Mighty Leeds Weblog

Yorkshire Evening Post 16/3/15 Phil Hay Defender Scott Wootton claimed a top-10 finish at the end of a turbulent season would be a “real positive” for Leeds United after a gritty goalless draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Wootton said United’s team had learned to cope with the pressure of playing for the club and were developing a confident mindset on the back of an extended run of good form in the second half of the season. A tight contest with Forest – a side with a slim chance of making the Championship play-offs – failed to produce a winning goal but Wootton declared himself happy with a solid performance in front of Elland Road’s biggest home crowd of the term. Leeds are 13th in the league ahead of back-to-back games against struggling Fulham and Blackpool this week, six points back from 10th-placed Blackburn Rovers who won away at Charlton Athletic on Saturday. Neil Redfearn’s squad are out of contention for promotion but right-back Wootton insisted a move into the...

Yorkshire Evening Post 15/3/5 Phil Hay Leeds United are not accustomed to nil-nil draws but a blank result against Nottingham Forest was telegraphed on Saturday. Both clubs will remain in the Championship next season, anxious to ensure they have more to aim at in the middle of March. United’s priority back in January was to kill their campaign as quickly as possible and there is no desire on Neil Redfearn’s part to pretend that the past eight months have been an opportunity missed but neither Leeds nor Forest were created to make up the numbers with nine games to go. The summer is the next port of call after Saturday’s goalless exchange. Forest will tell themselves that the play-offs are still there, and mathematically they are, but the end of a scrappy match at Elland Road showed a telling lacking of urgency, particularly from the visitors. There were no substitutions from Dougie Freedman and no change of system; no last throw of the dice with points in the balance. The result...

Here is the City 14/3/15 Vincent Ralph Adryan has opened up about his time at Leeds United thus far. Leeds United midfielder Adryan has been speaking to BBC Radio Leeds about his situation at Elland Road, and his comments made for very interesting listening. The Brazilian repeated the same phrase three times, to suggest his feelings are the same as those Leeds fans calling for his inclusion far more than they are currently seeing. When asked if he was frustrated to be playing so little, the Leeds loanee said, “Really I don’t know what’s happening. I started to play 12 games in a row, for the first-team, but (I’m) not in the squad for five or six games. But I don’t know what’s happening, I’m always training hard. “I do my best, that’s what I have to do. I don’t know what’s happening but I have to keep going, training hard.” In just a few moments Adryan said, “I don’t know what’s happening” three times, and it is easy to understand his confusion when you consider he seemingly paid...

Yorkshire Evening Post 14/3/15 LEEDS UNITED head coach Neil Redfearn professed satisfaction with his side’s efforts against in-form Nottingham Forest and labelled the 0-0 draw as a ‘good point’ - despite drawing a blank in front of goal. United’s best crowd of the season witnessed a largely frustrating stalemate against two of the division’s form sides, with Forest heading into the game on the back of six victories from their previous eight games. Leeds themselves headed into the game following victories over Wigan and Ipswich, but couldn’t break down Forest’s rearguard, although Redfearn felt his youthful side delivered another sound performance against a strong and experienced Championship rival. Redfearn, who confirmed that the injured duo of Sam Byram and Rudy Austin are unlikely to be back for Wednesday’s game at Fulham, with Blackpool next weekend a more realistic return date, said: “It was a good point against a good side. It was frustrating at home, but we tried to our best...

Yorkshire Evening Post 14/3/15 Phil Hay In the absence of the main man it’s not always clear where ultimate authority at Leeds United lies. Andrew Umbers, the club’s chairman, has it in name. Giorgio Altieri, an Italian lawyer who works for Massimo Cellino, is said to have more in practice. And Cellino himself is in the background, banished from Leeds but not oblivious or out of touch. In the absence of the main man it’s not always clear where ultimate authority at Leeds United lies. Andrew Umbers, the club’s chairman, has it in name. Giorgio Altieri, an Italian lawyer who works for Massimo Cellino, is said to have more in practice. And Cellino himself is in the background, banished from Leeds but not oblivious or out of touch. No longer president or a club director, Cellino was prevented from attending Tuesday’s board meeting at Elland Road. He is still in Miami, playing golf and killing time. But even without Cellino in the room, the meeting was by all accounts a delicate and co...

Yorkshire Evening Post 13/3/15 Phil Hay Brazilian midfielder Adryan admitted today that a bit-part year at Leeds United had left him “very sad” and in two minds about the option of returning to the club next season. The on-loan Flamengo player voiced his frustration after failing to make the squad for tomorrow’s clash with Nottingham Forest, a continuation of his struggle for appearances in the second half of the Championship season. Leeds fielded him in a development-squad game against Forest at Thorp Arch this afternoon and speaking after a 1-1 draw, Adryan said his lack of opportunities since moving to England last summer had cast doubt on the possibility of him remaining at Elland Road long-term. The 20-year-old was signed by Massimo Cellino, United disqualified owner, on a season-long loan in August, one of the club’s most high-profile transfers in a busy summer window. He did not make his senior debut until the middle of October, however, and a further 11 appearances before...

Yorkshire Evening Post 13/3/15 Neil Redfearn expects talks over his Leeds United future to wait for the conclusion of Massimo Cellino’s ownership ban, insisting last night that he would “bat on” as head coach until the club approach him about a new contract. Redfearn revealed that he was still in the dark about the likelihood of an extension to his deal as Leeds prepared to begin the last 10 games of his first season in charge. United are a month-and-a-half away from the end of their Championship term and the club will compete in the same division next season after emphatically winning their fight against relegation in the second half of the campaign. Their past nine fixtures have played out in the absence of Cellino, who was disqualified as owner and director of Leeds by the Football League in January, and the Italian will not be free to resume his position as club president until May 3, the day after the Championship season ends. Cellino is currently abroad in Miami, barred from...