Thursday, March 8, 2012

My favorite 11 Leeds United players

I am having a few days off, and thought I'd use this long weekend on giving you all a look a my favorite 11 Leeds players, not neccessarily the eleven best players, but just the 11 that I've liked the most. I'll set up my team in a 442 and will also give you a look a my favorite manager.

My favorite Leeds goalkeeper of all time is: NIGEL MARTYN. 

Nigel joined the club a few years after I started supporting the club, and after having John Lukic and Mark Beeney between the sticks for some seasons I felt Nigel was sent from above. He was execellent and I always felt he gave it all in Leeds, my biggest regret with his time in Leeds is that we allowed him to leave for Everton (where he played great for more years) while we settled for Paul Robinson, a keeper I rate about as highly as Beeney or Lukic.


The best right back in my Leeds eyes is: GARY KELLY.

Kells was a club man, a thing you rarely find in modern football. His entire career was spent in Leeds and he was one of my first idols. I remember seeing a game on tv once against Liverpool (we lost 5-0), Gary was sent off but shortly after he was filmed in front of the Leeds crowd singing "We're Leeds, and we're proud of it".

Central Defender number one: THE CHEIF AKA. LUCAS RADEBE.

I am pretty sure you can't find a single Leeds fan with a bad word to say about Lucas. Signed along with Philomen Masinga (so Phil would't get homesick), nobody probably expected Lucas to be a icon at Elland Road but he sure is. I remember being in Leeds the day he signed autographs in his book in the Elland Road super store, the queue was insane - which goes to show how much Lucas meant and still means to the fans in Leeds.

Central Defender number two: JACK CHARLTON.

Even if I am far to young to have ever seen him play, he's still a guy I rate highly for his time in Leeds. A legend at the club after spending his entire career at ER, I always wonder why he never managed the club as well?! I mostly remember being told stories about him from older Leeds fans, and also remember him managing the Irish national team when they played Denmark in 1993. A guy who wore his heart on his sleeve in both his playing and managerial career.

Best Leeds United left back: NIGEL WORTHINGTON (NOT!!!!) TONY DORIGO.

I've picked Tony Dorigo over Ian Harte because I felt Tony was more of a defender then Harte was, he was quality without a doubt, but always felt he was better going forward, a bit like Aiden White in todays team. Tony Dorigo was a part of the championsship winning team in 91/92 and managed to get himself 15 England caps, despite fierce competition from Stuart Pearce among others.

Best right midfielder: LEE BOWYER.

Bow was the first player I had on the back of a Leeds shirt and I always rated him very highly, the day he left for West Ham was one of the worst days in my life as a Leeds fan (recently topped by Speed's death and the sale of Howson). Bowyer was a controversial guy, but whenever he fucked up off the pitch he just got better on it, who can forget the games he played during his court case. I never quite felt he got the career I expected him to, but then again many of the players we had in that period never really managed to play as well anywhere else.

The very best central midfielder ever in Leeds United (and the world): BILLY BREMNER.

There's not really much reason for me to explain this one, anyone connected to Leeds United will know why I've picked the captain of the crew - LEGEND!

Another great central midfielder in Leeds: DAVID BATTY.

A local lad who hated watching football and hated training football, but sure did love playing it. Tough tackling guy who always controlled the center of the pitch when he played. He was sold from Leeds to Blackburn shortly before I really started following Leeds, so my first memories of him is from when he returned - a masterpiece by David O'Leary to bring back a fans favorite in my opinion - He played really well, and was, much like Gary kelly, able to up his level whenever a new great player was bought for his position.

Best left sided midfielder in my Leeds history: EDDIE GRAY.

It was really hard to leave out Gary Speed for this spot in my team, but I just love watching old video clips of Eddie Gray, the goal he scored against Burnley was amazing, and in my opinion the best Leeds goal ever scored. Eddie's career was troubled by injuries, but when fit there was nobody better in the country. He is still very much connected to the club, having both managed us in the 80's and also a short spell as caretaker when the ship sank in 2004 - But typical of Eddie Gray, at least he tried to give his all and save Leeds United. Currently working with Thom Kirwin on matchdays on Yorkshire Radio, so still to this day he knows whats going on in the club.

One of the best strikers I've ever seen: JERMAINE BECKFORD.

A bit of an outside choice I'll be the first to admit, but despite all the great forwards we've had over the years, I still feel that Jermaine gave us all something we really had been crawing for years. He was a natural goalscorer and off course it didn't hurt his chances of getting in my team that he scored the vital goal on the 8th of may 2010 (oh and also on Old Trafford January 3rd). Without Jermaine I fear that we'd still be in League 1 today. Had we managed to keep him at ER after the promotion I think we would have been playing Premier League football now, but I always did understand his decision to try his luck at Everton (not so much his decision to join Leicester however).

The best Leeds United striker of all time: ALLAN "SNIFFER" CLARKE.

When becoming a Leeds fan in the early 90's one of the first things anyone older will tell you about is the great team of the 60's & 70's, and about the things that they won. When you ask them about specific games on players who scored game winners, they always say Allan Clarke - the fantastic flying header against Arsenal in the 1972 final is something that I enjoy each time I see it, and always dream that I'd one day see Becchio do the same, in either a cup finale or even better in a play off final.

My favorite Leeds United manager: SIMON GRAYSON.

Simon did so many great things for our club, and he always gave 100% - There was nothing better then seeing him celebrate a Leeds goal, he'd sometimes go more mad then the fans, he loved the club and we loved him.

SUBS: CASPER ANKERGREN, DOMINIC MATTEO, PAUL REANEY, ROBERT SNODGRASS, GARY SPEED, GARY MCALLISTER, LEE CHAPMAN & DON REVIE

Feel free to leave your favorite team and remember, it's just the ones I liked the most, probably not the best ever.
MARCHING ON TOGETHER!

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