Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United’s Under-21 side defeated Nottingham Forest’s development squad 5-1 on Monday afternoon By Joe Donnohue Goals from Charlie Allen, Darko Gyabi, Sonny Perkins, Alfie McCalmont and Max Dean capped a five-star display from Michael Skubala’s young Leeds side on Monday as the Whites continued their unbeaten run in Premier League 2 this season. Despite going behind during the first half, Leeds battled well to break down Nottingham Forest’s deep defensive line and went in level at the break following a deserved Charlie Allen strike. Leeds returned for the second forty-five with the bit between their teeth, determined not to be thwarted as they had been in the first half. Spurred on by Skubala and his coaching staff who encouraged and applauded the high press, Leeds forced opportunities, leaving Forest players to bemoan a porous 25 minutes. Gyabi’s 30-yard effort at goal squirmed in under goalkeeper Ryan Hammond to give Leeds the advantage, and the Whites could smell blo...

The 2021/22 season did not go quite as planned for a trio who grew up together at Leeds United. By Graham Smyth On the night that the Championship title was celebrated at Elland Road, Jamie Shackleton, Robbie Gotts and Alfie McCalmont were always going to pose for a trophy photo together. Having accompanied each other up through the ranks, from baby-faced young boys to baby-faced young men, they had been pictured together for years. What their boyhood club achieved that night, the very thing that all three had been dreaming about since they signed forms at nine, was the thing that essentially brought an end to their time as team-mates. Amid the champagne-soaked celebrations, the sobering thought that things could be about to change likely dawned briefly on all three. Neither McCalmont nor Academy Player of the Year Gotts were going to get Premier League minutes so, in the autumn of 2020, they moved out on loan to Oldham Athletic and Lincoln City respectively, leaving Shackleton...