If It Feels Right: West Brom vs Leeds, 24th August 2002
'Bowyer for England!' the Leeds fans chanted. Then, to the same tune, 'Sign your contract!' Finally, even louder, 'Sign your contract for the lads!'
Terry Venables' task, in his first few weeks as Leeds United manager, was trying to make Leeds United make sense.
He was taking over a team that finished 5th but had sacked its popular manager. The chairman, Peter Ridsdale, had outlined a summer clearout of players, but none of those players had cleared out and Rio Ferdinand, the defender Venables planned to build a team around, was sold instead.
At the back, he had Jonathan Woodgate, Lucas Radebe and Dominic Matteo. Up front he could choose from Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, Robbie Fowler, Robbie Keane, Michael Bridges and Harry Kewell. Kewell had often been used as a left-winger but he hadn't been happy with that for a long time, and besides, there was no right-winger in the squad for balance.
His predecessor, David O'Leary, had built this team, but while threatening legal action against the club for firing him, he was picking a Premier League eleven for the Sunday People that included none of his former charges except Ferdinand. Woodgate, Matteo and Fowler made his bench, but in every position, he saw better players at other clubs.
One thing working in Venables' favour was the fixture computer. First Division champions Manchester City had been beaten 3-0 on the opening day at Elland Road, and next was a visit to the runners up, West Bromwich Albion, at The Hawthorns. Gary Megson's Premiership reinforcements were few: their biggest signing was £2m Sean Gregan, dismissed earlier in his career as a floppy-haired lower league poseur, now arriving in the top division from Preston to bolster the Baggies midfield.
Against Leeds Gregan had three opponents: Eirik Bakke, Lee Bowyer, and new signing Nick Barmby. Venables' solution for his imbalanced squad was to use as many strikers as possible, starting with Viduka and Smith with Kewell free to roam; if it was intended to keep the peace, nobody told Robbie Keane, who declared that if he didn't get more time on the pitch he'd be off.