Yorkshire Post 31/3/12 Promotion helps Leeds to impressive £3.5m profits LEEDS UNITED made a profit of £3.5m in their first year back in the Championship. The Elland Road outfit enjoyed a major financial boost by returning to the second tier as gate receipts soared along with central funding from the Football League. Turnover was up 19 per cent as a result to £32.6m as Leeds saw the total profit the once-troubled club has made since exiting administration in 2007 break through the £10m barrier. United’s figures, which relate to the year ending June 30, 2011, compare favourably with recent financial trends across English football. In 2010-11, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City both lost more than £11m after over-stretching themselves in the push for the Premier League. Sheffield United, meanwhile, lost £13.6m last season. Following the release of the figures yesterday, Leeds have now made a surplus in four consecutive years with 2007-08 seeing the club make £4.5m. The following 12 month
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Yorkshire Post 30/3/12 Warnock gets his building underway and looks to keep five as foundations By Richard Sutcliffe NEIL Warnock has held provisional talks with five of Leeds United’s key players about possible new contracts. The United manager sat down with Robert Snodgrass, Ross McCormack, Adam Clayton, Aidy White and Darren O’Dea earlier this week to discuss their future plans. White will be out of contract this summer and O’Dea is due to return to Celtic after a year-long loan stay at Elland Road. Snodgrass, McCormack and Clayton all have a little over 12 months remaining on their existing deals. Warnock, who is keen to finalise his plans for next season as early as possible, told the Yorkshire Post: “They are just provisional talks and I am going to put together certain things. Then, when the chairman comes over at Easter I hope to have a meeting with him and tell him my views on all five players, including Darren O’Dea. “I have talked to them all. I have explained my situation –
Observer 24/3/12 Leeds get lucky as Ross McCormack's goal seals victory over Millwall John Ashdown at The Den Neil Warnock could afford a wry smile after watching his side keep their slim Championship play-off hopes alive. "The winners today were the two sets of fans," said the Leeds manager. "They were amazing from the touchline, the noise they made. It's a fabulous arena for a match, apart from the cold water in the showers afterwards. You'd think they'd fix it in two years. I've never had a warm shower here." Regardless of water temperatures in the away dressing room, this fixture is something of an oddity on the football calendar – it has the tone and atmosphere of a derby, despite the clubs being separated by 200 miles. Victory or defeat is the important thing, rather than the effect either has on the league table. Nevertheless, Ross McCormack's goal midway through the second half took Leeds to within three points of the play-offs (altho
Yorkshire Evening Post 23/3/12 Warnock set to clear decks By Phil Hay Leeds United manager Neil Warnock will look for a major overhaul of his squad this summer after spelling out his financial requirements to chairman Ken Bates. Warnock has revealed that a clearing of the decks is planned at Thorp Arch in preparation for an all-out attempt to win promotion from the Championship next season. The Leeds boss outlined his future vision with the Elland Road club struggling to qualify for this year’s play-offs. United travel to Millwall on Saturday, the first of eight remaining games, with a six-point gap to overcome, and Warnock played down their chances of mustering the form needed to make promotion possible The 63-year-old said he had identified players he intends to sign ahead of another term in the Championship, and he has already spoken with Bates and Leeds chief executive Shaun Harvey to outline the wage bill and budget he requires to take the club into the Premier League next season.
Guardian 20/3/12 Nottingham Forest score seven to humiliate Leeds in Championship Garath McCleary scored four times as Nottingham Forest humiliated Leeds at Elland Road to leave the home side's Championship promotion hopes in tatters. Leeds looked to be on course for their first home win under Neil Warnock when Robert Snodgrass slotted home an early penalty, but a stunning strike from the on-loan midfielder Adlène Guedioura and McCleary's first goal of a memorable evening gave Forest a half-time lead. Dexter Blackstock made it 3-1 early in the second half but Leeds fought back with two goals in as many minutes from Luciano Becchio and Michael Brown to draw level. Forest were not to be denied, though, and they ran riot against a poor Leeds defence as the hugely impressive McCleary struck three times in the space of 15 minutes to stun the home faithful. Blackstock added a seventh goal as Forest gave their hopes of avoiding relegation a huge boost and left Leeds shell-shocked. War
Yorkshire Evening Post 19/3/12 Late agony for brave Whites By Phil Hay More than anything else, Neil Warnock wanted to avoid appreciation of a gallant defeat. But the sound of Leeds United being applauded from the field after drawing with West Ham United was just as unpalatable. There are worse results to be had in the Championship but this of all results will hurt the club and hurt their manager. Warnock had much to be proud of and much to appreciate but the middle of March, as he said himself, is not the time for excusing precious points lost. For the briefest of moments it was, as the late ITV commentator Brian Moore once said, up for grabs. Promotion back on and a season-defining win all but sealed against the biggest-hitting Championship club; the afternoon as Warnock visualised it. Everything about Saturday’s game against West Ham appealed to him: the history behind it, the stature of the clubs involved and the promise of the Midas touch exactly when Leeds needed it. After 83 min
Independent 18/3/12 Collins' last-minute strike denies Leeds victory Leeds United 1 West Ham United 1 Simon Hart Elland Road attracted its biggest attendance for 18 months but for long periods of a contest high on sweat but low on sparkle, the 33,366 present could have been forgiven for wondering what all the expectation had been about. Eventually, a game that appeared to be meandering to a goalless draw came to life in an exciting denouement as Luciano Becchio headed Leeds in front before Danny Collins nodded West Ham level in the 90th minute to seal a result that did no favours to anybody. West Ham may be unbeaten in eight matches but after slipping out of the top two in midweek they lost further ground because of Southampton and Reading's away wins, and they are now three points behind the latter in third. Sam Allardyce, the visiting manager, was grateful for the point but did bemoan his team's recent run of home draws. "It is not a slip-up today for me, it is a sl
Mail 17/3/12 Leeds 1 West Ham 1: Desperate Danny's last-gasp leveller floors hosts Loan defender Danny Collins scored a vital last-minute equaliser to earn West Ham what could prove to be a vital point at Leeds, as they extended their unbeaten run to eight games. When Luciano Becchio nodded Leeds ahead with seven minutes to go, the ever-changing npower Championship promotion picture was not looking too favourable for the Hammers, with top two rivals Southampton and Reading both winning. But, right on cue, Collins rose the highest to head in a Mark Noble corner and peg Leeds back in an act of damage limitation for Sam Allardyce's men, who are now five points off the lead and three points shy of second. It was just the second goal Leeds have conceded under new manager Neil Warnock and perhaps one of their most costly of the season. Since the veteran replaced Simon Grayson a month ago, a renewed play-off push had seemed a possibility. A win was needed, though, and until Collins st
www.leedsunited.com 12/3/12 GOALKEEPER JOINS LIONS ON LOAN Taylor links up with Millwall... Leeds United goalkeeper Maik Taylor has joined Millwall on loan until the end of the season. The 40-year-old Northern Ireland international, who has made almost 600 career appearances and last featured for his country in October, joined United on a short-term deal shortly before Christmas. Maik, who signed an extension until the end of the season in January, hasn't made a senior appearance and has been an unused substitute on 12 occasions. Maik will join Millwall to provide competition for David Forde with the Lions other goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall currently sidelined due to injury. Fellow goalkeeper Paul Rachubka is also currently out on loan, at League One club Leyton Orient.
Yorkshire Evening Post 12/3/12 Middlebrough v Leeds United: The season is not over yet! By Phil Hay The end of Leeds United’s season has been nigh for some time, but the club are not going quietly into the night. Not while Neil Warnock has any say in how long or hard they fight. Defeat at The Riverside might have done for Leeds and their pretensions of contesting the Championship play-offs, but an immaculate win over Middlesbrough will make the division wonder. Unlikely yes but not impossible. What is impossible when Warnock’s nous takes hold in this league? The worry for him before yesterday’s game was that Leeds under his management had regained their defensive aptitude while forgetting how to score. A win of near embarrassing ease against a club nine points better off displayed no such problems or lack of balance, sealed by Robert Snodgrass, Luciano Becchio and another clean sheet. Ninety minutes on Teesside delivered some of the most complete football played by Leeds since their re
Mail 11/3/12 Middlesbrough 0 Leeds 2: Warnock's men on play-offs hunt after cruising to away win Leeds kept their push for a play-off spot alive with an impressive victory over Middlesbrough, Neil Warnock's side cruising to a comfortable three points after two first-half goals. Robert Snodgrass was the man to bring Warnock his first away goal since he succeeded Simon Grayson in February, dragging the ball underneath Boro keeper Jason Steele in the 18th minute. Luciano Becchio doubled the lead just nine minutes later following a dreadful mistake by Justin Hoyte. Barry Robson's late dismissal in a tussle with Adam Clayton added insult to injury for Boro. Despite a much-improved performance in the second half, Tony Mowbray's men were unable to overcome the two-goal deficit and reduce the gap on the automatic promotion places. Warnock's Leeds, however, remain in 10th place but are now within four points of making a late surge for the play-off places. A period of applaus
Guardian 11/3/12 Robert Snodgrass ends Leeds goal drought as Middlesbrough fall short Middlesbrough 0 Leeds United 2 Louise Taylor at the Riverside Stadium The Championship's promotion pretenders will be glancing, nervously, over their shoulders after Neil Warnock's first win as Leeds United's manager propelled his new side back into play-off contention. Although Leeds remain 10th they are only four points behind sixth-placed Cardiff and six points short of Middlesbrough, who stay fourth. If a top-two position looks well out of reach, few would bet against a Warnock side prevailing in the play-offs. On a soothingly soporific March day so untypically mild that the visiting manager patrolled his technical area wearing a T-shirt, Tony Mowbray's Boro played as if half asleep. To make matters worse, a frustrated Barry Robson was controversially shown a straight red card late in the second half and will be suspended for three matches. The familiar strains of "Marching
Independent 10/3/12 Neil Warnock: I never realised how big a club Leeds was until I found myself on the inside What I Learnt This Week Neil Warnock There are never enough hours in the day when you join a football club in mid-season, especially in the situation I find myself in at Leeds, where we've one eye on reaching the play-offs this season, the other on building a promotion-winning squad next season, and half-an-eye on what we will need if we do go up this season. Then there's the off-field aspect to sort out as well, like finding somewhere to live. As I mentioned last week, I've moved into a nice little cottage, and after three weeks at Elland Road there's also been good progress on the football front. Defensively we've been good, only conceding once, to the league leaders, in three games. The problem is we've not scored at the other end. I'm hoping that will change in our televised match at Middlesbrough tomorrow lunchtime. We certainly won't come
Yorkshire Evening Post 10/3/12 First goal of Warnock’s reign would suit desperate Webber INTERVIEW By Phil Hay Having purged Leeds United of their defensive sins, Neil Warnock wants a goal. Numerous members of his squad would fancy themselves to supply it but none are more keen to do so than Warnock’s first signing, Danny Webber. The drought under Warnock is barely even that – long enough for him to acknowledge it but not yet serious enough to represent a problem. Three games and 270 minutes have passed since Luciano Becchio pole-axed Doncaster Rovers with an injury-time winner three weeks ago. Webber, in contrast, last experienced the sensation of scoring in January 2010, during a Premier League fixture between Portsmouth and West Ham United. A forward like him could be consumed by the need to scratch the itch and if Warnock’s first goal as Leeds manager comes at Middlesbrough tomorrow, Webber would delight in claiming it. “I’m dying for a goal,” he said. “It’s been a long time since
Yorkshire Evening Post 9/3/12 Robinson’s joy at Whites move INTERVIEW By Phil Hay Paul Robinson hopes his transfer to Leeds United will mark a fresh start in his career as he faces up to a “big decision” over his future this summer. Robinson, who signed for Leeds on loan from Bolton Wanderers this week, spoke of his delight at moving to Elland Road after enduring a period of frustration and inactivity with his parent club. The left-back last started a league game for Bolton on Boxing Day when he played in a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United, but he is in contention to make his United debut in Sunday’s must-win Championship match at Middlesbrough. Robinson is approaching the end of his time at the Reebok Stadium with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, and Leeds manager Neil Warnock signed him initially until April 9 with a view to keeping the defender at Elland Road next term. Robinson – 33 years old and a veteran of more than 500 senior appearances for Bolton, West Bromw
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/3/12 Warnock’s happy with his defenders O’Dea and Lees By Phil Hay Leeds United boss Neil Warnock could call off his search for new centre-backs after giving a vote of confidence to current pairing Tom Lees and Darren O’Dea. Warnock is considering sticking with Lees and O’Dea for the rest of the season on the back of their performances in his first three games as manager. The 63-year-old planned to make changes to the centre of his defence after taking charge last month, and he recently expressed an interest in loaning Leicester City’s Matt Mills until the end of the season. His hunt for fresh blood was encouraged by United’s poor defensive record but the club have leaked just one goal in their last three outings – conceded in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Southampton – and Lees and O’Dea have played their part in clean sheets registered against Portsmouth and Hull City. Warnock’s side are currently struggling to keep themselves in contention for play-off qualificat
Yorkshire Post 7/3/12 Dropped points will hurt Leeds more than rivals Hull Hull City 0 Leeds Utd 0: This was a result that suited neither side. On a night when sixth-placed Birmingham City were otherwise engaged in the FA Cup, both Hull City and Leeds United were unable to claim the win that would have put real pressure on the Blues. Instead, the Yorkshire rivals fought out a largely dull goalless draw in front of the KC Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season. The Tigers had the better of the few chances that were created – particularly in the final 15 minutes of the first half when the visitors’ goal came under heavy pressure. During that bombardment, Andy Lonergan proved to be the visitors’ saviour with a couple of vital stops to keep out Corry Evans and Cameron Stewart. That brief spell apart, however, United were largely comfortable and, if anything, had the better of the second half as the Hull midfield tired. Despite that, Leeds rarely looked like making the breakthrough to extend
Mail 6/3/12 Hull 0 Leeds 0: Lonergan is United's hero as Warnock fails to reignite play-off push By John Edwards Andy Lonergan seized the opportunity to make the right impression on Neil Warnock, but it was scarcely enough to put a smile on the face of the new Leeds manager at the KC Stadium. After a goalless draw at Portsmouth and home defeat by Southampton, Warnock was looking for a positive impact from players further up the field after outlining the requirements for a late tilt at a play-off place. Instead, with his front players misfiring for much of the night, it was left to Lonergan to keep Leeds in contention with a string of spectacular saves. It was meant to be the start of a three-match winning run that would launch Leeds into the thick of the promotion battle, but no-one would have guessed from the way Hull tore into Warnock’s team in a one-sided first half. Leeds’ manager had boldly declared that maximum points against Hull, Middlesbrough and West Ham were essential f
Yorkshire Evening Post 5/3/12 Leeds United v Southampton: Kelvin repels the white tide By Phil Hay So exactly how far short of the Championship’s leaders are this Leeds United squad? In a table which apparently never lies, not so far as the division suggests. A goal from Rickie Lambert carried Southampton four points clear at the top of the league on Saturday night, but if Neil Warnock saw this game as a comparison between his team and the best the Championship can offer, the contrast was not what he expected or feared. United’s manager took the view that Leeds, at first glance, were “quite a bit short” of a side like Southampton, and the table says he is right. But on Saturday, their ability to dominate a club so prominent was indisputable, least of all by Southampton’s harried players. Be it the Warnock factor or an off-day on the part of United’s guests, something clicked at long, long last. Defeat was unavoidable in spite of their rampant football but Leeds have pilfered enough poi
Mail 3/3/12 Leeds 0 Southampton 1: Davis keeps United at bay as Lambert powers Saints clear By Steve Martyn Nigel Adkins rated Kelvin Davis’s virtuoso goalkeeping among the best he had ever seen as Championship leaders Southampton made it seven league games unbeaten. And new Leeds manager Neil Warnock confessed that Davis had ‘done enough to win five Man of the Match awards’. Rickie Lambert’s classic smash-and-grab goal secured the three points but Leeds paid the price for failing to embellish their slick approach play with goals. Davis was in unbeatable form and Saints manager Adkins said: ‘His performance was right up there with the best I have seen. He was outstanding. ‘In the first 15 minutes we were chasing shadows for whatever reason. We looked second best to a very good Leeds team but Kelvin made some fantastic saves. ‘We had to grind out a result because we were not at our best. We defended resolutely, showed real resolve and character and kept our sixth clean sheet in nine gam
Leedsunited.com 29/2/12 DANNY'S UP FOR THE UNITED CHALLENGE New signing brings experience... New signing Danny Webber is hoping his experience as a Championship promotion winner can play part as Leeds United look to keep alive an assault on the Play-Off places. The 30-year-old was part of the Blades side which clinched promotion to the Premier League in 2006 under the guidance of our new manager Neil Warnock, and Danny knows he has joined a club with a real chance of progress. "Leeds is a massive club," said Danny. "You can see the history and the great set-up of the place, and I played under Neil Warnock at Sheffield United and am looking forward to playing under him again. I've had some good parts of my career under him. "He knows how to get the best out of players, he knows how to motivate people and hopefully he can do that with everyone here. He looks after you, and he'll be back you. That's important when you're playing. "It's touc