Emne: Sesongen 2013-14 - oppsummering

[Promotion 2010]

ET SKRÅBLIKK FØRST:

Phil Hay: Leeds United’s Ross, Ken, Mass, Mac, Hisham and David

Season 13-14: It is not the latest super group, but a collection of characters who have made this season jaw-dropping even by Leeds United’s standards.

Elland Road Lifebelt Award – Ross McCormack

How heavily have Leeds United leant on their Glaswegian striker this season? Well, here’s a stat. Between their victory at Bolton on September 14 and their defeat of Blackpool last weekend, the club did not win a single game in which McCormack failed to score. That’s seven months and 37 matches back-to-back. And they tell you it’s a team game.

Director of Football Award – Hisham Alrayes

For his letter to Brian McDermott in January, informing United’s manager that all line-ups, formations and tactics must be approved by Alrayes and United chairman Salah Nooruddin 24 hours before kick-off. You can picture the two of them sat in Manama, sipping coffee, rejecting the diamond midfield and arguing over Aidan White’s best position. Football men, those boys from Bahrain.

Welcome to Yorkshire Award – Jack Butland

An England goalkeeper who came to Leeds with one eye on the World Cup in Brazil. “The summer is obviously a massive target and I’d love to be able to go,” he said. His experience since then? Twenty four goals conceded in 12 games, including five against Bolton and four against Reading and Bournemouth. There will be other World Cups.

Sacking of the Year – Ken Bates

Like a bolt of lightening on a sunny day. At least with Brian McDermott’s ham-fisted ‘dismissal’, you could see it coming a mile off. But Bates – United’s ex-owner and chairman – was dispatched late one Friday evening in July with no more than a cursory online statement. He’d been president at Elland Road for just 26 days.

Lawsuit of the Year – Leeds United FC v Ken Bates

The inevitable result of Bates’ unceremonious overthrow. Leeds (or Gulf Finance House) allege among other things that Bates breached his contract by renewing a private jet contract, claimed expenses he wasn’t entitled to and took money from the club’s safe and shop. Bates denies all claims against him and is counter-suing for wrongful dismissal and compensation of up to £750,000. Coming to a courtroom near you soon.

Cuckoo’s Nest Award – Gianluca Festa

An ally of Massimo Cellino’s who tried to secure a seat on the bench for Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Ipswich on January 28. That invasion of McDermott’s personal space failed but three days later Festa was lined up to take charge of the first team as Massimo moved to replace McDermott with his own man. Riots ensued, Cellino backed down and Festa watched a 5-1 win over Huddersfield from the East Stand. He has barely been seen since.

Board Member of the Year –Salah Nooruddin

AKA Santa Claus. United’s chairman has been absent from Elland Road since Christmas but give him his due: he knows where to put his foot. His tweet after a 2-0 defeat to Millwall in September, criticising the result while taking a veiled dig at McDermott, was a cracker, and his premature text message to Cellino on January 31 – informing the Italian that the club was his – sparked the madness of transfer deadline day. The spiteful reaction to Nooruddin’s tweet on April 6, congratulating “Massimio” on his completed takeover, should tell him that his days here are numbered.

Best use of Twitter – Ryan Hall

It’s going some to outdo David Haigh’s 131,000 followers (twice the number who follow @LUFC) or Salem Patel’s smiley face but Hall’s decision in October to tell the world that he would sit around and take his money at Leeds reminded you of that old equation: footballers on Twitter equals water plus burning fat. Young Ryan has had further scrapes since then, but the less said about the recent twitterings of his ex-partner the better.

Document of the Year –Project Athena

A dossier complied on Gulf Finance House’s behalf which was designed to smear, criticise and discredit Cellino. It did precisely that. So GFH sold 75 per cent of Leeds to him anyway. “How much? Deal.”

Best Racial Stereotype – GFH

A few months ago the bank informed McDermott that he should seek signings from the top European leagues, “and Brazilians.” Pele, Romario, Kleberson, Roque Junior. They’re onto something here.

Best Transfer Target – Ashley Barnes

The story sounds apocryphal but we’re assured that it’s true. As McDermott fought to sign Barnes from Brighton in January and GFH resisted, a message came back from the bank pointing out that Barnes had a lower rating on Football Manager than Luke Varney and was therefore a dubious target. Why waste money on a scouting network when you can download software for £15? Barnes has cried himself to sleep ever since. He’ll have to slum it in the Premier League next season.

Media Breakthrough Act –White Leeds Radio

A recently-launched pirate station which initially sounded like a parody. Stretches of silence were interspersed with calls to random takeaways as listeners killed time by using the station’s message board to exchange abuse. Then, on March 29, the presenter landed Ken Bates live. The following night, he broadcast a spectacular ‘interview’ with Cellino who proceeded to wash his dirty linen in public. Neither man knew he was being recorded and the lawyers were not amused as the audio went global. But Cellino quickly relented. “Maybe it wasn’t so wrong,” he said. “That was me.” Every ******* ounce of him.

Hand of Friendship Award – Massimo Cellino

David Haigh, poised to become United CEO: “I spent a lot of time with Massimo and realised he was someone I could work with.” Cellino a month later, informing Haigh of a change of plan: “You’re fired. David has to go. I’ve had too much of him.” Haigh resigned last week and is seeking repayment of a £1.7m loan from the club.

[Promotion 2010]

Leeds United: A crazy year in quotes

Leeds United are nearing the end of an astonishing season of takeovers, turmoil and chaos. Here are those 12 months in quotes...

May 1 - David Haigh (straying into the grounds of grim, immoveable imagery): “There’s a picture of a fish tank in the offices downstairs. It symbolises what happened here a decade ago. It acts as a reminder, like taking a picture of yourself in Speedos and sticking it on the fridge door so you don’t eat that extra slice of cake.”

June 20 - Brian McDermott (starting to wonder if GFH’s promise about transfer funds was 100% watertight): “We did a lot of our work early and players are in place if we can get the deals done. It’s very simple – have we got the finances to do the deals? Can we do the deals? I need clarification.”

July 22 - Brian McDermott (on the overwhelming influx of three new players): “From our point of view, I’d suggest we’re in a situation where we probably need a player to go out the door before we can bring one in the door. That’s where we’re at.”

July 25 - Leeds United statement (boom): “Ken Bates has ceased to be president of Leeds United. Mr Bates will now no longer have any role within the football club.”

July 27 - Ken Bates (rolling over and accepting his fate): “We’ll see what happens. The real problem, I suspect, is that GFH hasn’t been doing well running the club and this is a diversion to take the real problems off the headlines. There’s no validity in this and a degree of viciousness, quite clearly. Someone’s got a screw loose.”

August 3 - Luke Murphy (after his dramatic, hand-assisted winner against Brighton): “We’re not on the list of leading odds in this division and, while I don’t think that’s fair, we’ll take it. But hopefully by the end of the season we’ll be there or thereabouts.”

September 30 - Brian McDermott (beginning to worry after a 2-0 loss at Millwall): “We didn’t turn up. I asked the question of the players – tell me what that was about. It’s a shock to my system. The players here are decent players but they’re not at their full level at this moment in time.”

October 3 - Salah Nooruddin (on a rare appearance in Leeds): “GFH and myself are standing here to support this club for as long as it takes to achieve our objectives. Financial objectives have to go alongside the passion and emotion of a club.”

October 19 - Ryan Hall (feet on the ground, head in the clouds, spelling book in the attic): “Look on the bright side if your not getting played take the L out and get payed.”

November 11 - Ross McCormack (after sticking four goals past Charlton): “You have to assess it. Would you rather go to a Premier League team who might be in a relegation fight or do you stay here and try to become one of the top scorers ever at this club? It was a no-brainer for me.”

November 24 - Leeds United statement (these are starting to get good, and shorter): “Leeds United can confirm that Ryan Hall has left the club by mutual consent.”

November 30 - Another Leeds United statement (announcing a takeover by Sport Capital which is done, bar the shouting that followed): “The consortium includes a number of high profile businessmen. It is anticipated that the investment will be in place for the January transfer window.”

December 20 - Brian McDermott (blissfully unaware of a crisis ahead): “We’re a work in progress and we’re evolving. We’ve got more to come, I know it. Week by week the team’s getting better. And I always enjoy the second half of the season.”

December 31 - Salem Patel (via Twitter): “Let’s make 2014 even better than 2013. Happy New Year all.”

January 13 - Hisham Alrayes (in a memo to Brian McDermott, days after United’s 6-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday): “For each game now onward, you will be required to submit a report on strategy to be undertaken, list of players and squad formation a min. of 24 hours prior to each game for Group CEO and chairman’s approval.”

January 23 - Massimo Cellino (acting only as an advisor to others and playing down a mooted takeover, which is done within days): “We are far away from buying. I am proud that they (an unnamed consortium) called me. We have spoken to Leeds. They are like a friend.”

January 30 - David Haigh (abandoning Sport Capital as Cellino moves in): “Unfortunately, some of the consortium’s backers ultimately didn’t feel able to deliver the financial backing we had hoped was agreed to take the club forward.”

January 31 - Brian McDermott (hours before he is ‘sacked’): “I swear to you, I don’t want any sympathy. I’m manager of Leeds United. How can you want sympathy? It’s a privilege, an absolute privilege. No-one has to have sympathy for me.”

January 31 - Salah Nooruddin (via text message to Massimo Cellino): “Congratulations. You are the new owner of Leeds.”

February 1 - Leeds United statement (issued midway through a game against Huddersfield, as boards do): “The club would like to make it clear that Brian McDermott remains our first team manager. He has not been dismissed from his post as has been suggested and we look forward to him continuing in his role.”

February 3 - Brian McDermott (reinstated and back in charge, having never been sacked): “Basically I’m responsible for all football matters at the club. Nobody will be invited to the dug-out, the dressing room or speak with the players unless the manager okays it. I’ve been given assurances that I answer to GFH and GFH only.”

February 4 - GFH Capital statement (or Gulf Finance House, whichever of them isn’t funding the club): “Under the ownership of GFH Capital, Leeds United has always met its financial obligations and it will continue to do so.”

February 7 - Salah Nooruddin (in Bahrain, naturally, and announcing the sale of Leeds to Cellino): “Those who go absent for a long time, come back with goodies. All the talk of a storm at Leeds, there’s no basis for it. But I do apologise to the supporters. We’ve put them through a difficult situation.”

March 13 - David Haigh (18 days before HMRC serves a winding-up petition on Leeds): “The club is not in any kind of precarious financial position. Either now or in the future. It’s not true and never has been.”

March 24 - Football League spokesman (sending Cellino hence): “Mr Cellino was recently found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a court in Sardinia. Having fully considered the matter, the board agreed unanimously that the decision of the Italian Court does constitute a disqualifying condition under its Owners’ and Directors’ Test.”

March 25 - Brian McDermott (putting the cat among the financial pigeons) - “There’s all the talk of who’s going to be in as owner, talk of who’s going to be paid. I’m not going to make excuses but it does affect results.”

April 5 - Tim Kerr QC (shredding Cellino’s eviction notice): “Mr Cellino’s appeal accordingly succeeds. He is not, at present, subject to a disqualifying condition and is not disqualified from holding office or acting as a club director at a club.”

April 11 - David Haigh (quitting as managing director before Cellino sacks him): “I had to deal with and manage what can only be described as the crazy situation of very limited support from those who should have supported the club, whilst at the same time having little or no decision making ability.”

April 12 - Massimo Cellino (now officially United’s new owner): “I was raised as a manager, not as a bulls**t president who puts his tie on, eats some roast beef and f***s off home. I look after everything. In 2015-16, if we don’t go into the Premier League then I’ve failed. You can tell me I’ve failed.”


Story continues......   

[Hallgeir *]

Jeg legger denne her....

Ikke noen overraskelse at vi er best mht. bortesupportere...

 
The travelling army that follow Leeds United up and down the country once again led the way in the Football League this season.

Leeds took 70,061 fans on their travels this season in their 23-championship games, averaging 3,046 per game with their biggest away following being 6,813 at Blackburn Rovers in November.

League One champions Wolverhampton Wanderers had the second best following in the Football League with an average of 2,568 fans attending each away game. Wolves did take the biggest away following for a single game this season when 8,943 attended their trip to MK Dons.

Elsewhere in the Championship, champions Leicester were second to Leeds (2,245), Sheffield Wednesday were third (2,193) and Nottingham Forest were fourth (2,111) and these were the only clubs to take a following of over 2,000 away fans per game.

At the bottom end, Yeovil Town had the smallest following in the Championship with an average of 519 and their lowest was the 184 they took to Doncaster Rovers.

Having already stated, Wolves had the biggest following in League One whilst six other clubs, Coventry City (1,603), Sheffield United (1,198), Bradford City (1,194), Preston North End (1,175), Rotherham United (1,115) and Brentford (1,078) all averaged four-figures.

Crawley Town had the smallest with an average of just 190 attending their away games, their lowest being 29 at Port Vale.

In League Two, Portsmouth (1,142) were the only side to average over 1,000 fans on their travels.

Accrington Stanley had the lowest average in the Football League with an average of just 124 fans attending their away games and their lowest following was the 25 fans who made the trip to Dagenham and Redbridge.

You can find a full list of average away attendances at the 72.CO.UK 



Read more: http://www.leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=358351#ixzz3143n8Iou

[RoarG]

Sesongen 13/14. De harde fakta.
http://www.leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=358633

[Promotion 2010]

Legger in hele denne. 

LUFC Leeds Season In Numbers 2013/14
 
Vital Leeds takes a look at the 2013/14 season at Leeds United in numbers.

1.   The fans were once again number one in the country on the road. Leeds averaged 3,046 on their travels.

2.   Matt Smith scored the quickest goal of the season for Leeds as he netted with a header in the 3-2 defeat at Huddersfield Town in the second minute.

Leeds received two red cards during the season. Stephen Warnock was sent off at Reading for two yellow cards whilst Matt Smith received a straight red at Sheffield Wednesday within two minutes of his introduction as a second half substitute.

3.   Goals scored by defenders in the league. Jason Pearce scored in the games with Derby County (a) and Middlesbrough (h) and Stephen Warnock scored a wind-assisted free-kick at Yeovil Town.

Luke Murphy, Scott Wootton and Dexter Blackstock all scored on their Leeds debuts.

Leeds best winning run was three games in November against Yeovil, Charlton and Middlesbrough.

4.   Leeds scored from four free-kicks direct, the most by any side in the championship.

5.   Leeds scored from five corners during the season and they also hit the woodwork on five occasions.

Leeds loaned in five players during the season. Jack Butland (Stoke), Cameron Stewart (Hull City), Connor Wickham (Sunderland), Jimmy Kebe (Reading) and Dexter Blackstock (Nottingham Forest) all played for the club.

6.   Six goals was the biggest aggregate score this season on six occasions. Charlton won 4-2. Huddersfield won 5-1, Watford drew 3-3, Reading lost 4-2, Bolton lost 5-1and Sheffield Wednesday lost 6-0 the games involved.

Leeds longest run without a win was six games between December 21st and January 28th.
7.   Seven players scored their first goals for Leeds this season. Luke Murphy, Jason Pearce, Matt Smith, Alex Mowatt, Lee Peltier and Dexter Blackstock the players to score.

Leeds won seven times on their travels. Ipswich 2-1, Bolton 1-0, Charlton 4-2, Doncaster 3-0, Yeovil 2-1, Barnsley 1-0 and Birmingham 3-1.

8.   Leeds finished the season with a goal difference of minus eight.

9.   Leeds won nine times at Elland Road. Brighton 2-1, Bournemouth 2-1, Birmingham 4-0, Yeovil 2-0, Middlesbrough 2-1, Wigan 2-0, Huddersfield 5-1, Millwall 2-1and Blackpool 2-0. Leeds also suffered nine home defeats.

Rudolph Austin was shown nine yellow cards the most during the season by any Leeds player.

10.   Leeds made ten defensive errors that led to goals conceded.
Ten clean sheets were kept by Leeds during the season.

11.   Leeds scored eleven goals from outside the area.

12.   Twelve players made their Leeds debut. Gboly Ariyibi, Dexter Blackstock, Jack Butland, Jimmy Kebe, Luke Murphy, Noel Hunt, Scott Wootton, Connor Wickham, Matt Smith, Cameron Stewart, Marius Zaliukas and Alex Mowatt the players.

Twelve games were shown live by Sky TV during the season. Leeds won two, drew five and lost five of the games shown.

13.    Number 13 was the only squad number not used from 1-26

14.   Leeds failed to score on fourteen occasions in the league.
Fourteen players went out on loan during the season.

15.   Leeds finished in 15th place, their lowest finish since their return to the championship in 2010.

Fifteen goals were left foot finishes.

16.   Leeds scored the first goal on sixteen occasions during the season.
Leeds won 16 of their 46 games this season.

17.    Leeds scored seventeen headed goals.

18.   Eighteen goals were scored from set pieces.

19.   Striker Noel Hunt made nineteen league appearances and he is still looking for his first goal.

Matt Smith made 19 substitute appearances, the most by any Leeds player.

21.    Ross McCormack scored his 20th goal of the season in the 5-1 win over Huddersfield Town on February in a game where he scored a hat trick.

22.   Leeds suffered 21 defeats in the league.

27. 27 of Leeds goals were scored with right-foot finishes.

29. Ross McCormack was the leading goalscorer scoring 29-goals in all competitions.

30. Leeds used 30 different players in the league.

31. Leeds conceded 31 goals at home.

35 The whites scored 35 goals at Elland Road.

40. Goalkeeper Alex Cairns was an unused substitute in 40 championship games.

46. Ross McCormack was the only player to play in all 46-league games for Leeds.

50. Ross McCormack was the only player to feature in all 50 of Leeds league and cup games. He started 49 games and he was a used substitute in the League Cup win over Chesterfield.

57. Leeds achieved 57 points, their lowest total since their return to the championship in 2010.

59. Leeds scored 59 goals in the championship.

67. Leeds conceded 67 goals in the championship

71. Leeds players were shown 71 yellow cards during the season.

598. Leeds had 598 shots on goal during the season.

3,046 Leeds average away following, the biggest in the Football League.

6,813 Leeds biggest away following at Blackburn Rovers in November.

25,088 Leeds average crowd at Elland Road this season, which was only bettered by Brighton and Hove Albion.

33,432 was the biggest league crowd in the Championship and it was recorded on the opening day at Elland Road as Leeds beat Brighton 2-1.

70,061 Leeds fans attended away games this season.


Read more: http://www.leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=358633#ixzz31Ox0GYGo

[Promotion 2010]

Leeds United season review

Friday 16th May 2014 13:18

Leeds: Have endured a troubled campaign.

Leeds United FanZoner Steve Turner gives his verdict on a real topsy-turvy Championship campaign for Brian McDermott's men.

Back in July last year I had the pleasure of previewing Leeds' forthcoming season, I thought I had it nailed.
 
There I was, writing about how the acquisition of Luke Murphy proved that GFH weren't afraid to spend money on quality players, I even went as far as saying that they were busy righting all of Ken Bates' wrongs.
 
Sigh.

Fast forward nine months, something I wish I could've done nine months ago, and we're left looking back on another wreckage of the season. I thought about comparing Leeds' situation to 'a bull in a china shop' with GFH being the proverbial bull, but I wasn't sure it did the whole thing justice.

Picture a small ants nest being run over by a steamroller and you've pretty much got it, just remember to throw in the image of David Haigh and Salem Patel driving said steamroller, the latter doing so while tweeting smiley faces.
 
Leeds' season has been a write off, but that's becoming the norm now, and we're in danger of stagnating in a division that's notoriously difficult to escape from at the best of times.
 
Saying that, it did actually start quite well. At one point we were right up there in the promotion mix, with talk of a Yorkshire based consortium lined up to fund a substantial January transfer window shopping spree, that'd see us push on in the race to the Premier League.
 
What materialised was, well, nothing. It collapsed around the same time that the transfer window slammed shut. Odd that.
 
Before we knew it we were under what appeared to be an attack from Italy. Bizarre rumours of interest from Cagliari owner Massimo Cellino started doing the rounds, they got laughed off at the time, but a few weeks later that all changed.
 
Cellino got rid of McDermott before he'd even taken over the club, Gianluca Festa was lurking around for reasons nobody could understand, and there was a sad looking Italian footballer stood in the corner of the training pitch at Thorp Arch. He tweeted "I am ready for this new Fantastic experience! Com on Leeds !!!"
 
Then went back to Cagliari.

When other clubs ask for an unforgettable transfer deadline day, they sign someone like Sergio Aguero. When Leeds ask for one, well.
 
Chaos followed chaos. February included winding up orders, lies and deceit and by this point we'd just about given up on the football, which was probably for the best given that in the time between the 11th of February and the 8th of April, Leeds won one game.
 
Cellino's takeover got blocked as he was found guilty of not paying import tax on a boat, but after an independent QC looked into his appeal everything sailed through, and Leeds were finally under Italian ownership.
 
Only then did we start to realise just how dire the financial situation at the club was. Back in February GFH issued a statement that ended with -

"Under the ownership of GFH Capital, Leeds United has always met its financial obligations, and it will continue to do so"

That turned out to be about as genuine as 90% of David Haigh's Twitter followers.
 
Leeds were, and still are, spending £100,000 a day on operating costs, not that GFH minded, given that they'd decided that they'd put enough money into the club, and stopped doing so.

The season petered out as Leeds finished mid-table, though in truth, it was over before it had even begun. Leeds fans took solace in the fact that their captain had finished as the Championship's top scorer, it isn't even worth thinking about where Leeds could've ended up without him.
 
Cellino has a mammoth task ahead, and while he's got my sympathy for having to sort out the mess of those before him, a little bit of communication with the fans wouldn't go a miss. We've spent the last few years sat in the dark while those behind the scenes messed with our club so patience will quickly run out. Playing guitars and turning up to courtyard parties is all good and well, but when the current manager of the club still hasn't heard whether he'll even be in charge next year, you can't help but think that there are slightly more pressing problems for Cellino to be dealing with.
 
All in all, GFH ruined this season before it had even begun, Leeds never stood a chance. As time went on it was clear that their underhand actions spoke louder than any of their words and fake promises ever could. From hero's to zeros, Leeds and their fans deserved better than to be an investment banks play toy.
 
Football wise, the season hasn't offered much. I don't think many fans were expecting promotion this year, but when you watch your team struggle to even compete it's incredibly disheartening. Leeds remain a big club, and I don't mean that arrogantly, but something needs to change. The fans will turn up regardless of how badly things are going, but they're in serious need of inspiration, our younger generation need to see a team that fight for the cause even when they haven't received all of their wages, they need to see a team that celebrate every goal the same way the fans do, a team that give 110% every game and a team that earn the right to wear the badge that we're all so proud of on their shirts.

From the very beginning this season was a joke, but with some good financial management, investment in the squad and a little bit of luck, we might end up having the last laugh next season.
 
You can step off the rollercoaster now.

http://www.teamtalk.com/fanzone/15164/9313839/-

[Promotion 2010]

Stephen Elliott

Something positive from last season Leeds United were only side not to concede from the penalty spot #

4:41pm - 8 Aug 14