better or worse, Leeds United were very often The Big Story under Peter Ridsdale. It could be exciting, but it could also be frightening. Thankfully, we knew that whatever trouble Ridsdale, David O’Leary, Lee Bowyer or Jonathan Woodgate got us into, when it came down to Saturday afternoon, the opposition were going to have to get past Nigel Martyn. He was a calm, stoic, reassuring presence between the posts. Martyn hasn’t changed much since. After interviewing him with Dan Moylan, for The Extra Ball, our Michael Normanton said speaking to Nigel made him feel warm and fuzzy. Listening to Leeds United’s greatest ever goalkeeper speak, I can imagine being a defender in front of him, hanging on to every shouted instruction, knowing it’s the right thing to do because Nigel Martyn says so. It’s equally soothing to hear Martyn discussing some of the more controversial moments from his time at Elland Road. His voice remains forthright, while his takes...

Gary Meenaghan At the turn of the millennium and a decade before he arrived in Dubai with grand ideas and a grander financial package, David O'Leary was coach of one of the most exciting football teams in Europe. The Irishman's Leeds United side of 2000/01 stood toe-to-toe with Manchester United and sucker-punched Arsenal; attacked Real Madrid at the Bernabeu and slugged it out with AC Milan in Italy. They were ambitious and energetic and boasted players worth tens of millions of pounds. Leeds were seen as the future of the English Premier League and yet in truth – and certainly in the club's financial accounts – their future could hardly have been bleaker. Within three years, and crippled by debts, they were relegated from the top flight. Another three years and they were playing in the third tier of English football, having voluntarily entered administration. Yet today, just over 10 years since the start of their final, ill-fated Premier League campaign, there is re...