The Scratching Shed

Leeds United aren’t the only club keeping the purse-strings tightly clenched this summer in the Championship. Statistics from transfermarkt.co.uk, show no fewer than half the clubs in England’s second tier have yet to spend in the transfer market.

Of those clubs that have invested in new players, only six have passed the £1,000,000 mark with Middlesbrough the ones to watch after spending more than £6,000,000 on new additions such as Kevin Thomson, Stephen McManus and Nick Bailey.

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A poll on the official Middlesbrough site has Leeds United as Boro’s biggest rivals for 2010/11, but with so many Yorkshire teams in the division, alongside a few old foes, do the Leeds United fans feel the same? The new TSS poll will decide. Vote away…

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Elland Road bound?

Tresor Kandol today agreed a deal to join Scunthorpe United on the 1st of July when the summer transfer window opens.

Tres’ final game for Leeds United will be one he hopes to forget. After entering the field as a substitution in a crucial game against Norwich, Tres was sent off just 20 seconds later. That result ultimately paved the way for Norwich City to secure the League One title, whilst Leeds had to battle on to the final day. Kandol was never again included in the squad by Simon Grayson.

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Simon Grayson's next target?

The strangely named Norwich City site, ‘The Pink ‘Un,’ is claiming that Norwich midfielder Darel Russell could be lured to Elland Road with the offer of a better contract than Norwich can provide.

Despite being brought into the game by Norwich City, and re-signed by them in 2007, Russell is thought to be considering a move north to join the Championship campaign at Leeds, where he’ll be set to face his current club next season.

It has all the hallmarks of a Grayson/Bates target too. With the midfielder’s contract set to expire at the end of the month, he’ll be free to discuss terms with other clubs. This also means that any transfer he does make won’t incur a fee, which should keep old Kenneth smiling away on his Monaco balcony. That’s not to say this won’t cost us mind. With an offer already on the table from Paul Lambert, Simon Grayson will have to get out his calculator and draw up a lucrative contract to entice Darel to Elland Road.

Meanwhile, in a related twist, Paul Lambert could set his sights on Michael Doyle, who spent last season on loan at Elland Road from Coventry City making 42 appearances during the campaign. Micky Doyle was hoping to secure a permanent contract at Elland Road over the summer, but with Simon alleged to be looking elsewhere, Norwich may move in for the kill.

The club that achieved the highest average League One attendance of 2009-10 was decided on the final day as a sold-out Elland Road helped Leeds United take the top spot.

The above stats show just how close it was between Leeds United and Norwich, and had it not been for the final day sell-out, Norwich would have not only beaten us in the league, but they’d have also embarrassed League One’s Premier League club by averaging a higher attendance.

Football365, who compiled the above table, also did a table showing the percentage of capacity used. Here, Norwich lead the way by miles with 95%, whilst Leeds sink down to seventh, as a consequence of having a 40,000 capacity stadium with a total usage capacity of 61.7%.

Whilst an average attendance of almost 25,000 can’t be sniffed at, the fact that Norwich City can pull in similar figures says a lot about our current pricing structure and the mentality of some Leeds United fans.

Clearly, there are some put off by the extortionate ticket prices which rival that of some Premier League clubs, but I suspect we’re also a victim of previous success. When Leeds came up against Tottenham and Liverpool, the tickets sold-out with ease, but for the visit of Oldham on a cold Tuesday night, it’s hard to draw up the same enthusiasm and it’s no surprise we managed less than 18,000.

For fans that are used to seeing Leeds United take on the giants of the Premier League and Europe, League One was one hell of a wake-up call. Those that stuck around beside me and sang your hearts out regardless, I applaud. Those that didn’t, I hold no hard feelings towards either. There’s been plenty of occasions midway to Elland Road or on a 4-500 mile round trip to some place I’d barely heard of that I’d questioned my own sanity. Many times I felt like throwing the towel in, and in truth, it’s only through the persistent nagging of a friend I renewed my season ticket.

Whilst we topped the attendance charts, this is by no means an achievement for a club of our stature. Ultimately, it should be a nailed on certainty, but as with promotion, it all came down to the last day as some of our support drifted away from the club we all love, disillusioned with pricing or how things were going.

With the 2010-11 season promising a few local derbys, some old Premier League adversaries and another pop at some former League One rivals, 25,000 average attendances should be a thing of the past. Leeds United are on the rise again – let’s hope our attendances follow.

After securing promotion to the Championship (albeit the hard way) Simon Grayson has wasted no time in clearing the deadwood and lining-up some new targets.

If you’re to believe the most popular circulating rumours then Leeds are frontrunners for Ian Harte’s signature and have also offered Norwich’s Darel Russell a better contract than what his current club can come up with.

Firstly, I’m torn on Ian Harte. I always liked him whilst he was at Elland Road (despite his non-existent defensive ability) and have been massively impressed by his goal-scoring record in 09/10. His overall performance when we came up against him earlier in the year wasn’t great, but then, I never expected him to perform miracles at centre-back. It’d definitely be nice to have a natural left-footer on the wing, and his goals would be most welcome. Age is a concern, but if he can do the business then so be it.

Once again, Russell isn’t the headline making transfer I’d hoped for, but he seemed solid enough when we came up against Norwich and should be able to ply his trade in the Championship. Not a young man by any means, but for the year or two I’m hoping it’ll take to get us back to the Prem (ever the optimist) he should suffice.

Although neither of these players have been confirmed as targets by Larry, I suspect there’s an element of truth to them both. They seem to fit the criteria of Ken Bates in that they’ll only need short-term contracts, won’t cost him anything in transfer fees and are a quick and easy way to pave over the cracks. I never expected a big-spending summer, but some evidence we’re looking towards the future would be nice.

Finally, we come to the ‘released and retained‘ list published by the official site earlier this week. The best shot-stopper outside the Premier League (probably) will be leaving us. Casper Ankergren came to Leeds United and instantly won over the fans with some commendable performances and impressive saves. However, his inability to catch or kick the ball grew frustrating and his departure won’t surprise many. That said, I always liked Casper and wish him well.

Rui Marques is perhaps the most surprising released player on the list and his relationship with Simon Grayson has to be questioned. Rui and Kis formed the strongest defensive partnership of the season and looked destined to be first choice. However, an injury to Rui and the return of Naylor saw Marques cast aside and forgotten about. Despite a massive loss of ideas from Nayl’s, he retained his place whilst Rui slipped down the pecking order. Again, I wish him well and he’ll most definitely be missed.

Amongst the others leaving the club are youngsters Andrew Milne and Mike Whitwell who were both touted as potential first team material not so long ago. Simon Grayson’s decision to favour an out-of-place Andy Hughes over the talented Aidy White has often left me questioning his faith in the clubs youth structure, and it’s with that in mind I have to wonder whether that’s a big part of the reason for Milne and Whitwell’s release. Maybe I’m reading too much into it and they simply weren’t good enough? Only time will tell.

Alongside those that have been released are several players who have been instructed to find another club. Andy Robinson, Alan Sheehan, Tresor Kandol and Lubomir Michalik will all be looking for a new home as Larry trims the ‘deadwood’. I’ll always remember Tres for the great moonwalk he pulled on Soccer AM after introducing himself as “TK20 – Subs bench!” None are massive shocks, but all of them have done a service for Leeds United at some point or another and will be remembered for their efforts in trying to turn around a sinking club.

Seeing players leave the club is one of the hardest parts of following a football team. All of the above deserve thanks for their contribution to Leeds United FC over the past few years and I wish them all well. Unfortunately, in any area of life, success often has it’s victims. Football is no different.

All that transfer talk with no mention of Jermaine? A TSS first!

It’s a bit of a running joke amongst Leeds United fans that choosing to support the Whites should come with a health warning. Every team has it’s ups and downs, but after the last few years of following Leeds United to some of the most unusual and grottiest places I never knew existed, I feel as though we’ve had more than our fair share of downs.

There have been some ups of course. Every cloud does have a silver lining, but in Leeds United’s case, the cloud is a monstrously big black one and the silver lining is a fine, almost invisible shimmer around its edge.

It’s not only us fans that suffer the consequences of this seemingly never-ending sequence of disasters though. Our friends, family and loved ones can often fall victim to the aftermath too. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that my mood on a Sunday morning can often be dictated by the result the day before. Although it makes no sense to anyone other than those that live, breathe and love Leeds United, the 460 mile round trip to watch Leeds United fall to pieces in Gillingham is something I wouldn’t have missed for the world – no matter how annoyed I was afterwards.

My head tells me it’s just a game and that I’m insane for spending such an enormous amount of my income following this team through thick, thin and thinner, but somewhere inside me there’s an irrational love for this club that keeps me coming back time and time again, like a beaten wife to her abusive lover.

This season has once again taken Leeds United fans on a crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions. Leading the way early on and opening up a good lead at the top, Leeds United were unbeatable until the nasty thugs at Millwall drew the first blood. Leeds bounced back though with successive 4-0 wins that sent a statement of intent to the rest of League One.

As the season progressed, Leeds United were reminded of better days when the Premier League giants Liverpool visited Elland Road. Not even the most optimistic breed of Leeds United fan was predicting a win, but Leeds held their own and despite ultimately losing the match, there was a sense of pride amongst Leeds United fans few have felt for years. Liverpool may have won the match, but Leeds had shown millions they were on the rise again with a fearless display that almost paid off.

The seasons climax came in January though. Leeds were flying in the League and it seemed as though no one could stand in the way of our title challenge. The draw we’d all hoped for came next. FA Cup Round 3 – Manchester United v Leeds United.

"That" Jermaine Beckford goal

Expecting a slightly more defensive Leeds United was probably Man U’s downfall. Leeds came, they saw and they conquered. It was no fluke either. Leeds attacked from the off, and for the thousands of us that were lucky enough to have tickets to Old Trafford that day, we witnessed the proudest moment in our clubs recent history as Jermaine Beckford’s solitary goal knocked Man United out of the FA Cup. “We’re not famous anymore!”

Leeds dropped out of the FA Cup in the next round after taking Tottenham Hotspur to a replay, but these were proud days for the resurgent Whites. We’d held our own against Premier League competition, knocking out the English champions on their own soil in the process. As Leeds United ups go, this was the climax of a season. .

This being Leeds United however, when everything is going so magnificently well, something has to go wrong. Whether it was the Jermaine Beckford January transfer saga, a fitness problem caused by lack of rotation, our poor showing in the transfer market or an adverse impact of too many loanees unsettling the squad, the Leeds United rollercoaster was starting to derail.

The form dipped, and game by game, Leeds’ hold at the top loosened. By the end of January, Norwich had overtaken Leeds at the top and things didn’t improve. Despite a substantial lead on the play-off places, Leeds simply couldn’t turn things round quick enough and at the beginning of April, Leeds United dropped into third and the dreaded play-offs started to look like a reality.

Luckily for Leeds, through a combination of improved form and the rest of the league failing to capitalise on our errors we regained second place. A dismal points haul against the top six, disastrous results against the likes of Gillingham, Walsall and Exeter and the ongoing love/hate relationship between the fans and Jermaine Beckford could all be used as reasons to why we failed, but the truth of the matter is, this is Leeds United – We always do things the hard way!

What it all comes down to is one game. 90 minutes of football at a sold-out Elland Road against a Bristol Rovers side with absolutely nothing left to play for. Win, and we’re promoted. Lose, and the gates are opened for the rest to jump in. Whatever the fans think about the current playing squad, the manager’s tactics and selections or Jermaine Beckford’s selfishness is irrelevant. These people have put Leeds United in a position to escape third tier football. They’ve done it the hard way, but this is Leeds United and deep down inside, however frustrating they may be, it’s the ‘ups and downs’ that keep us coming back.

Keep fighting Leeds – We’re almost there!

Don’t forget to cast your vote in the TSS Player of the season poll by clicking here. Voting closes on Sunday at midday.

It’s a big weekend in League One, not least for Leeds United who head to the Valley to take on our early season rivals Charlton Athletic. Whilst both teams form has taken a hit since the first half of the season, Leeds United are still in the automatic places and could potentially clinch promotion on Saturday.

Charlton meanwhile now occupy one of the four play-off places. After a strong start, they’ve drifted off and now sit fifth in League One with arguably nothing left to play for. Automatic promotion is all but mathematically impossible for the Addicks, but they are guaranteed their place in this years play-offs. Whilst few Charlton fans would want to help Millwall clinch promotion by beating Leeds United this weekend, they’ll also know a higher placed finish is advantageous in the play-off semi-finals so still have something to play for.

Leeds’ biggest threat to promotion is the in-form team of League One, Millwall who have made a late dash up the table and currently sit third, just one point behind the Whites. They also have a tricky encounter away to Tranmere Rovers who are in the thick of a relegation battle and will be desperate for a result. The only other team realistically capable of taking second is Swindon Town who have the easiest fixture of all at home to Brentford. If both Leeds and Millwall failed to win this weekend, then Swindon’s final game would take them to the New Den with everything to play for.

Head-to-head

What makes the Charlton and Leeds clash most interesting is that both teams were early favourites for the League One title, both teams form went astray around the same time and both teams have a poor record against the top six. Both Charlton and Leeds have managed just one win against the rest of the top six. Leeds won at home to Norwich City, whilst Charlton won at home to Huddersfield. From a maximum 27 points so far against the top six, Charlton have managed just 10, whilst Leeds’ record is even worse with a measly total of 6.

Over the years, Leeds United come out on top in the fixture by a sizeable margin in terms of games won (Leeds 24 – Charlton 14). However, a lot of this goes back to a time when both teams were playing in the Premier League. Since both teams have been relegated there’s been just one match between the sides which ended in a frustrating goalless draw at Elland Road earlier this season.

When Saturday comes

There’s a lot of a room for optimism for the Whites. Leeds have the better form of the two sides heading into this clash, and with automatic promotion highly unrealistic for the Addicks, there’s a possibility that their manager could rest some key players ahead of the play-offs.

Leeds still have some gaping defensive holes that need filling, but Sanchez Watt added a lot to our attacking options last week and should start again tomorrow. Jermaine Beckford gave the manager a bit of a selection dilemma when he came on last week and netted two after seeing Gradel and Becchio fail to take their chances. It’s a nice selection dilemma to have up front, but this game will more likely be won and lost at the back. Grayson needs to cut out the sloppy errors that have gifted teams goals lately as Charlton have lost only three times at the Valley this season and only one of those teams managed to score by them twice.

Either way, it’s in our hands…

Leeds United take their newly found form to Gillingham tomorrow in what must be considered one of our trickiest remaining fixtures.

Gillingham currently occupy 20th place in League One so have plenty to play for. Their position doesn’t tell the whole story of their 2009-10 campaign however. What may surprise some Leeds United fans is that Gillingham are a force to be reckoned with on home soil, having lost just three of their 21 games there so far this season.

If it wasn’t for Gillingham’s tendency to surprise the big teams on home soil, they’d most certainly be relegated by now. Away from home Gillingham have failed to win a single match this season and rank 24th on the away form table. At home however, none of the top six have beaten the plucky Gillingham outfit. Norwich and Charlton only managed 1-1 draws, whilst Swindon were battered 5-0 and Huddersfield and Millwall lost 2-0.

The only teams Gillingham have lost to on home soil this season didn’t have it easy either. All three of their home defeats have been to narrow 1-0 margins. Hard to believe this is the same Gillingham side that Leeds United thoroughly thrashed 4-1 at Elland Road earlier in the season.

Leeds United may well be visiting Gillingham at the best time however with the team currently suffering a late season defensive crisis. It seems the Gillingham coach may have to turn to his youth team for cover after his regular defenders were both ruled out of this weekends clash.

Speaking to BBC Radio, Gillingham boss Mark Stimson said;

“We are desperate and down to our bare bones but we won`t be sulking over it.”

Leeds meanwhile seem to have overcome the striker problems we’ve suffered in recent weeks with the Gradel-Becchio partnership likely to continue, whilst Jermaine Beckford may have to settle for a place on the bench. If Beckford does start on the bench. don’t be surprised to see a 60th minute substitution when the Gillingham defenders are tiring and Beckford can fully utilise his pace.

Some interesting fixtures this weekend in the top six where the table is likely to turn on it’s head once more. Elsewhere, Huddersfield host Millwall tonight and Charlton take on Norwich at the valley tomorrow. On paper, Swindon have the easiest game at home to Walsall, but after the last seven days, you really can’t rule anything out.

Second place is Leeds’ to lose now. We’ve turned the corner and fought back into a position we shouldn’t have really lost in the first place. All we have to do now is keep winning – how hard can it be?

Leeds United’s fate will be decided in just six games as the 2009-10 League One season that promised so much, stutters to a finish. After leading the League table by a sizable margin, things went totally off the rails for Leeds United after Christmas with a run of eighteen games producing just eigtheen points.

The silver-lining may finally have arrived for the Whites though. Some improvement in play, didn’t bring an improvement in form against Swindon Town and Norwich City, but on Easter Monday things finally started going our way and Leeds earnt a valuable three points courtesy of a Richard Naylor brace at Yeovil Town.

If you thought we had things bad though, spare a moment for this weekends visitors Southend United who are clearly a club in turmoil. Steve Tilson’s side have had a torrid time of it this year and have not managed to pick up a single point on their travels. Both Steve Tilson and captain, Adam Barrett point to the clubs faultering financial situation as the underlying cause of the problems with wages being paid late and the players minds elsewhere.

Adam Barrett told the BBC that;

“I’ve got two kids and a wife, so it’s extremely difficult. I’ve never been in a situation like this. “You can’t solely concentrate on your football because of it. There’re too many off-field things happening.”

A lot has been said about the confidence of Leeds United’s players. Jermaine Beckford undoubtedly needs a goal to reignite his own personal form, whilst the rest of the team need to string a couple of wins together to restore the belief. This weekend should provide an opportunity for both.

Of their eight games away from home in 2010, Southend United have lost them all, conceding 21 goals and managing just 6 in reply. If ever there was a silver-platter moment for a whitewash, this is most certainly it.

With the likely return of Luciano Becchio and a possibility of involvement for Ben Parker – who got a rare goal in the reserves this week – things might just be starting to work out for Leeds United again. The players can be under no illusions that it’s now or never and many of them will know they’re playing for not only their own job, but Simon Grayson’s future too.

It’s going to be a tense few weeks and you can bet your mortgage it’ll go right down to the wire, but things with Leeds United are seldom easy and it shouldn’t really have surprised any of us that we find ourselves in this situation. All we can do is ‘keep fighting!’ On and on…