Sheffield Wednesday derby sees Luke Varney reflect on his role in an overlooked Leeds United turning point - Leeds Live
Leeds fans are no stranger to chaotic events off the field, and things were no different between 2012 and 2014.
On a positive note, 2013 saw the end of Ken Bates’ seven-year involvement with the Whites, but it would also be the beginning of a frustrating tenure under new owners GFH Capital, led by CEO David Haigh.
Unlike the businessmen who took over after him, such as Massimo Cellino, Bates wasn’t renowned for hiring and firing managers, but he was responsible for causing financial constraints at the club and this, among many other factors resulted in him becoming notorious in the eyes of the Whites faithful.
One player who joined the club while Bates was part of the Leeds United hierarchy was Luke Varney who, in some ways left one sinking ship in terms of off-field issues at Portsmouth in 2012 for another.
Varney spent two years at Leeds
Although footballers tend not to reflect on the issues behind the scenes, Varney couldn’t help but feel the ownership debacle was an important factor behind derailing Leeds’ season and is something he still talks about today.
“I talk about it here still now with the lads,†admitted Varney.
“I didn’t get involved too much with that side of it. Obviously, we all know about it with it being broadcasted in the media. Our release is to get on the football pitch and do our stuff, but it couldn’t not have an effect on the club as a whole.
“When the fans aren’t as with you…you need it to go well on and off the pitch to have a chance of doing something positive.â€
The 36-year-old was brought into the club by ‘promotion specialist’ Neil Warnock during the summer of 2012 and was battling the likes of Ross McCormack and still fan favourite Luciano Becchio for the striker’s role at the time – and it didn’t take much to persuade Varney to West Yorkshire.
Varney is now at Cheltenham Town
“Once I spoke to Neil Warnock I jumped at the chance,†continued Varney.
“We were in administration at Portsmouth and to go to a club of that size – it’s still today the biggest club I’ve played for and even though towards the end I struggled for game time, there’s no hard feelings at all.â€
Despite a disappointing first season, Varney helped Leeds reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup as well as the fifth round of the FA Cup, and the journeyman felt those runs did take their toll during Warnock’s tenure.
“I must admit at the time we felt that we had a good enough squad, and we had a good cup run where we beat Tottenham and then after that our league form suffered. The club wasn’t in a great position at the time and we’d lost a lot of players.â€
Warnock was sacked on April Fool's Day 2013
Warnock lost his job at the club after United surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 against Derby County on 1st April 2013.
This led to the appointment of Brian McDermott as manager and his first hurdle as boss was a Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday – which turned out to be a win which all but preserved the Whites Championship status for another year.
Varney was instrumental in the game and his two headers secured a comeback 2-1 victory over the Owls as United secured 55 points – which turned out to be enough for safety that year – and it is still one of Varney’s fondest memories in a Leeds shirt.
Reminiscing on that day again, he said: “I remember it well and it was one of Brian’s first games. You don’t realise it now, but we were probably about five points above the relegation zone.
Brian McDermott arrived in 2013
“Ross McCormack, as he does, put it on my head twice and I’ll never forget at the end of the season Brian saying in front of the squad that it was one of the most important games for us that season.
“On that amount of points which was 55 I think just shows you the amount that was needed to stay up, but to help the club stay up that year was fantastic for me.â€
The striker managed over 40 appearances during his time at Elland Road, scoring eight goals in all competitions.
But as a result of a contract clause concerning the amount of games he could play before getting an extension, his time at the club stagnated somewhat which resulted in him securing a loan, before a permanent transfer to Blackburn in 2014.
Varney also discussed his Leeds exit
“I needed to play a couple more games to get a new contract so I was in a situation where I couldn’t play.
“The cross between Neil leaving and Brian coming in, the contract situation, I’d have loved to have stayed.
“I had little bit of a problem in January where I nearly went to Blackburn and I was told by the chairman at the time that Brian was leaving so I’d be able to come back and sign my contract – but that didn’t come to fruition.â€
Ultimately it was a disappointing end to the striker’s spell at Leeds, but the forward is currently enjoying his football at the twelfth club of his career where he resides in League Two with Cheltenham Town.
However, he still has good memories of his time at Leeds and keeps in regular contact with a few of his old teammates – including controversial forward El Hadji-Diouf, who Varney believed was ‘the best player’ at the club.
“I speak to Paddy Kenny every now and again; Luke Murphy I’m quite tight with and I have a message of Dioufy every now and again,†said Varney.
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“He disappeared for three weeks when he went to Nelson Mandela’s funeral, but he was still the best player on the training pitch.
“It was a laugh a day with him there and he’d joke about how many bottles of champagne or how many women he’d had in his hotel room,†laughed Varney.
The situation the club found itself in five years ago shows how far Leeds United have progressed under the guidance of Andrea Radrizanni, whose ownership of the Whites has seen arguably the best managerial appointment in the club’s recent history.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side sit second in the table with just five games to go and Varney is hoping this year will see Leeds return to where they belong.
Leeds United vs Sheffield Wednesday preview
“I’m desperate for them to get in the Premier League because I know that’s where they deserve to be,†said Varney.
“The good thing was that they did and still do produce good young players left right and centre and it’s a shining light with the club.â€
