This is the Louth Branch website. Always Leeds always loyal ! Edited by Gerry Cunningham.  

On behalf of the committee may  I wish all our members and families a very happy and peaceful 2011.

Tues Dec 28^th. Leeds 3-3 Portsmouth.  Leeds 01 Schmeichel, 02 Connolly, 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 40 O'Brien, 07 Gradel (Sam 81), 14 Howson, 16 Johnson, 09 Paynter (Becchio 65), 23 Snodgrass, 44 McCormack, Unused Substitutes : 12 Higgs, 04 Bruce, 08 Kilkenny,  22 Hughes,  27 Somma. Att – 31,556.  Andy O'Brien scored two own goals as Leeds surrendered a two-goal lead and missed the chance to return to the top two in the Championship table. Max Gradel put Leeds ahead after seven minutes before Jonathan Howson added a second three minutes later. David Nugent pulled one back for Pompey before the break only for Bradley Johnson to score again for the hosts. However, on-loan defender O'Brien turned the ball into his own net on 63 minutes and again in injury time. Simon Grayson's side extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches but failed to capitalise on Cardiff's 4-1 defeat at Watford and finish 2010 fourth in the table. Leeds had raced into a two-goal lead, right-back Paul Connolly firing a fine ball across the six-yard box in the seventh minute and Gradel steering a right-footed finish into the bottom corner, his fifth goal in four matches Leeds soon doubled their lead, Ross McCormack picking out Howson with a pinpoint cross from the left wing and the home skipper drilling an emphatic finish beyond Pompey goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown. Pompey deservedly pulled a goal back in the 33rd minute when Nugent finished brilliantly following Richard Hughes' cross from the right. But Leeds stepped up a gear at the start of the second half, with Snodgrass's blistering angled shot superbly tipped away by Ashdown, and the game burst into life again just after the hour. Ashdown pushed Gradel's header away for a corner and when the ball was swung in by Snodgrass, Pompey failed to clear and Johnson drilled the ball into the bottom corner from inside the area. Portsmouth hit back again within 60 seconds when substitute Nwankwo Kanu made the opening for Hughes and the Pompey midfielder's shot was deflected in off O'Brien to make it 3-2. Leeds substitute Luciano Becchio then had a header turned away at full stretch by Ashdown before Snodgrass's 20-yard effort whistled narrowly over the crossbar. Referee David Webb waved away Leeds' appeals for a penalty in the 78th minute when Pompey substitute Ibrahima Sonko barged into Snodgrass and Snodgrass wasted a gilt-edged chance to seal it when dragging a shot wide from inside the area. Kasper Schmeichel denied Hughes with a fine save in the 87th minute, but the visitors snatched a point when O'Brien turned Nadir Ciftci's cross beyond Schmeichel in the 93rd minute. Leeds United manager Simon Grayson bemoaned a "very average" display from referee David Webb after the official's performance compounded a galling 3-3 draw with Portsmouth. A crowd of over 30,000 berated Webb at the final whistle and Grayson said: "It was a big decision. I asked the referee why he didn't think it was a penalty and he said that he just didn't think it was a foul. But his linesman was 15 yards away and right in front of it. "I thought he (Webb) was very average for both teams. McCormack's McCormack's had a stonewall penalty turned down. Our fans are knowledgeable and they wouldn't give the referee the stick he got coming off the field for no reason. I'm not going to say how good or bad the referee was. I'll just say I thought our fans were right." Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill admitted that Sonko's challenge on McCormack appeared to be a foul, though he questioned whether the tackle had taken place inside Portsmouth's box. But he was more scathing in his criticism of Webb, saying: "Early on I didn't think we got the rub of the green. But in the second half he evened it up because Leeds didn't get the rub of the green. "I don't know the referee's experience and I haven't seen him before but when you've got big games like this today...I'll bet you there was a more experienced referee refereeing in front of 10,000 people somewhere. "Good luck to him but do you think this is this the right game to give him? I personally don't. But we deserved to come out of it with at least a draw." Despite Webb's display, Grayson was again disappointed by his side's inability to defend the 2-0 lead given to them inside 10 minutes by Max Gradel and Jonathan Howson or the 3-1 advantage established by Bradley Johnson's 62nd minute goal. Portsmouth replied within seconds of Johnson's finish, leaving the game in the balance, and Grayson blamed a breakdown in communication between O'Brien and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for the visitors' third goal. "We were 2-0 up at Leicester and could quite easily have had six points out of these two games," he said. "I was really pleased with the way we played and with our work ethic but we made individual mistakes. "We switched off at 3-1 and let them straight back into the game. A lack of communication for the third goal has cost us."I'm disappointed with the manner of the goals we've conceded but there are too many positives for me to worry about the negatives. We'll make mistakes in the Championship because we're new to it and we're learning. I'm still delighted that we're now eleven games unbeaten". 

St Stephen's Day Dec 26^th. Leicester City 2-2 Leeds United.  Leeds 01 Schmeichel, 02 Connolly, 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 40 O'Brien, 07 Gradel, 08 Kilkenny (Faye 90+3), 14 Howson (McCormack 85), 16 Johnson, 10 Becchio (Paynter 85), 23 Snodgrass, Unused Substitutes 12 Higgs, 04 Bruce, 26 Bromby, 11 Sam. Leicester came back from two goals down to earn a draw against in-form Leeds. Max Gradel headed in from close range to put the visitors ahead before Robert Snodgrass extended the visitors' advantage, firing in an 18-yard strike. But keeper Kasper Schmeichel's foul on Darius Vassell allowed Paul Gallacher to pull one back for the Foxes from the penalty spot after 72 minutes. And, four minutes later, Foxes captain Andy King equalised when he smashed in a 25-yard shot. Leeds extended their unbeaten run to 10 games with the result but will be left to rue the way they surrendered their advantage as Cardiff, who beat Coventry, leapfrogged them into second in the Championship. It  had looked so good for Leeds boss Simon Grayson as he took his side to the club where he played more than 200 games as a defender. And it was another ex-Leicester player in the form of Gradel who put the visitors in front. The visitors added a second in extraordinary fashion when a Snodgrass corner was headed back to the midfielder and he hit a first-time shot with the outside of his foot from an acute angle to beat keeper Chris Kirkland. It seemed like Leicester manager Sven-Goran Eriksson would suffer his first home deafeat since taking over at the club.  However, the Foxes, who had already beaten Leeds twice this season in league and cup games at Elland Road, were given hope when Gallacher slotted home a spot-kick. An equaliser did not take long to materialise as King emphatically scored with a long range strike which went in off the underside of the crossbar. Leeds had two chances to snatch victory late on from corners but Kirkland saved from Neill Collins and Billy Paynter had a shot cleared off the line. He headed home Neil Kilkenny's cross from the right after Foxes defenders Curtis Davies and Kyle Naughton were caught napping, with the latter not being helped by a slip. The goal had come somewhat against the run of play but helped give Leeds a more assured manner. Grayson was aggrieved at the failure to award a foul in the build-up to Gallagher's spot-kick and suggested Leeds should have had a penalty of their own after a cross from Billy Paynter appeared to hit Gallagher's arm in injury-time, but he refused to be downhearted about United's performance against a club who he expects to mount a strong bid for promotion during the second half of the season. "Up until they got their first goal, we were well and truly in control of the game," Grayson said. "The players are disappointed to have thrown away a two-goal lead but I'm delighted with the way we dictated the game against a top team. They're going to be a major force in the second half of this season and it shows how far we've come. "The game against Leicester (in October) was probably one of the hardest games we've had this season. We were 2-0 down and the scoreline could have been anything. But we're a different team now and they are too. Both clubs could be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. "To be disappointed with a draw here is a compliment to the players, and we know that we can succeed at places like this. We limited Leicester to very few opportunities and we'd certainly have settled for a point before the game." Gallagher's penalty was the game's turning point, conceded on 71 minutes after United goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel fouled Darius Vassell inside his box. Grayson claimed that Robert Snodgrass had been fouled moments before Vassell broke in behind his defence but United's manager was relieved to see Schmeichel escape with a yellow card for a trip which might have seen him dismissed by referee Anthony Bates.A red card would have forced Schmeichel to serve a one-match ban during tomorrow's game against Portsmouth at Elland Road but Bates chose only to caution him, to the surprise and anger of a large home crowd. "It was a close call," Grayson admitted. "Some referees might have sent him off but I think it was the right decision. Is it a goalscoring opportunity or is he just bringing someone down? I don't really understand the rule but (referees) are there to make decisions. "I thought Darius went down quite easily for their penalty and I also felt that Robert had been fouled on the halfway line when the ball went through. We could have had a penalty ourselves when Gallagher put his hands up near the end. We might have got that at home but not away from home." Snodgrass shouldered some of the blame for Gallagher's penalty, saying: "I thought I was fouled but I'm annoyed with myself as well. "I should have cleared the ball downfield while I had the chance and I didn't. We've let them back into a game that we should have won and it's two points" .

Weds Dec 12th 2010. Elland Road update. Ken Bates (coming up to Simon Grayson's 2nd anniversary at the helm of Leeds United) spoke about how Simon Grayson turned down a Premiership (probably Burnley) club with better wages for himself last season. Neil Kilkenny was hoping that both he and United could come to agreement on a new contract as soon as possible. Meanwhile a strong Leeds United squad played in a behind closed doors encounter at Elland Road versus Rochdale. Ross McCormack grabbed a brace and Ben Parker got another game under his belt. 

Mon Dec 20th 2010. Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson has issued a 'come and get me' message to Leeds manager Simon Grayson. Leeds fan Johnson, 22, is fit again after a series of knee injuries and ready for a spell on loan to regain his sharpness, while City manager Roberto Mancini is not short of midfield options. Former England Under-21 international Johnson told the Sunday Express: "You can't pick or choose, but I've always been a Leeds fan. I'd love to play for them and a loan deal would be an ideal scenario." A couple of years ago this player was going to play for England but City's millions couldn't wait. If he was match fit, he'd be another decent addition especially if his name sake leaves, Bradey Johnson. 

Sat Dec 18th. Leeds United striker Luciano Becchio has committed his future to the club after signing a new three-and-a-half-year contract. The 26-year-old forward has been in excellent form for the Whites this season, netting 11 league goals so far, and a number of clubs were thought to be tracking the Argentinian. Becchio's deal was set to expire at the end of the current campaign and speculation had mounted that the fans' favourite could wait until deciding on his future. But the hard-working attacker has ended the speculation by penning new terms after the 2-0 win over Championship leaders QPR on Saturday. Becchio told the club's official website: "I'm very happy to sign the contract and stay at the club. "I love the fans, we are doing well, and we want to get to the Premier League. I want to be part of that and I'm really pleased." Leeds' win over Rangers this weekend puts them in the automatic promotion places in the Championship, as Max Gradel netted a brace to seal a deserved victory. Manager Simon Grayson expressed his delight with Becchio's decision to commit to the club, and he has hailed the work rate of the South American ace. "It's fantastic news that he has signed his contract," Grayson remarked. "He has shown his importance to the club with his goalscoring ability and he has never been the sort of player to shy away from giving 100 per cent. "It was vital that we secured his services after losing Jermaine Beckford last season, and I believe this shows the ambition we have as a football club. "It is a major boost for everyone, particularly as there was considerable interest in him." Becchio moved to Elland Road from Spanish outfit Merida in the summer of 2008 and has made 126 appearances for the club. 

Sat Dec 18th 2010. Leeds United 2-0 QPR. 01 Schmeichel, 02 Connolly, 04 Bruce (Bromby 11) 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 07 Gradel (Sam 76), 08 Kilkenny, 14 Howson, 16 Johnson, 10 Becchio (Paynter 90+3), 23 Snodgrass. Unused Substitutes : 12 Higgs, 17 Faye, 27 Somma, 44 McCormack. Att – 29,426 Leeds moved to second in the table after Max Gradel's brace gave them a deserved win over league leaders QPR in an entertaining game at Elland Road. The home side had the better of an open encounter and took the lead through Gradel's close-range half-volley. The winger struck again midway through the second half, capping a solo run with a good near-post finish. QPR threatened intermittently in the first half but were never allowed to assert themselves on the game. Rangers' home loss to Watford in their previous match - which halted their attempt to equal a club record of 20 games unbeaten - meant Leeds replaced them as holders of the Championships longest unbeaten run, which is now extended to nine. Neil Warnock's side remain top of the table but are now just three points clear of today's opponents and a further point ahead of Cardiff, whose home game with Burnley was called off because of the snow, and Swansea, who lost 1-0 at Sheffield United. The Yorkshire side - roared on by a crowd of nearly 30,000 - were fully deserving of their victory, having out-worked and out-classed QPR, who had chances in the first half but offered little else. After a low-key opening from both teams, Leeds created the first real goalscoring opportunity when winger Robert Snodgrass crossed for Luciano Becchio, but the Argentine's close-range header was tipped over by Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny.The visitors responded with a long-range shot from captain Adel Taarabt, which flew wide of the post. They also saw a Clint Hill header blocked by Leeds defender Neill Collins, while Kaspars Gorkss volleyed wide when well placed in the area. The home side began to exert themselves on the game and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Snodgrass engineered room to cross with his right foot and Becchio headed down for Gradel to fire home from close range with a well-executed left-foot half-volley. With Leeds in the ascendancy, a one-two between Jonny Howson and Gradel gave the latter a chance to extend Leeds' lead, but the winger's shot on the stretch was fired past the post. Leeds picked up where they left off after the break and Becchio had the first opportunity of the second half with a shot from 20 yards that Kenny was able to scramble away. With 20 minutes to go, Gradel doubled the home side's lead when he picked up the ball in his own half and drove on into the QPR box before unleashing a shot that beat Kenny at the near post. It could have been three goals minutes later but Kenny's superb save denied Howson from a stinging shot. And the visiting keeper was called into action again soon after to palm away Snodgrass' long-range effort as Leeds threatened to over-run Neil Warnock's men. The damage had already been done by the home side though and they were able to take the foot off the gas in the closing stages as QPR accepted their fate. This was an impressive performance by Leeds and tactically by Simon Grayson. Without his best central defender (O'Brien through injury), Alec Bruce limped off after just eleven minutes. He need'nt have worried as Collins and Bromby were the best centre halves on view. It was good to see Leeds born Bromby perform well against one of the most prolific attacks in the division and also in opposition to his former manager, Neil Warnock, known as Colin to most Leeds fans. Hulse was causing us problems early in the first half with his aerial prowess, but Bradley Johnson was stationed in font of the back four and had his best game of the season. United can look forward to Christmas after coming from nowhere and pose a genuine threat against any side in the division. The fire power they possess on the bench is frightening, with Sam, McCormack, Somma and Paynter available. But could you really displace Gradel and Becchio at the moment ? I think not.   The Paul Merson view (Sky Sports) : "The longer the game went on Leeds were much more the dominant team. QPR were disappointing, if I'm being honest," reflected Merson. "Adel Taarabt has got great feet and he reminds me of a school captain - he wants to beat everybody on the pitch; every time he gets the ball he has to nutmeg someone. "He has got great talent but he doesn't seem like a team player; but he's one of those players that you have got to have in the team because he will do something out of the ordinary. "I was very impressed with Leeds. I watched them not that long ago on Monday Night Football and they were absolutely ripped apart by Cardiff and I thought 'if these stay up they've done well' but now they are second in the league - what an unbelievable job Simon Grayson has done." Merson was impressed with Gradel's poise in front of goal but admitted he was concerned at QPR's lack of firepower up front. "The two goals today were good finishes," he said. "He kept the first one down well when he could easily have ballooned it and showed a lot of composure for the second. "They (QPR) are a big team - they look big and physical; Taarabt has been doing things out of the ordinary in a lot of these games and sooner or later they dry up and no-one else is scoring the goals. That's the worrying thing. "But they are in a good position - they've had an unbelievable start but I think they need to dip into their pocket and buy a couple more players in January if they want to go up because if they don't I'm afraid I don't see them going up."The managers’ views : On the win over Rangers, Grayson said: "Given the quality of the opposition and what QPR have achieved, this was our most outstanding home performance of the season. "We have a high expectancy level at this club and rightly so. Our fans want and expect the best. "The club deserves to be back in the Premiership but there is a lot of work still to be done if we are to achieve that. It is where we finish in May that matters, but I was delighted with the performance and the manner of the win. QPR manager Neil Warnock lamented his side's defending, saying: "It was a good game, but if we defend like we did we will get beaten by any team in the division. It is disappointing because that part of our game has definitely been our strength this season." Having gone unbeaten in the league for 19 games, the defeat was Rangers' second in two games and their lead at the top of the table is now three points - although they do have a game in hand on a number of the chasing pack."We have played nine of the top 10 sides in the division away from home so we just have to keep going and stop feeling sorry for ourselves after two defeats in a row. "If you had told me we would be top at Christmas after losing only two games I would have snapped your hand off. "I thought the (Leeds) celebrations in the tunnel were premature because we are not at Christmas yet. You would think they were already there, but I think anybody could go up. Leicester and Portsmouth are two decent sides, for example. "I quite enjoyed the game because there was a great atmosphere generated by the crowd but we conceded two very poor goals. We probably caught Leeds at the wrong time because they are on a long unbeaten run." Good man Colin, try and throw the focus away from a fantastic performance by the Whites.

Dec 17^th. Derrylooks forward to return. Shaun Derry's most recent opportunity to revisit Elland Road as an opposition player was taken from him by a contentious red card. It was, with hindsight, a blessing of sorts, absolving him of blame for a Carling Cup game which Crystal Palace lost 4-0. He will have his chance again tomorrow, as a cog in Queens Park Rangers' dominant Championship machine, and the experience will remind him of the bitter and the sweet. Derry thinks of his career with Leeds United as an "absolute honour". It still annoys him to realise that he left Elland Road under a cloud. By Derry's own admission, much water has flown under the bridge since he was sold by Leeds to Crystal Palace. Three years and another transfer, to be precise. But it is impossible for him to see his exit from Elland Road as a sensible parting of ways. "It was nothing to do with football," he said. "That's what hurts." Derry's sale to Palace in January of 2008 was sanctioned by Dennis Wise, a manager who ostracised Derry by sending him on loan to Selhurst Park two months earlier and then attacked his character after Derry refused to cut the spell short in response to an urgent shortage of midfielders at Elland Road. Leeds had no right to recall him and Derry felt obligated to see out his deal at Palace, not least because his prospects under Wise had become so questionable. Derry's reluctance to return for a New Year's Day game against Oldham Athletic was nothing less than a guarantee of his departure, confirmed three weeks later and days before Wise's resignation as manager. "I'm treading over old turf here but the way I left was horrible," Derry said. "It's not going too far to say I left under a cloud. "There are always reasons why players move on from football clubs but they're usually football-related. The reason for my move to Palace was nothing to do with football. I found that very hard to accept and I still do. I'll always feel bitterness towards that situation. "My time at Leeds was a privilege and an absolute honour. I don't think you can ever make a clean or proper break from that when you leave the club in the way I did. It wasn't like I was past it or on the slide. If anything, I felt like I was at my peak. But as we all know, football goes on." Nothing is more indicative of Derry's value than his involvement in the team who lead the Championship by four points and lost their first league game of the season a week ago. He was 30 when he left Leeds, after 78 appearances. At this rate, he will have the chance to play in the Premier League next season at the age of 33. The midfielder was quietly delighted by United's promotion from League One in May, a development he had hoped to witness first-hand two years earlier when he laid his hands on a ticket for the club's appearance at Wembley in the play-off final. His anticipated appearance at Elland Road tomorrow will be his first since parting company with Leeds; suspension ruled him out of Palace's humiliating Carling Cup tie in August 2008. Even without his personal interest in this weekend's game, the contest between QPR and Leeds is the pick of the Championship's fixture list: first versus fourth, a team stung by their first league loss against one who are unbeaten in eight matches. It can be viewed as a critical test of the ability of both clubs to sustain their current league positions. QPR were well beaten by Watford last Friday, suffering a 3-1 defeat on the night of their 20th Championship game. Derry is honest enough to say that QPR's form was at odds with the reality of the division and a slightly flattering reflection of their season. He is inclined to think that the end of their unbeaten run might ultimately be to the benefit of Neil Warnock's squad. "If you take away Friday night, our results have been exceptional," he said. "But I'm under no illusions about that. We're nowhere near being promoted. "In a strange way, not losing for a long time can be like not winning for a long time. It puts a monkey on your back and sometimes you think about it too much. I probably thought about it too much. I'm not saying you want to lose games but losing to Watford puts some reality back into our season. Our focus should be bang on. "If I'm being honest, I don't think our form was a fair reflection of the league in general. I don't think any team in this division is so much better than everyone else that they can automatically expect to go 20 games without losing. That includes us. The start we've had is beyond our wildest dreams but it's only a start. "Don't forget that when Neil Warnock became manager (in March of this year), the club were in quite a bit of trouble at the bottom of the Championship. We're progressing at quite an alarming rate. That can be difficult to handle and sometimes a big surge happens at the wrong time. But we've coped with it and this is definitely the right time to be improving like we are. We're very much like Leeds – the obvious next step is to get into the Premier League." Warnock remarked after QPR's loss to Watford that a game at Elland Road was the sort of match he would have asked for after his squad's first defeat. The timing of the game would appear to suit Leeds, coming at the end of their strongest run of form for 12 months and with QPR carrying an open wound. United have changed immeasurably in Derry's absence but he has a clear idea of what is happening at Elland Road. He followed the club's fightback against Burnley last Saturday and knows where the problems for QPR will come from. On a personal level, he has taken great pleasure in the rise to prominence of Jonathan Howson, a raw teenager in Derry's days as a Leeds player but someone he calls the "heartbeat" of Simon Grayson's team. "He was always a talented player," said Derry. "What he's doing now is putting that ability into practice every week. He's the heartbeat of that team and there's a battle to be had with him. But he's by no means the only player we've got to watch. "I can't think of a better game for this time of year and, without disrespecting the clubs at the bottom of the table, I'd rather follow up our first loss by playing a top-six side. We've had a couple of situations this season where we've gone into games feeling like the result could make a bit of a statement. This is another one and Leeds will probably feel the same. I know their supporters will. It's a great day to be going back

Dec 17^th. Bruce a lucky boy. Leeds United star Alex Bruce walked away uninjured from a motorway smash and admitted: "I was lucky."The accident happened while the player was driving on the M1 to United's Thorp Arch training complex near Wetherby on Thursday morning. Bruce was approaching junction 45 of the motorway at Stourton when around half-a-dozen cars in front of him began to skid during a snow storm. The central defender then had to swerve to avoid a vehicle that had spun 180 degrees in the road and come to a halt. His car went off the carriageway and careered over a grass bank before slamming into a road sign. The vehicle was written off but 26-year-old Bruce - its only occupant - was unhurt

Dec 17th. Clayton stays on. Peterborough United have extended the loan deal of Leeds United midfielder Adam Clayton until the end of January.  Clayton has made three appearances for Posh since linking up with the League One club on an initial month-long deal in November. He will now stay at London Road until 30th January and Peterborough boss Gary Johnson has been pleased with the 21-year-old's contribution. "I am delighted that Adam will be here until the end of January," Johnson told the club's official website.  "He has fitted in very well in the dressing room and I think the players respect the ability that he has. "With so many games coming up, it was vital that we were able to keep him here and I am sure he will make a big contribution over the next month." The 21-year-old joined Leeds from Manchester City in August, but has only made four substitute appearances for the Championship side to date

Dec 13th. Whilst Wigan Athletic refused to confirm or deny that they will make a move for Bradley Johnson in January, Simon Grayson has all but ruled out Crowe's chances of pulling on a Leeds shirts again after refusing several opportunities to go out on loan. Big Lubo Michalik is looking to get an extended run at Carlisle United with a view to a permanent move. 

Dec 12th. The Bunley view point (taken from Claret Mad) That's all of the promoted teams played now with draws against Millwall and Norwich preceding this defeat and it is the Norwich game many will look at to draw parallels having also seen that game dramatically change after half time too. 
It's difficult to determine what action needs to be taken but things do have to change. The atmosphere at Turf Moor is just not right, nowhere near. I'm certainly not having a go at any supporters who are all entitled to an opinion, but the only way we can ever succeed is if everyone pulls together and that clearly isn't going to happen right now. The decisions will have to be taken at board level and our board have got most decisions correct during their tenure. This is a most difficult one for them without a doubt. The simple fact is that there is a growing number of our supporters who want a change of manager. Some, most unfairly in my view, were never prepared to give him a chance and have been at him from day one. But results haven't helped him and his record in terms of points per games is currently better only than John Benson's over the last thirty years or so. The situation can't continue. It is very similar now to how it was at Bolton with Gary Megson and I'm convinced this week's appointment of Alan Pardew at Newcastle will have very much the same effect at St. James' Park. Pardew has said today that he wants to try and win the fans over. His time at Newcastle is already numbered and it's a lot less than the five and a half year contract they've given him. 
Had we started this season well then I know that some fans would have said it was despite Laws, so intent are they in wanting him out, but it hasn't started well and since we won promotion to this division in 2000 we've only four times had less points than this after twenty games, twice under Stan Ternent's management and twice with Steve Cotterill in charge. Significantly those four seasons were in succession and in the aftermath of ITV Digital when the club's fortunes financially were at their lowest. Should Laws go? That's the question many are asking and the numbers wanting him to go are, beyond any doubt at all, increasing with each disappointing result. Mid December is hardly the time to be changing manager and we know from a year ago the consequences of making a change, or in that case forced into making a change, that would disrupt any work done for the forthcoming transfer window. But quite simply this club of ours cannot work and cannot be successful unless we all pull in the same direction. How to point us all in the same direction is the most difficult question to answer. I certainly don't have the answer and certainly wouldn't be quick to support such suggestions as Laws being replaced with either Chris Hughton or Sean O'Driscoll. I hate it like this, I really do. All I ever want for my club is for it to be as successful as it possibly can be and no matter what decisions are taken I'll continue to support it as best I can. I saw the rapid decline of our club, particularly in the 1980s, and saw so many regular supporters turn their backs and walk away. As difficult as that is for some it is certainly a hell of a lot more difficult for them to turn back again and return. We can't afford that now, we can't afford another decline and we need the fans, as many as possible, to be right behind Burnley Football Club. You know, Burnley Football Club is what matters, not Brian Laws, not Owen Coyle, not Steve Cotterill, not Stan Ternent and not any other manager or player that's ever set foot inside Turf Moor. It is time for change, one way or another we have to get the club moving forwards again.

Dec 11^th. Burnley 2-3 Leeds United.  01 Schmeichel, 02 Connolly, 04 Bruce, 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 07 Gradel, 08 Kilkenny (McCormack 64), 14 Howson , 16 Johnson 10 Becchio (Faye 90+2), 23 Snodgrass. Unused Substitutes :12 Higgs, 11 Sam,  22 Hughes, 09 Paynter, 27 Somma, Att- 20,453 (5,000 LUFC). Jonny Howson struck a superb late winner to seal a stunning fightback for Leeds as they beat Championship rivals Burnley 3-2 at Turf Moor. Leeds skipper Howson curled home a low shot in off the far post following a fine run in the 85th minute to clinch Leeds a fifth away win in the league this season and extend their unbeaten run to eight matches. Burnley went in at the interval on Saturday with a two-goal cushion following goals from Brian Easton and Jay Rodriguez, but Max Gradel sparked the Leeds comeback with an emphatic finish seven minutes into the second half and Luciano Becchio hauled the visitors level with his sixth goal in five matches in the 66th minute.  Simon Grayson's side had won four times on their travels this season and laid siege on Burnley's goal in the closing stages before Howson produced a thrilling finale to lift his side up to fourth place in the table.  Burnley were unchanged from the side that beat Derby in their last game two weeks ago, while defenders Neill Collins and Paul Connolly returned for Leeds. Gradel spurned two early chances for the visitors, who began impressively, first firing inches wide from the edge of the penalty area and then blazing over the crossbar when sent clean through on goal by Neil Kilkenny's defence-splitting pass.  Robert Snodgrass had a 25-yard shot blocked by Dean Marney and Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant did well to parry another effort by Gradel before Chris Iwelumo forced Kasper Schmeichel into his first save in the 26th minute.  Schmeichel then kept out Andre Bikey's header following a corner, but Burnley then made Leeds pay for their earlier misses.  Bikey clipped a free-kick into the area and Easton pounced to lash home a left-footed shot into the top corner from six yards.  Collins headed Snodgrass's corner wide soon after, but the Clarets all of a sudden found themselves two goals up nine minutes before half-time.  Leeds centre-half Alex Bruce failed to deal with Clarke Carlisle's long punt forward and Rodriguez pounced to despatch a low shot beyond Schmeichel into the bottom corner.  The visitors were clearly rattled as Jack Cork and Dean Marney fired in long-range efforts, but hit back seven minutes after the restart.  Becchio's header found Gradel unmarked in the Burnley area and the Leeds winger applied a cool angled finish into the bottom corner from 12 yards.  Leeds seized back the initiative and after Iwelumo was wayward with a header the visitors struck a deserved equaliser following good work down the right between Connolly and Gradel, the former taking a return pass and crossing sweetly for Becchio to sweep the ball home from close range.  Snodgrass then hit the crossbar following a fine run and curling shot from outside the penalty area and after another marauding run, the Scotsman's cross deflected off Bikey's knee and was cleared off the goalline by Carlisle.  But Leeds were not to be denied and after Howson had carried the ball to the edge of the area, the Leeds skipper curled a brilliant low shot in off the far post to snatch all three points for his side. The win brings United up to 4th and just two points off 2nd placed Cardiff City who lost 1-0 at M'bro. In fact Leeds were the only top seven side to have won this weekend. The victory sets them up nicely for next weeks clash with leaders QPR at Elland Road. Rangers lost 3-1 at home to Watford last night in what has become the most open Championship in years. Simon Grayson : "We contributed to our own downfall in the first half with the mistakes we have made. We had to do the ugly side better in the second half and we knew we could be a threat still. We have players in the team that can score goals and an early goal put us on the front foot. From then on we grew from strength to strength. It's a difficult place to come and we did feel at half-time we had a good opportunity to come back into it. We had to make sure we had better energy levels. Our fans keep driving us forward home and away. We showed good quality, we got the early goal which gave us a lift and we could have scored three or four more in the second half. We've got players who can affect the game and obviously it's a great result against one of the best teams in the division. I'm delighted to come here and win. It's hard not to see the table but there are far too many games to be involved in yet. We have got players that are adapting to the division and a fan base that demand the best from the team. Over the next months we will see where that takes us. I'd rather have the expectancy we have at our club than teams that are happy halfway down the division. We are new to the division but when we have 5,000 fans the players have got to earn the right to play and give performances. But you would rather play in front of them than in the lower leagues and not testing yourselves - and the players are doing that."  Burnley boss Brian Laws could not hide his disappointment at the loss. He said: "It was a contrast of two halves. We were solid and in control and took a two-goal lead into half-time and the one thing that you do say at half-time is make sure the next goal is ours. That is important in a game of this magnitude. We stopped doing what we were doing in the first half and that's something I'm really angry about. We were going backwards instead of forwards and that put unnecessary pressure on us and that was the start of the rot in the second half. In particular the last goal, we concede from our corner, he's been allowed to run the length of the field. I am bitterly disappointed, we shouldn't be talking about a defeat. There's been a few words said and rightly so because that is unacceptable from our point of view. It is about being professional and switched on and organised. But we are going to have to trawl through the second-half errors and get it right. We talked at half-time about the issues and we said, 'Don't be complacent - you haven't won the game yet', and I think maybe one or two of our players thought we did. It's not good enough, we have to make sure we eradicate those issues. The manager will always take the rap but the players have to take a portion of it because of the way they went out in the second half."

Sat Dec 4th 2010. Leeds United 2-1 Crystal Palace. 01 Schmeichel, 04 Bruce, 29 McCartney, 40 O'Brien, 07 Gradel (McCormack 54)08 Kilkenny, 14 Howson, 16 Johnson (Sam 55), 22 Hughes(Paynter 76) 10 Becchio, 23 Snodgrass . Unused Substitutes : 12 Higgs, 05 Collins, 17 Faye,  27 Somma. Plucky, courageous and showing no little quality, United withstood the pressure of Elland Road to come back from 0-1 down with seven minutes left on the clock and attain another vital three points. The win propels them back into the top six and was a decent win against a side who will finish a lot higher  than their current position suggests. We thought we had six magpies from Ardee attending from the Louth branch, but the mid-Louth members are made of sterner stuff and brought back the three points to Sliabh Breagh.  Luciano Becchio made it 40 league goals in 89 starts for the club with his late double but is out of contract at the end of the season, Grayson is keen to keep hold of the Argentinian and believes he will remain part of the squad. He said: "Luciano Becchio is a fantastic player who has proved his worth to the club in terms of his goals and the effort he puts in for the team. "That is why we are doing all we can to keep him. "People probably under-estimate what he does for the team. He has scored a lot of goals this time and I am sure scouts will be taking notice of him but we want to keep our best players and there are not many bigger clubs than Leeds United in the Championship. "Contract talks with Luciano are on-going but he has said he wants to stay. "We plucked him from the third division of the Spanish League and helped to make him a better player so you hope for some loyalty from players in return." Palace had looked set for a shock win when Neil Danns struck at the end of the first half but the hosts never gave up and were rewarded when Becchio hit two in the last nine minutes. Grayson said: "We started the game well but their goalkeeper was in outstanding form and we got done by a sucker punch. "Our fans demand that we keep going to the very end and that is what we did. We finished the game with four or five centre forwards on the pitch, had a really good go and gained our reward." Palace boss George Burley called for his players to learn how to close out a game after again coming home from Yorkshire empty handed. Palace were leading late on at Sheffield United a fortnight ago only to lose and Burley was frustrated to see history. What a contrast in performance between the two soon to be out of contract players for Leeds (Johnson and Becchio). One performs with aplomb and quality and the other was at fault for the first goal today by not tracking his marker. The crowd let Bates and Grayson know which player they wanted to keep, and he speaks Spanish and didn't come from the Cobblers. Simon Grayson has been on the money with his substitutions for most of this season, and especially in our latest two home games. Bradley Johnson who was booed off today by United fans when substituted and doesn’t deserve a shirt purely because of his performances…..and yeah I’m pissed off at his attitude also. If we could get a fee for him in January I'd sell him. But if he was to walk away in May 2011, it wouldn't be any great loss for Leeds. 

Nov 10 Update

Oct 10 Update

 Sept 10 Update

Aug 10 Update

July 10 Update

June 10 Update

May 10 Update

April 10 Update

March 10 Update

Feb 10 Update

 Jan 10 Update

Dec 09 Update               

Nov 09 Update

Oct 09 Update

Sept 09 Update

June 09 to Aug 09

Feb to May 09

Index January 09 

Index Nov 14th 08 to Dec 31st 08

Index June 08 to Nov 11th 08

Index Jan 08 to May 25th 08

For Archived Files for December 07 click here

For Archived Files from October to November 07 click here

For Archived Files from August to September 07 click here

For previous news stories, please click here.

For what you think of Leeds, click here to send in your rants and I'll include them in the "Rants" page.