Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United have sent Joe Gelhardt on loan to Sunderland for the rest of the season but insist he remains in their long term plans. By Graham Smyth The Black Cats reached terms with the Premier League outfit yesterday after a hotly disputed race for Gelhardt’s services. Sunderland were one of several Championship sides hoping to secure a loan deal and although the player initially favoured a return to Wigan Athletic, the chance to get involved in a charge for the play-offs swayed him. Leeds are understood to have decided that Sunderland represented the best move for the 20-year-old. Gelhardt, who arrived at Elland Road in 2020, made his senior breakthrough last season and was at the heart of a number of memorable moments in the survival battle. The penalty he won against Wolves at Elland Road helped seal a vital point, and although his first Premier League goal came in defeat at Chelsea, his second was a famous late winner at home to Norwich City. He also ended last term with fo...

Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt could travel to Sunderland for a medical tomorrow to finalise a loan move to Sunderland. By Graham Smyth The YEP understands that the Black Cats have agreed to contribute a significant chunk of the youngster's wages for the second half of the season in order to secure the loan - which comes without an obligation or option to buy. Gelhardt was initially sold on the idea of a return to his former club Wigan Athletic, to help in their fight against relegation to League One. The prospect of being close to home and surrounded by familiar faces was a big pull for the 20-year-old, and Wigan were ready and able to stump up the necessary financial package to make it happen. Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City were among his other suitors and also prepared to match Leeds' salary contribution requirements, but the Welsh side dropped out of the race last week. Upon further reflection with his parent club and his advisors, Gelhardt, who boasts 15 ...

The lads took a break from league action to face a Juventus side featuring the world’s most expensive player... By MartinWanless Back on Easter Monday 1957, Leeds United’s Welsh international centre forward, John Charles, had scored a double against Sunderland in a 3-1 win to the home team at Elland Road – a game that was Charles’ last for the Lilywhites before heading to Italy to join Juventus. For Sunderland, that penultimate game of the season almost brought a close to a miserable season. The previous campaign, the lads had finished midtable, having topped the league in November. But in 56/57, whistleblowing correspondence to the FA from Mr Smith had resulted in fines and bans; Bill Murray’s distinguished spell as player and manager came to an inauspicious end, six current and former players were also found guilty of receiving illegal payments. Sunderland finished in 20th place, third off bottom, and a dark, gloomy cloud was hanging over Roker Park. Bill Murray’s departure a...

SUNDERLAND SHUT-OUT Written by: Rob Conlon The bad news is that Sonny Perkins isn’t going to score in every game he ever plays in a Leeds shirt. The good news is he doesn’t have to. For the first time since leaving West Ham to choke on their bubbles, Perkins played a game of football and didn’t score a goal. At Sunderland on Monday night, Leeds Under-21s scored the fewest goals they have scored in a match all season, but keeping only their second clean sheet of the campaign meant Willy Gnonto’s first in a Leeds shirt was enough for a 1-0 win. It keeps them top of the Premier League 2’s second tier, too. From second bottom of the division, Sunderland weren’t supposed to provide one of Leeds’ toughest tests of the season so far. Their line-up showed how football as an industry has become obsessed with the developing and trading of teenagers, and that the spontaneity of a player’s progression can never be predicted by a formula of data, scouting, and logic. Sunderland’s team feature...

Leeds United U21s boss Michael Skubala has revealed the thinking behind tactical tinkering aimed at getting more out of Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood. By Graham Smyth Both youngsters started in Monday night's 1-0 Premier League 2 win at Sunderland, a game won thanks to Willy Gnonto's first goal for the Whites. The 18-year-old might already have experienced goalscoring at senior international level for Italy, but he was still delighted to hit the net for the 21s. Skubala felt Gnonto could have added a second and even a third, too. "He's got his first, he's really happy," said the 21s head coach. "I think he was lively, I think he got a couple more [chances] so he could have had a couple more [goals] as the game went on, but I think he's happy to get a goal." If Gnonto's first was the highlight, the biggest downside to the evening was the sight of Harvey Sutcliffe hobbling off injured in the second half. "We're going t...

Leeds United’s Under-21 side were victorious in the North East on Monday night as the young Whites defeated Sunderland 1-0 By Joe Donnohue Leeds’ unbeaten run at Under-21 level was extended to eight matches on Monday evening as United’s youngsters ran out 1-0 winners in a hard-fought battle at the Stadium of Light. A hastily-arranged venue change on the day of the fixture meant the likes of Joe Gelhardt, Sonny Perkins, Sam Greenwood, Darko Gyabi and Cody Drameh were able to contest their latest Premier League 2 match with Sunderland at the 49,000-seater stadium. The hosts matched Leeds’ strong line-up by naming several first-team players who did not feature at the weekend in their 2-1 defeat to Swansea City. PSG loanee Edouard Michut, Costa Rican international Jewison Bennette, former Bayern Munich academy player Leon Dajaku and £20 million Manchester United signing Amad Diallo – currently on loan at the Stadium of Light – lined up for the Black Cats. They were led by 27-ca...

Telegraph 4/1/15 Sunderland vs Leeds United - FA Cup third round: Championship side made more of fight of it during second half and nearly forced tie to replay but Liam Cooper’s header hit post By Luke Edwards, Stadium of Light So much has changed for these clubs over the course of the last 42 years, but the scoreline remained the same. The last time Sunderland beat Leeds United 1-0 in the FA Cup, it secured a famous victory and their last major trophy. This one felt routine. Leeds are a pale shadow of the team they were then. Sunderland have improved, although they have not added another trophy to a dusty cabinet since that famous 1973 upset at Wembley. Having waited for so long for a shot at revenge, Leeds’ tame first-half performance was bewildering. It was only in the second half that this ignited as a cup tie, but even then, Sunderland had more than enough chances to have made their progress into the fourth round smoother. Leeds had a couple of good moments after Patrick van...