Simon Walton on a Red Card & a Round of Applause Against Valencia, 2004 - The Square Ball 10/8/21
WHAT'S THIS? WHERE AM I? Written by Rob Conlon Simon Walton is reflecting on a photo of his sixteen-year-old self sitting on the Elland Road turf, surrounded by angry Valencia players after being sent off against the Spanish champions and UEFA Cup holders. “When you’ve got Lucas Radebe fighting your corner, you know you’re doing okay,” he says, spotting The Chief running into shot and to his rescue. Walton is used to being reminded of this moment, when the anniversary rolls around of the day he marked his first senior appearance at Elland Road with a goal and a red card in a pre-season friendly. Leeds were preparing for their first season following relegation from the Premier League in 2004, and Walton’s second half penalty kickstarted a comeback from two down to a creditable 2-2 draw with the side they had faced in a European Cup semi-final just three years earlier. Nobody ever asks him about the goal, though. “I just get the yearly bombardment of, ‘How do you get sent off i...