Leeds Utd - Summer Round up
By Rich Baggott
July 29 2009
With just 10 days to go until the new season, we take a look at what has been happening around Elland Road over the summer and what is in store for the season ahead.
On the 14th May 2009, in the 74th minute of the second half, of the second leg of the Play-off semi-final at Elland Road, Millwalls David Martin picked the ball up in his own half, took the ball down the wing and crossed in to the box for Jimmy Abdou to slot home. In doing so, he confirmed Leeds United to a third successive year in League 1 of the football League. Millwall went on to lose in the final and they will remain with Leeds Utd in League 1 this season.
With their League status confirmed, Simon Grayson began the task of remoulding the squad and were quick to dispel the services of Jonathon 
Douglas and David Lucas, both of whom were out of contract. Douglas had been with the club for four years and led the team out at the play off final but was believed to be one of the largest wage earners and it was understood the club felt they could not meet his demands. Lucas appeared 24 times as an understudy to Ankergren.
Frazer Richardson soon followed when Leeds announced their first signing of the summer, 30 year old Northampton defender, Jason Crowe who signed on a free transfer. Crowe can play right back or in the middle and his capture meant Leeds broke off from contract talks with Richardson whose deal expired at the end of June. Richardson left the club, the last player from the Ridsdale era.
Meanwhile, Golden boot winner, Jermaine Beckford was transfer listed by the club. With only a year left on his contract, and having rejected a new three year deal, the club felt they had no option but to cash in on their top scorer, a view that has recently been withdrawn during the pre-season.
Life at Leeds United can never be all about football though and through the 
summer, Leeds United found themselves in the wrong part of the news when former Director, Melvyn Levi took the Leeds united Chairman, Ken Bates to the High Court for alleged defamatory comments made in the match program and in a personal letter. Bates lost and was ordered to pay Levi £50,000 with costs that are rumoured could rise to £1.5m, although it is not clear which pot these will be paid from! An appeal is still being considered.
Moving into July and it was time for another departure with the mutual termination of Peter Sweeney’s contract. The midfielder was signed by the club at the time Wise left and McAllister was appointed and has hardly featured in the first team, with only nine appearances to his name.
As one left though, another joined as Cheltenham keeper, Shane Higgs put 
pen to paper on a one year deal. The 32 year old spent the end of last season on loan at Wolves and put in some impressive performances and will add to the competition for the No.1 jersey with Casper Ankergren and Alan Martin.
With the first pre-season fixtures approaching, two pieces of news came from Elland Road. Firstly that 16 year old, Luke Garbutt had signed for Everton, prompting Ken Bates to raise the matter of compensation with the Football League and Premier League. The club also confirmed that the club had received two offers from Premiership clubs for midfielder, Fabian Delph but had rejected both. Speculation also mounted that Leeds were about to sign Warren Feeney from Cardiff however an injury to the strikers hip that required surgery to rectify has put any potential deal on hold for the time being at least.
It wasn’t long before Leeds United did add to their squad. Australian International Defender, Patrick Kisnorbo signed a two year deal having been 
overlooked for most of last season at Leicester City and brings of wealth of experience at the back. Leeds are also using the Pre-season fixtures to test out a number of trialist and more signings could be completed before the new season kicks off.
With speculation and confirmed offers for Beckford and Delph though, Leeds will do well to hold on to arguably two of the most influential players in the squad for the next ten days!
Players Out- Jonathon Douglas
- David Lucas
- Frazer Richardson
- Peter Sweeney
- Sam Sodje (loan expired)
- Jason Crowe (Defender/Midfielder)
- Shane Higgs (Keeper)
- Patrick Kisnorbo (Defender)
The Season ahead
Leeds kick off the new campaign with the visit of Exeter. The club has already announced over 20,000 tickets have been sod for the fixture and are encouraging fans to book early.
Defender Richard Naylor is likely to be unavailable. Last years captain under Grayson had surgery on a back injury at the end of June and was forecast to be out of action for up to six weeks. Naylor has not featured in pre-season however with the new signings, alongside Paul Huntington who has returned after a ten month absence, Grayson has a host of players to pick from.
In midfield, Neil Kilkenny will look to play a crucial role this year. It was revealed at the end of last season that Kilkenny was suffering from a condition that was affecting his breathing but an operation over the summer has rectified that and he has been able to build up his fitness in pre-season. The future of Delph should be known by the time the game kicks off although Jonathon Douglas may be missed in the centre depending on the line up and formation of the team.
Up front, Leeds United seem to be keen on keeping Beckford. If he goes it is little consolation that Enoch Showumni is fit again after a blood clot on his lungs was discovered in December. It has kept him sidelined for the whole of Grayson reign so far. Kandol is also back after loan spells last year.
Most importantly though for thousands of Leeds United fans – the scoreboard has finally be fixed!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:08:02:10:06:17 by Fids.
you on the other hand can't wait for her to go then you can hit her wardrobe and makeup bag "does my bum look big in this"
And yes my bum looks big in everything before you start
Do you watch the bloke next door having a cheeky Thomas or something?
How else would you know?
Quote:Stan Ogden
Can't see into next door thank fu-ck
Thank f-uck they locked you up you freak!......Phew.
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