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Louth Branch Magazine articles
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This is the Louth Branch website. Always Leeds always loyal ! Edited by Gerry Cunningham.
Our First official trip of the season will bring the Louth Branch to the Bristol City game on Friday 12th of November and return on Sunday November 14th 2010. Flights have now been arranged. The Louth Branch have had members at every home game so far this season. Tues Sept 28th. Leeds v Preston NE. Att - 22,727. Teams : 12 Higgs, 04 Bruce. 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 07 Gradel, 11 Sam, 14 Howson, 16 Johnson, 22 Hughes, 10 Becchio, 27 Somma, Substitutes : 30 Brown, 06 Naylor, 08 Kilkenny, 15 Clayton, 17 Faye, 33 Nunez, 18 Watt. Simon Grayson opted for the same side that defeated Sheff United but Nunez made the bench ahead of McCormack, and Clayton sat in for the suspended Snodgrass. Preston Sat Sept 25th. Leeds United 1-0 Sheff United (Scorer Johnson 83 mins) Leeds United Team, Att – 33,622. 12 Higgs, 4 Bruce, 05 Collins, 29 McCartney, 07 Gradel(08 Kilkenny 72mins) 11 Sam (23 Snodgrass 60 mins two yellow cards, red card)14 Howson, 16 Johnson, 22 Hughes, 10 Becchio, 27 Somma ( 44McCormack 76mins) Unused Substitutes : 30 Brown, 06 Naylor, 17 Faye, 18 Watt. Leeds won the battle of Yorkshire in a very tight affair due to little bit of quality from Snodgrass and the running and finishing of Bradley Johnson. Simon Grayson kept faith with Bruce and Hughes who came in against Doncaster and did well. Johnson went into the middle in place of Kilkenny wit Thurs. Sept 23rd. McCartney completes Leeds switch. George McCartney completed his Weds 22nd of Sept 2010. McCartney set to sign. Sunderland defender George McCartney is expected to secure a one-month loan move to Leeds United on Thursday. The Northern Ireland full-back has fallen out of favour at Sunderland after suffering knee ligament damage in a pre-season game in Portugal. Sunderland hope the spell at Elland Road will help the former West Ham player to regain full fitness. McCartney will join up with Northern Ireland assistant boss Glynn Snodin, who is first-team coach at Leeds. This is a decent piece of business and if the ex West Ham captain is fit, he will certainly shore up an area that has given us grief since the outset of the season. Bessone just doesn't convince me.We have been linked with a move for Leon Best of Newcastle. Surely not. We have enough strikers. Saturday Sept 17th. 2010. Doncaster Rvs 0-0 Leeds United. Team. Att - 13,293 (3,207 LUFC) : 12 Higgs, 04 Bruce, 05 Collins, 22 Hughes, 32 White, 07 Gradel (18 Watt 85 Mins), 08 Kilkenny, 14 Howson, 16 Johnson, 27 Somma, 44 McCormack (23 Snodgrass 66) Unused Substitutes : 30 Brown, 06 Naylor, 11 Sam, 17 Faye. United headed to the "Arsenal Tues Sept 14th 2010. Barnsley v Leeds United. Att - 20,309 (6,732) Team : 12 Higgs, 02 Connolly, 05 Collins, 06 Naylor, 21 Bessone (22 Hughes on 49 Mins), 07 Gradel, 08 Kilkenny, 11 Sam (Somma on 67 Mins), 14 Howson, 16 Johnson (44 McCormack on 58 Mins), 10 Becchio. Tues Sept 14th. Leeds quartet come through friendly. Leeds United welcomed back Robert Snodgrass and Billy Paynter to action today and both completed 90 minutes in a behind closed doors friendly against Middlesbrough at Thorp Arch. Also completing 90 minutes were new signings Amdy Faye and Ramon Nunez, with the Honduran international scoring. With the first team in action at Barnsley tonight, the quartet used the game to improve their fitness and will be hoping to force their way into recognition for the trip to Doncaster on Friday night. Leeds went on to win the game 3-1 with Mike Grella scoring the other two goals. Sat Sept. 11th United sign keeper. With No.1 Kasper Schmeichel picking up Friday Sept 10th. Contract talks to regulars to begin. Simon Grayson expects contract talks with members of Leeds United's squad to begin imminently after reiterating his desire to see key players with dwindling deals tied to longer terms. United vowed to tackle contractual issues this month with more than half-a-dozen of their senior professionals into the last year of their deals. That list includes Luciano Becchio, Neil Kilkenny, Bradley Johnson, Richard Naylor and Patrick Kisnorbo. Davide Somma, Andrew Hughes and Shane Higgs will also become free agents next summer if United fail to agree or decide not to offer them new terms. Discussions with the likes of Becchio were suspended during the transfer window to allow Leeds to concentrate on acquiring new players, but Grayson is keen to avoid the scenario which saw out-of-contract Jermaine Beckford depart Elland Road for nothing in May. Grayson said: "The window's just shut but I'm sure it's on the agenda for (chief executive) Shaun Harvey to speak to their representatives."Asked if the situation was a concern, Grayson said: "We'll try to keep the players but if they feel they're going to move on to bigger and better things by leaving on a free transfer then we can't do much about that – apart from offer deals which we think is their value. "Players are within their rights to turn any offers down and walk out at the end of their contracts. In the summer we brought in one or two players who were on free transfers and that's what the Bosman ruling has done."Grayson confirmed that negotiations with Kisnorbo were unlikely to take place until the defender had moved closer to full fitness after the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in March. Grayson said: "It has to be a two-way thing. We've got to be loyal to him to try and sort something out because he's been fantastic for us but he's got to understand that we can't really offer him a contract until he's proved that he's back to full fitness. "But I've got a relationship with Paddy where we can be honest with each other and do whatever we can." Thurs Sep 9th 2010. Faye signs on. Leeds have completed the signing of former Stoke and Portsmouth midfielder Amdy Faye until January. The 33-year-old Senegal international has put pen to paper on a four-month contract after impressing United boss Simon Grayson in training this week. Faye played the whole of a reserves' match against Grimsby in midweek and his performance convinced Grayson to make his move. He told the club's official website: "Amdy did what we expected he could do and we're pleased. "He's been training with us all this week and we sorted things out on Thursday morning. He's an experienced player who has played at the highest level and he is proven. "He's a different type of player to the midfielders we have here and he is a good addition to the squad. "He is short on fitness but that will come with time. He's here until January initially and we'll see how things go." Tues Sept 7th 2010. Strong Leeds Reserve line up draws at Grimsby. Ross McCormack scored his first goal in Leeds colours for the reserves, but a strong looking side had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw at Grimsby Town. Trialist Amdy Faye made his debut in front of the Leeds manager Simon Grayson and his coaching staff Ian Miller and Glynn Snodin. Mike Grella had an early chance for Leeds but the Grimsby keeper saved his shot. Somma was next to go close for Leeds but his shot was tipped over the bar. Grimsby took the lead early in the second half when a low shot went in off the post by Nathan Dixon. Leeds tried to get back on level terms, Robinson saw his header go wide of the post. Adam Clayton should have brought Leeds level when he had the goal at his mercy but his effort went straight at the keeper. Grella also had a good chance but failed to make the keeper work as he headed wide. McCormack eventually scored late on for Leeds when he followed up a Hatfield header that came back off the woodwork to head in. Leeds felt they should have had a penalty in injury time after McCormack went down in the box but the referee waved away the appeals. Leeds couldn`t find a winner and dropped their first points of the season in the reserve league. Leeds Team: Paulat-Brigg, Crowe, Bromby, L. Turner, White, Robinson, Faye, Clayton, Somma (Hatfield 46), McCormack, Grella. Monday Sept 6th 2010. Faye looking for holding role. Former Sene Sept 6th. Biggest away following of season. Leeds have incredibly sold 5,700 away tickets for the Yorkshire derby at Barnsley on Tuesday, September 14th. They are hoping to sell another 1,000 of their away allocation for the match. It will be their biggest Championship allocation since Leeds played Wigan Athletic at the JJB back in February 2005 when they officially took 8,000. I was there at that match and it was nearer 11,000. Sept 3rd to 5th. Weekend update. Mike Grella turned down the chance to move to Oxford United on deadline day, because he didn't want to drop down two divisions. Callum Davenport has returned home for personal reasons, although Simon Grayson has not closed the door on his return to Thorp Arch. It has since transpired that he has signed with United Counties team, Wootton Blue Cross in order to gain some match fitness. Will he return in January ? Tresor Kandol signed for Spanish second division side, Albacate. Sep 2nd. The ins and the outs and the nearly man. The Yorkshire Post has reported that Leeds have parted company with Callum Davenport. Simon Grayson has mentioned how hungry and deserving Nunez and Clayton were of contracts, but also the one that got away. Re Nunez, Larry commented : "The lad came over on trial and wanted to prove himself to us and he's done that. It takes a lot of bottle sometimes to come over on trial and get yourself an opportunity. I think he had a few other clubs who wanted to sign him, but he wanted to test himself here. He's done well in the period he's been with us and he's been very lively in training and got some good technique and qualities. He's represented Honduras in the World Cup and shown what type of player he is. He's a lively, bubbly sort of player who we want to look at a bit longer .He's still slightly down on his fitness levels with the rest of the players, but he's shown in training there's something about him. It's up to me to decide whether there is a right time to throw him in amongst the first team. He's added something different to the squad." But who was the one that got away ? The manager teased fans with the following information regarding a good signing that we just missed. "We were close, very close to bringing in another player but the deal fell at the last hurdle which was unfortunate because I thought he would have been a good signing for us. But at the last minute he decided he wanted to stay where he was which he was entitled to do". He added that the search was far from finished. "We are looking all the time. We are looking at players who are out of contract, who have had their contracts cancelled Sept 1st. Bates at it again. Love him or hate some times you can't ignore him. Leeds have a bonus system in place where by the rewards are greater for each individual based on the team's position. The team is now in 6th position there by qualifying that week for the bonus. Of course Ken says we are in 6th position alphabetically, but being the nice guy that he is the bonus was implemented. What a man ! Sept 1st. The ins and outs during the Championship transfer window. The following is a run down of the Championship transfers for season 2010/11. Occasional guesstimates are provided for undisclosed fees which is becoming more and more frequent. For example I don’t believe that Leeds United paid more than £300,000 for any player this Summer. Why ? Because Ken Bates is our chairman and I just don’t have that feeling or perhaps hard evidence he has speculated £500,000 on any player this year. That said, we certainly increased our wage bill to a large degree, and perhaps there are add ons that we currently know little about. Whilst new regulations have come into affect for home grown players, the values of player transfers between Premier League clubs and player transfers from Football League clubs are much reduced compared to each of 2007 to 2009. Football League clubs have reportedly spent around £30M in summer 2010. Net of amounts received from Premier League and overseas clubs, the Football League clubs benefit from a net inflow of around £25M this summer; significantly down on recent years (summer 2009: £70M) and not a result that will help alleviate challenging financial circumstances amongst the Football League clubs. I have summarised the transfers and loans at the bottom. BARNSLEY IN Liam Dickinson (pic'd left) Brighton & Hove Albion £150,000, Goran Lovre FC Groningen undisclosed , Jason Shackell Index Nov 14th 08 to Dec 31st 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. |
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were ahead on four minutes when Parkin converted Higgs' parried shot. United were level on fourteen minutes when Becchio buried McCartney's accurate cross. Alec Bruce scored his first for the club on twenty minutes and Davide Somma made it 3-1 when his deflected shot beat Lonergan. The game seemed to be dead and buried on 39 minutes when Somma cut in from the left and finished superbly past Lonergan. Instead of holding on for half time, Leeds allowed Preston a lifeline when Parkin made it 2-4 just 90 seconds later. Within 12 minutes of the second half kamikaze football from Leeds allowed the Deepdale side go ahead 5-4. Treacy on 54 mins, Davidson on 62 minutes and big Sam Parkin for his hat-trick on 62 minutes turned th
e game on its head. Leeds were clueless and Preston were dominant. Grayson threw on Kilkenny for Sam and put Johnson out wide. With fifteen minutes to go Becchio was replaced by Watt and Clayton came on for Howson. The tenth goal in the game went to Hume after clueless defending. Unforgivable ! Johnson hit the post from a freekick with ten minutes to go. Leeds went close at the death through Gradel, Somma and Watt but couldn't bridge the gap. Simon Grayson has some work to do with a side that conceded 11 goals against Preston and Barnsley, neither of whom will finish in the top half of the Championship. 
h Sam starting out wide and Davide Somma earning a start up front. Somma showed some assured touches in then first half and the nearest any side came to scoring was Johnson for Leeds when his header was saved by Simonsen. The blades came more into it in the second half but Leeds scored when Snodgrass crossed for Johnson on 83 minutes to slot home. Snods was later sent off for two bookable offences and was soon followed by Ward for a dangerous lunge on Kilkenny. Ertl's header hit the crossbar in injury time but Leeds just about deserved that little piece of luck. It was the first time Leeds have beaten Sheffield United since 1993 (a game I attended)and yes you've guessed it, Gary Speed (who signed as a 14 year old for Leeds on the same day as one Simon Grayson) scored on that occasion for the Whites. 
we've come out on top." Grayson added: "The referee (Anthony Taylor) didn't help himself throughout the game. Snodgrass's were two soft yellow cards. "On another day he might not have been booked for either to be fair. Ward's sending off was one of those that could have been a yellow card, but maybe the referee felt he had to even it up with another red." Blades manager Gary Speed agreed that both dismissals were unwarranted. He said: "I've seen the videos. If Snodgrass doesn't get sent off, Wardy doesn't get sent off. "Snodgrass's was a soft one. He got booked for standing in front of a free-kick and then for blocking off and I thought it was harsh. "And the Wardy one - he couldn't wait to send him off. It was a recurring theme all day. He was no where near the lad, he didn't touch him. "But that's football and we can't use it as an excuse because we were already 1-0 down." Speed said he had not enjoyed his first return to Elland Road as a manager. The former Leeds midfielder was a member of the side which last beat Sheffield United 17 years ago and signed for the West Yorkshire club as an apprentice on the same day as Grayson in 1984. Asked if he had enjoyed it, Speed said: "Not really no. If we had won or got a result then I would have. "But it wasn't about me today, it was about the players. We've done a lot of work through the week, preparing for the game and it's disappointing that work hasn't come to fruition.
one month loan move to Leeds and went straight into the squad to face Sheff United. 
of the North" with a 5-2 drubbing to eradicate, and most seasoned observers will believe that they were unlucky to leave South Yorkshire without all three points. Simon Grayson rang the changes, five in all, with Andy Hughes replacing Connolly (injured), skipper Naylor replaced by Bruce, Aidy White replaced Bessone, and McCormack and Somma started up front with Sam and Becchio balancing the bench. Donny chairman, Rya, won few friends in Leeds with his village idiot comments :
lmost be a unique situation."
Snodgrass made his 2010/11 debut replacing the relatively ineffective McCormack. And on 74 minutes the away fans went wild when Somma fired home after Sullivan failed to hold a Johnson shot. Sadly, the South African was just offside and the goal that Leeds deserved was ruled out. With five minutes remaining Watt replaced Gradel as Leeds continued to push forward. Bruce made a couple of telling challenges in the final minutes and Leeds failed to nab that winning goal that their play deserved. In goal Higgs did well although Schmeichel's presence reassures all in front and his quick throw outs suit Leeds attacking options better. Young Aidy White did fine although sometimes his attacking desire can leave us vulnerable to counter attacks. Andy Hughes had very good game at right back. He's never going to be a raiding defender who gets down the flanks firing in crosses, but defensively he does the real work. Collins and Bruce were very strong at the back and the latter was particularly impressive, and must be included weekly in this side at the expense of Naylor. Howson and Kilkenny will always get time against the likes of Doncatser and did nothing wrong. Bradley Johnson was lucky to stay on the park for some of his challenges and looks very uncomfortable out wide. Gradel had a decent game although his crossing and passing must be better. Somma was superb up front and could have and should have scored a couple of goals, but his movement and work ethic is excellent. Perhaps alongside Becchio or maybe Painter who will take the knocks, would prove a better partnership for this player who likes to be on the shoulder of the last defender. I was disappointed with McCormack who played more for himself than the team. All in all a big improvement on Tuesday and shows the strength in depth that we have. Bruce and Somma (and a fit again Schmeichel) must be the first names on the team sheet for our next match. What about a punt on Somma @ 22/1 to be the the Championship's top scorer ? 
created some good chances and looked like we were the only team that was going to win it. But when we didn't have possession we looked solid as a unit. I don't think our goalkeeper has had a save to make all night so (it's) encouraging. It's disappointing that we could have won the game but after the other night we'll take a clean sheet and a point. Grayson stressed the importance of the shut out by keeper Shane Higgs, saying solid defensive foundations would be crucial to their hopes this season. "It is important because we've not had too many this year," added Grayson. "It's vital when you come to the Championship that you build from the back. I feel we've got players who can create us chances and we had a few tonight. On another night Davide Somma would have put a couple of those away. "It didn't happen for him but delighted we've come to a difficult place and got a point."When asked if Doncaster could challenge for the play-offs, Grayson added: "They proved last year they're a good team. I think they've progressed every season and got better. A club like Doncaster are certainly on the up - they've got a fantastic manager and they won't be too far away." Doncaster manager, Simon O'Driscoll : "I enjoyed it. I think the first time I looked at my watch was about 30 minutes into the first half. "For a 0-0 draw both sides think they could have won it and both sides could have lost it. For us, I thought we were terrific. "I thought it was as complete a performance as we've put (in). But I think over 90 minutes there's a lot of things we can do better. "But we're a side that's developing - there are one or two lads who've never played in the Championship before. We're not a hard-weathered Championship team yet." O'Driscoll even praised their opponents for creating an open encounter. He added: "Credit to Leeds, they came here with two wingers and made it a really good game. "You thought they might have shut up shop after conceding five but give them credit - it takes two teams to make a game - I thought they played their part as well."
Substitutes : 30 Brown, 04 Bruce, 15 Clayton, 18 Watt,
o rifled home from close range. It was 2-1. Minutes later De Vries should have seen red when he threw the ball at the back of Becchio's head, but the ref only offered a yellow card to the keeper. United threw on McCormack and later Somma and McCormack nearly scored on his home debut when his free kick went narrowly over and De Vries made a decent save from him later on. The win keeps Leeds in the play-off positions and it was the first time since Christmas 2005 that United won three matches back to back in the second tier. 
a foot injury, manager 
has opted to bring in some cover. 
gal World Cup star Amdy Faye is hoping to earn a permanent deal with Leeds United. The 33-year-old midfielder, who has been training at Thorp Arch for the past week, will turn out for the club's reserves against Grimsby on Tuesday. Manager Simon Grayson said: 
before the deadline day, which means they can train with us or other clubs and sign afterwards, and of course the loan market opens soon".
Wolverhampton Wanderers Undisc, Jeronimo Morales Neumann Estudiantes Free , Jay McEveley Derby County Free, Jim O'Brien Motherwell Free , Diego Arismendi Stoke City Season Loan , Kieran Tripper Manchester City Six Month Loan OUT Daniel Bogdanovic Sheffield United Free , Michael Coulsen Grimsby Town Free ulian Gray Walsall Free , Simon Heslop Oxford United Free , Rob Kozluk Sheffield United Free , Jon Macken Walsall Free , Darren Moore Burton Albion Free , O'Neil Thompson Hereford United Season Loan , Anderson De Silva Released , Mounir El Haimour Released. 
Stewart Queens Park Rangers Undisc, Albert Adomah Barnet Tribunal, David James 
Iwelumo Wolves £500,000 , Ross Wallace 
eason Loan 
Free, Gary McSheffrey Birmingham City Free, Roy O'Donovan Sunderland Free, Stephen O'Halloran Aston Villa Free , Colin Doyle Birmingham City One Month Loan , Iain Turner Everton One Month Loan, 
oderingham Fulham Free, Owen Garvan Ipswich Town Free, Stuart O'Keefe Southend United Free, Lewis Price Derby County Free , Veliche Shumulikoski Preston North End Free, David Wright Ipswich Town Free , Pablo Counago Ipswich Town Season Loan ,Jonathan Obika Tottenham Hotspur Season Loan, Julian Bennett Nottingham Forest Six Month, Loan Alex Marrow Blackburn Rovers Five Month Loan, Anthony Gardner Hull loan. 
Alexandra , David Martin Millwall £200,000, Conor Doyle Bluejays, USA Undisc, Tomasz Cywka Wigan Athletic Free, Paul Connolly Leeds United Free, Gareth Roberts Doncaster Rovers Free 
st Ham United Free, Ryan Mason Tottenham Hotspur One Month Loan. 
Hotspur Season Loan. 
land Undisclosed, Jason Scotland Wigan Athletic Undisc (circa £500,000), Andros Townsend Tottenham Hotspur Season Loan, Darren O'Dea Celtic Five Month Loan, 
Ipswich Town £200,000 rising to £300,000, Neil Collins Preston North End Undisc. (circa £250,000), Federico Bessone Swansea City Free, Paul Connolly Derby County Free, Ramon Nunez Free, Billy Paynter Swindon Town Free, Lloyd Sam Charlton Athletic Free, Kasper Schmeichel Notts County Free, Sanchez Watt Arsenal Season Loan, Adam Clayton Manchester City Undisc. Circa £100,000, 
Vitoria Guimaraes £330,000, Yuki Abe Urawa Reds Undisc., Leon Crncic Atalanta Free, Tom Kennedy Rochdale Free, Franck Moussa Southend United Free, Alie Sesay ArsenalFree, Miguel Vitor Benfica Season Loan, Carl Ikeme Wolves One Month Loan . 
letic £1.4m, Tarmo Kink Gyori ETO £835,000, Andy Halliday Livingston Undisc., Kris Boyd Rangers Free, Matthew Kilgallon Sunderland Season Loan. 
Undisc., James Henry 
Undisclosed, John Ruddy Everton Undisc., Stevie Smith Rangers Free, Elliott Ward Coventry City Free, Leon Barnett WBA Five Month Loan, 
Radoslav Majewski 
as part of Kevin Wilson deal to Soke City, 
£400,000, Andreas Arestidou Shrewsbury Town Free, Wayne Brown Leicester City Free, David Gray Manchester United Free, Paul Hayes Scunthorpe United Free, Darel Russell Norwich City Free, Matthew James Manchester United Season Loan, Josh King Manchester United Three Month Loan, 
adley Orr Bristol City £500,000, Jamie Mackie Plymouth Argyle Undisc., Leon Clarke Sheffield Wednesday Free, Shaun Derry Crystal Palace Free, Clint Hill Crystal Palace Free, Rob Hulse Derby County Undisc (circa £700,000), Tommy Smith Watfiord £1.5M. 
Carlisle Undisc., Zurab Khizanishvilli Blackburn loan. 
uddersfield Town Undisc., Jim McNulty Brighton Six Month Loan, Trent McClenahan West Ham Six Month Loan, Eddie Nolan Preston Six Month Loan, Chris Dagnall Rochdale Free, Patrick Hobane Mervue Free, Jimmy Keohane Wessex United Free, 
Bogdanovic Barnsley Free, Leon Britton Swansea City Free, Johannes Ertl Crystal Palace Free, Stephen Jordan Burnley Free, Rob Kozluk Barnsley Free, Steve Simonsen Stoke City Free, Kyle Bartley Arsenal Season Loan, Jean Calve Nancy Season Loan, Nyron Nosworthy Sunderland Season Loan, Simon Walton Plymouth Argyle Season Loan. 
ershot Town Undisc., Neil Taylor Wrexham Free, 
Andrew Taylor M’bro loan. 
a hefty age bill to boot. Shun Derry and Clint Hill who arrived on frees from Crystal Palace don’t come cheap in the wages stakes. The Shepherd's Bush side have huge financial muscle right now. Throw in goalkeeper Paddy Kenny and Tarber for whom Rangers paid £1M to Spurs, and this a squad as good as any in the Championship. In contrast Middlesbro, the hot favourites for the Championship have had a poor start despite spending heavily on half of the old firm. Cardiff City, another side who have started brightly and will no doubt be well up there at the finish have added sheer quality instead of quantity. We all know that Bellamy is world class and yet they commit just £15,000 per week of his £95,000 weekly wage. Throw in some of the quality season long loanees they have recruited and you can see why the bookmakers have slashed their odds. Players such as Heaton and Drinkwater from Manchester United Naylor from Celtic, Andy Keogh Wolves, Jason Koumas from Wigan and Olofinjana from Hull City if they all gell, will be a handful for any side. Then ask where is the money coming from to support these high wages in a club that is £24M in debt ? Burnley FC is a club on a sound financial footing. The Clarets have been boosted to the tune of £6.5M with the sale of Steve Fletcher to Wolves. In have come Lee Grant Sheffield Wednesday £1m Dean Marney Hull City £500,000 ,Chris Iwelumo Wolves £500,000 , Ross Wallace Preston North End close £1.2M, and Jack Cork Chelsea Season Loan. They will rightfully feel that they won’t be far away. Bristol City splashed big on wages to bring in David James. The side still rocking from losing manager, Steve Coppell also spent nearly £1.5m on players as well as big wages on Nicky Hunt on loan from Bolton and Sam Vokes from Wolves. Hull City, another side heavily in debt and after sinking from the luxury of the Premiership have yet too offload Jimmy Bullard who earns £40,000 per week for sitting on his backside. That said, £1.2M was paid for Jay Simpson, the player whose agent allegedly demanded £12,000 per week from Leeds, and hadn’t started a Premiership game with Arsenal. It’s not all doom and gloom for Hull who received £8M for the players they off loaded, as they signed some quality players either on loans or on frees in the form of Robert Koren (Slovenian international) Nobby Solano and Jon Bostock from Spurs. Nigel Pearson didn’t leave Leicester to go to Hull just for the scenery. Back at Leicester, they are the only Championship side to have spent £3m on any one player this window, when Waghorn arrived from Sunderland on deadline day. Even Norwich City spent around £2.5m with virtually no net cash received for players who left Carrow Road. Notts Forest in contrast have been virtual hermits in the transfer window, with Majewski coming in for £1M from Poland but Perch left for Newcastle for £1.5M. An uneasy stand off is visible at the City Ground between Billy Davies and his chairman over their transfer policy. Don’t be surprised if “Job Done” vacates the premises 
soon, and a speculative move for Martin O’Neill is under way. Roy Keane's Ipswich netted around £4M in player sales and spent less that £2M on players coming in. Keane is never a shrinking violet in the transfer market and done most of his wheeling and dealing last Summer. However, he believes Jason Scotland, Martin Fulop and Mark Kennedy will add to the tasty start his side has enjoyed thus far. Sheff United have had more leaving than arriving. Coventry, Swansea, Reading, and Millwall have all taken a cautious approach. Scunthorpe, Watford, Barnsley, Portsmouth, and Preston may well end up in a dog fight for survival. Then there are the curious moves. Luke Varney has been loaned to Blackpool f
or a whole season where he scored against Fulham on his debut, and yet he can’t break into a mid-table Championship side, whose deadline day sale of their top striker, Rob Hulse certainly landed under the radar. This all signals that Derby County have major cash flow problems and are desperate to get the high earners off their books. And what of Leeds United ? Simon Grayson and Ken Bates have certainly been the busiest club over the whole summer regarding players coming in. Eleven have arrived. Is it quantity over quality ? Transfer dealings are changing drastically and it may not be an exaggeration to say that the clubs who utilise the loan system the best, (particularly from the Premiership) may be the ones who will be top of the perch come May. Cardiff have certainly gone that route. Leeds United are the biggest attraction in the Premiership for any Premiership loanee, and I suspect one more will arrive next week. Sanchez Watt has already proved a good loan signing and the pick of the free transfers has been Schmeichel and Lloyd Sam. McCormack, Bruce, Clayton and even Collins who all cost money are surely value for money while Connolly, Bessone, Nunez and Paynter have all been free. That elusive holding player may 
yet come when the loan market reopens for Championship clubs on Tuesday, September 7th. On the debit side Ankergren, Rui Marques, Sheehan, and Beckford have all left while several others are out on loan. Micke Grella needs to go out on loan and Fat Boy Robsinon is either unable or unwilling to find a club because of his high salary. This has been a season so far where you can’t really say that any one club is head and shoulders above another. QPR and Cardiff look really good. Burnley look strong. M’bro’s blend doesn’t seem to fit and Keane at Ipswich fancies his chances. Which other club should Leeds United fear in a race for the Play-Offs or do they not think that they can challenge any of the aforementioned ? It should be an interesting season and I just wonder where the clubs will be when we enter the next transfer window in January ?