2025/26 reviewed: players at the back
Let's go through Leeds United's tacklers, blockers and catchers of the season, one by one, in descending order of minutes played.
One hand raised: Leeds United against Bayern Munich in the European Cup final, 28th May 1975
Leeds had to turn their dominance into chances. They did. They had to get the ball past Sepp Maier. They did. They had to win the European Cup. They did enough.
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West Ham United 3-0 Leeds United: Ways of being
Leeds got so bored of waiting for the team that was supposedly fighting for its life to actually do anything that they submitted to the sunshine, and the heat, and the fact the season was going to be all over in twenty minutes anyway.
Ambition, and how it is paid for
Daniel Farke has made some very reasonable, fan-friendly requests and pegged them to 49ers Enterprises' ambition. Any failure to agree now will be interpreted as the owners' ambition falling short of the manager's — and the fans'.
David Kerslake ⭑ From A-Z since '92
Leeds needed a right-back in 1993, and David Kerslake was the best in the second tier three years running, the player Ossie Ardiles had needed to replace Dave Hockaday.
Leeds United 1-0 Brighton: Raise the roof
This match mattered for the visitors, who helped haul it back towards being an occasion. The game became a determined and in the end hilarious contest, Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club will qualify for the Champions League versus No They Won't.
How more Spygate makes Marcelo Bielsa even more right
I suspect Kim Hellberg's emotional response to feeling cheated by Tonda Eckert is the same reaction many coaches have felt, over the years, but when seeing their best ideas reduced to dust by the sheer weight of work Bielsa puts up against them.
Tottenham 1-1 Leeds United: Worth doing well
Leeds United played like a team used to hitting a certain standard, regulated by Ethan Ampadu's determination to stop every Tottenham player and help every Leeds player.
David Hopkin ⭑ From A-Z since '92
History was heavy on David Hopkin. When George Graham made him captain, he was following Collins, Bremner, Strachan and McAllister. The two trophy-winners among them were also notoriously flame-haired, which perhaps inspired Hopkin's decision to stand apart by bleaching his hair white.
Champions League 2001: Valencia vs Leeds United
David O'Leary was preparing, at 5pm the day before the game, when he took a call in his hotel room from a representative of Uefa's disciplinary committee. They told him that, using video evidence, Lee Bowyer had been found guilty of 'gross unsporting conduct'.
David Healy ⭑ From A-Z since '92
David Healy started by grinding his former fans, his first two Leeds goals coming in a 4-2 win at Deepdale. Then another grind began, of playing football for Kevin Blackwell.