On the way to glory

ADDITIONAL KIT SPONSOR IS CONFIRMED.

1 June 2013.
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New secondary sponsor is announced.



We are delighted to announce today that Help-Link will be the clubs secondary sponsor from next season.

The company are a Leeds based one, who are one of the largest UK home heating providers, who install over 30,000 boilers in the UK every year.

Under the new deal, the Help-Link logo will feature on the reverse of all the first-team and replica kits from next season, and the Leeds based company will see themselves given advertisement at the stadium, throughout match day media and on our digital platform.

In terms of the deal we have signed with the heating company, it is an initial one-year deal, with the option of us taking up a further two years.

Managing Director Shaun Harvey on the deal. "This deal we have signed today is a good one for both parties concerned, for fact that Help-Link are only a secondary shirt sponsor, we are getting a good deal from them, but this will also improve the marketing for Help-Link, so both parties will benefit from the deal."

I love how you present this, so realistic. Can't wait for future updates.

Cheers jambo it is good to get feedback from people and am glad you love how I present this, and their may well be another update later today.

Williams departs Elland Road.

Last updated: June 1, 2013 4:15pm.





Leeds United Director of Football Gwyn Williams has today left the club, with Bolton Wanderers appointing him as their new Director of Football.

The Trotters have recently been taken over by local businessman Kevin Heaney, and he has appointed Williams as their new Director of Football, with the new chairman hoping he can work alongside manager Mick McCarthy, to bring the best players available on the market to the club.

Williams, 64, was at Chelsea under Ken Bates before his move to Leeds United in 2006, but it is thought that he was surplus to requirements this season, despite the club fighting off interest from Norwich City before the start of the season, with The Whites boss Phil Walker dealing with all the transfers and contract negotiations, which has led to his move to the Reebok Stadium.

It is thought that the West Yorkshire club will receive around £6,000 in compensation for the deal, which is something they would not have got if he stayed till the end of his current deal.

get eric cantona as your director of football

I do not think the Leeds United fans would be impressed with that, plus I do not really use the director of football anyways, as I like to do everything myself.

Sign The Chief to be part of the club as a coach or any job!

I have actually looked to bring in the likes of Radebe or even Matteo for my back room staff, but they have not got the right stats for a job.

I also wanted to bring back Nigel Martyn, but by the time I had looked at him he had gone to Coventry, I am hoping in the future he will come to me.

I do have ex-defender Richard Naylor in charge of the youth-team though.

I have signed Radebe for my backroom staff many times, I know he may not be the best statistically but he's Lucas Radebe!

Well hopefully he can improve in the future and come back to Elland Road.

Walker looking to sign players in the next week.

Last updated: June 10, 2013 1:35pm.





There could be some new faces at Leeds United in the next week, after manager Phil Walker confirmed he is looking to add to his squad.

Walker, 40, has spoken for the first time since his clubs disappointment in the play-offs, where his Leeds United side were defeated by Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals, who were eventually beaten 3-2 at Wembley by Blackburn Rovers.

The main topic that Walker spoke about was the summer transfer window, and with the window having opened yesterday, the likes of James McFadden, Jordan Spence, Leon Best and Shane Duffy being linked with a move to Elland Road, while there is talks that Jerome Thomas is on his way back to West Yorkshire.

Phil Walker on the summer transfer window. "Well of course the defeat to Nottingham Forest in the play-offs did hurt, but when I arrived last summer the task for me was to get a respectable league finish, but we did a lot better than that, which was a great feeling as I am only a rookie in football management, and I also believe we can use this disappointment to spur us on next season.

"There may well be new faces arriving at Elland Road in the next week or so, but we will just have to sit tight, and hopefully I will make my first signings of the summer in the next seven days.

"In terms of the players I am looking to sign, of course I am not going to name any names, as that is not the right thing to do, but I have around ten players I am looking at, and if we can sign around five of those, I will be very happy, and that is something that was discussed in Monaco, when I went out there last week to meet Ken Bates and Shaun Harvey.

"I can also confirm that any players looking to join this club, will have to fit in with the wage structure, as I will not be offering silly wages out, just to get the signature of a player.

"As far as players leaving Elland Road goes, I will be looking to not only release but sell some players, as we will have to sell as well as buy players, as that will keep our weekly wage down."

11 June 2013
Last updated at 11:30


Championship club Leeds United have today announced profits of nearly four million pounds.

This is the fifth consecutive year that the West Yorkshire club have made a profit financially, with the Leeds United board confirming a profit of £3.8m has been made, between the financial year of June 2012 and June 2013.

This fifth year of making a profit financially will be great news to the fans of The Whites, who have seen their club ripped apart after mismanagement financially in the past, something which saw them go from playing in the last four of the Champions League, to playing Championship football in just three years, with the jewels in the Elland Road crown being sold off to pay off mounting debts, despite protests from the supporters, and relegation from the Premier League to the Championship was nearly a decade ago.

The profit will be great news to the board and fans as no key players were sold during the season, with the club also making a profit in the transfer market, but the run in the FA Cup which saw the club reach the last eight of the competition, the fact they reached the play-offs and the television coverage for their games, will be seen as the biggest influence on the club making a profit.

The Whites overall profit of £3.8m is the biggest profit since 2007-08, a season which saw the club emerge from administration and reach Wembley in the League One play-off final, and also pulled in £4.5m.

Davies to join Leeds United.

Last updated: June 12, 2013 4:05pm.





We can confirm today that Ben Davies has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Leeds United.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who can operate all over the midfield, has put pen to paper on a pre-contract agreement at Elland Road, which will see him move to West Yorkshire on July 1.

In terms of the deal he has signed for the club, it is a one-year deal on a £4,000-per-week deal, with reports he could earn an extra year at Elland Road, if he features in at least 25 league games next season.

The Walsall-born midfielder, did play 18 times in the Championship and 20 times in all competitions this season, but he could not save The Rams from relegation on the final day from the Championship.

The Whites boss Phil Walker will be looking for Davies to add competition to the midfield, with him hoping he can add competition to the current midfielders at the club, and help with their push for promotion next season.

Davies has signed for his eighth club in his career, having had spells at Stoke City, Walsall, Kidderminster Harriers, Chester City, Shrewsbury Town, Notts County and Derby County.

Ben Davies on the move to Leeds United. "It is a great honour to have signed for a club like this this afternoon, I believe this is a massive step forward in my career, and it is a new chapter which I am really looking forward to.

"I was sold on the move up here from the first minute I met the gaffer (Phil Walker), he sat down and spoke to me for a good hour at Thorp Arch, on where he wants to take the club and what he feels I will add to the current squad, which really sold the idea of moving here to me.

"The facilities are also some of the best around at Leeds United, the ground Elland Road holds nearly 40,000 people, and the training ground at Wetherby is terrific."

Good signing in Davies.

Thanks for the comment Rick.

He seems to be an alright player, can play all across the midfield, and he is only on £4k a week, which is good business, but not expecting him to be a great player at 32, and I only signed him to play backup to the first team.

17 June 2013
Last updated at 11:40


Leeds United have this morning confirmed that ex-midfielder Stephen McPhail has returned to the club.

The 33-year-old was a free agent, after being without a club after his release by Cardiff City at the end of January, although he did spend a month on trial earlier in the season with the West Yorkshire side, but he has this morning secured a permanent return to Elland Road.

The former Irish international, who was actually born in London, has returned to where his career began back in the 90s, when he made the breakthrough into the senior side from the academy setup, he then went onto make 78 league appearances, and finding the back of the net three times in those games.

The central midfielder has played for a number of teams during his career, including pulling on the shirt of Millwall, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley, as well as the shirt of Leeds United and Cardiff City.

In terms of the deal that McPhail has signed at Elland Road, he has signed a one-year deal worth £1,500-per-week, with the chance to earn an extra year if he plays in 25 or more league games.

This is the second signing that the club have announced this summer, with Ben Davies agreeing to join from Derby County on a free transfer last week, when his deal expires at the end of this month.

Leeds United 2013-14 Championship fixtures.

Last updated: June 25, 2013 10:20am.





The 2013-14 Championship fixtures were released earlier this morning, and we can now confirm who Leeds United will face and when this season.

The Whites enjoyed a finish in the top three in the league last season, in their first season under new rookie boss Phil Walker, who enjoyed his first season in football management, but they were eventually beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Nottingham Forest, after being in line for automatic promotion for the majority of the season.

With the fixtures being released this morning, the Leeds United fans, players and management team can now start looking forward to the season ahead, which will see them hoping to go one step further than last season, and win promotion back to the Premier League.

The opening game of the season for them will see Leicester City come to Elland Road, with The Foxes looking to get revenge this season, after Roy Keane saw his men lose 2-0 at Elland Road last season, with both goals for The Whites coming from Luciano Becchio.

The first trip away from Elland Road comes three days later, with a trip up North to take on Middlesbrough, on a ground where The Whites claimed all three points last season, in a 2-1 victory.

The first match against the recently relegated Premier League teams is in September, with a trip to West Brom being scheduled for the fifth match of the Championship season, with The Baggies hoping for revenge after losing in the FA Cup to The Whites last season.

There are two Yorkshire derbies later that month at Elland Road, both games coming in succession, with both Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town visiting Elland Road, with The Blades being the first promoted side to face Leeds United.

There is another Yorkshire derby in October, with Barnsley making a short trip to West Yorkshire on a Tuesday night, with both sides hoping for all three points, after the 1-1 draw on the final day of the Championship season in May.

November will be a busy month for The Whites, with the most notable games including trips to recently relegated Sunderland and Cardiff City, while Nottingham Forest, Burnley and recently promoted Tranmere Rovers will visit Elland Road.

The Christmas period gets underway with a trip to Leicester City on December 21, before a trip to Birmingham City on Boxing Day, before rounding off 2013 with home fixtures against Middlesbrough and Watford.

The first match of 2014 will take place 11 days into the New Year, with a trip to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City, before a Yorkshire derby three days later at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United, with West Brom visiting Elland Road to round off the month of January.

The month of February will see Leeds United travel to Huddersfield Town, in a match they won 2-1 last season, thanks to an 84th minute winner from Luciano Becchio.

Leeds United will get March underway with a trip to Barnsley, before other notable away trips to Nottingham Forest and Burnley, while home matches against Sunderland and Ipswich Town are pencilled in.

With the Championship season scheduled to end in April this season instead of May, the West Yorkshire side will have to play six games, with four at home and two away from Elland Road, both Cardiff City and Swansea City visit Elland Road, along with Peterborough United and Millwall, with trips to Tranmere Rovers and Preston North End included, with the season ending at Deepdale.

2012-13 SEASON AWARDS ANNOUNCED.

25 June 2013.
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Awards dinner held earlier tonight.



The 2012-13 season awards were handed out earlier tonight, at the clubs official annual awards dinner.

The awards that were up for grabs on the night were the Player of the Year, the Young Player of the Year, the Goal of the Season and the Fastest goal of the Season.

Argentinian striker Luciano Becchio picked up the Player of the Year award, an award which he won not for just finishing as the clubs top scorer, but for having his best season goals wise since joining in 2008, and also for the way he played in the team.

Sam Byram was the winner of the Young Player of the Year award, in a season which has seen him make his debut for the club, something which has seen him go onto feature in 34 matches in all competitions, an impressive stat for somebody who had not played at senior level before the start of the campaign.

The Goal of the Season award went to departing midfielder Michael Brown, for his volley against West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town, at Elland Road, a goal which was voted as the Championship Goal of the Month back in September.

The award for the Fastest goal of the Season went to striker Ross McCormack, for his strike against Port Vale in the Capital One Cup, which came after just 28 seconds, in our first competitive match of the season.

The award winners 2012-13.
Player of the Year. Luciano Becchio.
Young Player of the Year. Sam Byram.
Goal of the Season. Michael Brown v Huddersfield Town.
Fastest goal of the Season. Ross McCormack v Port Vale, 28 seconds.

Some stats from the 2012-13 season.
Most appearances in all competitions. Paddy Kenny (48).
Top scorer in all competitions. Luciano Becchio (23).
Top scorer in the league. Luciano Becchio (22).
Most assists. Ross McCormack (10).
Biggest win of the season. 4-0 v AFC Wimbledon, FA Cup Third Round.
Biggest defeat of the season. 0-6 v Manchester City, FA Cup Quarter-Final.
Highest scoring match. 0-6 v Manchester City, FA Cup Quarter-Final.
Biggest attendance. 36,551 v Nottingham Forest, Play-Off Semi-Final.
Lowest attendance. 11,306 v Port Vale, Capital One Cup First Round.
Average attendance. 25,197.
Team of the season. Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pearce, Pugh, Green, Austin, Norris, Varney, McCormack, Becchio.

Please note that the player of the year award is the fans player of the year award on FM.

I also decided on the young player of the year and goal of the season award, as it would look more realistic on the story update, and the quickest goal of the season award also gave me something else to write about.

GUISELEY FRIENDLY ADDED TO OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE.

26 June 2013.
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Short trip to Nethermoor is confirmed.



We can today confirm that a pre-season friendly away to Guiseley has been arranged.

The pre-season friendly was arranged by Guiseley earlier today, and it will see us travel 11 miles to the small West Yorkshire town of Guiseley, to take them on at their Nethermoor stadium.

The friendly will take place on July 27, just two days after the away friendly at Grimsby Town, and this could allow a number of our youngsters to grab a chance to impress boss Phil Walker.

We do allow Guiseley to arrange a pre-season friendly with us every summer, due to our agreement with them being our feeder club, which does allow us to loan players to the Blue Square Bet North side.

The result from the pre-season fixture last season was a 3-1 win to us, with us winning thanks to two goals from Sam Byram, and a goal from striker Andy Gray.

The ticket prices have already been confirmed by The Lions, with adult prices tickets being priced at £12, and concession tickets costing £7, with us being handed half of the 3,000 allocation of tickets.

18 PLAYERS AND STAFF RELEASED TODAY.

30 June 2013.
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Players and staff released as their contracts expire.



We can confirm today that we have released 18 players and members of staff, with Michael Brown being the most notable player being released.

Today has seen 11 players being released by us, with manager Phil Walker not renewing their contracts which have expired today. The most notable player being released is central-midfielder Michael Brown, who featured under boss Phil Walker 19 times last season, scoring just one goal against Huddersfield Town, which did win the clubs Goal of the Season award. The other players to be released are Leigh Bromby, Paul Rachubka, Patrick Antelmi, Ross Killock, Joe McCann, Lewis Turner, Nathan Turner, Robbie Rogers, Luke Parkin and Lewis Walters.

It has also been confirmed that seven staff members have left the club, as Phil Walker looks to build his own team of backroom staff. The most notable staff member leaving is Mick Jones, who worked as the number two to Phil Walker last season, after deciding not to leave when Neil Warnock did. The other staff members to leave are Ronnie Jepson, Harvey Sharman, Alex Davies, Terry Potter, Steve Megson and Faith Fisher-Atack.

We would like to wish everybody good luck for the future, and wish them all the success for it.

1 July 2013
Last updated at 16:05


Leeds United have today told three senior players that they are free to find themselves new clubs.

The Leeds United players only returned for pre-season training at Thorp Arch this morning, but manager Phil Walker has told Davide Somma, Adam Drury and Ramon Nunez that they are free to leave Elland Road.

South African international striker Somma, 28, has won 12 caps for his country, and found the net three times in those games. The striker did return to first-team action last season, after more than a year out with a serious knee injury, but he only managed to find the net three times in 24 matches, and has been told he is free to leave.

Left-back Drury, 34, only joined the West Yorkshire club from Norwich City last summer, after an 11-year spell at Carrow Road, but he only went on to make 22 appearances in all competitions, with his last appearance coming against Nottingham Forest in April, and it looks like he will not play another game for The Whites.

Honduras midfielder Nunez, 27, only played for the club 15 times in the first-team last season, and despite having 51 caps for his country, he has been told he is free to leave Elland Road, with the club looking to cut the number of midfielders, and get his wages off the wage bill.

FIVE STAFF MEMBERS APPOINTED.

3 July 2013.
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Five join in two days.



We would like to confirm that manager Phil Walker has appointed five new faces to his backroom staff.

The appointments at the club were made yesterday and today, with manager Phil Walker looking to help re-shape the club on and off the pitch, with him looking for a push for promotion to the Premier League this season.

The staff that have been appointed are Sandy Stewart, John Hartson, Nigel Winterburn, Mel Johnson and Ketan Patel, and they have all joined us having been previously unemployed.

Ex-Bolton Wanderers assistant manager Stewart, will be used in the same role at Elland Road, ex-Arsenal duo Hartson and Winterburn will be first-team coaches, ex-Queens Park Rangers scout Johnson will be our chief scout, while former Charlton Athletic physio Patel joins our Under-18s squad, as their new physio.

The backroom team has seen some changes this summer, with Mick Jones, Ronnie Jepson, Harvey Sharman, Alex Davies, Terry Potter, Steve Megson and Faith Fisher-Atack being released, while Gwyn Williams has left to join Bolton Wanderers.

James joins Leeds United.

Last updated: July 3, 2013 2:40pm.





Leeds United have today completed the signing of ex-Hartlepool United striker Luke James.

The 18-year-old, who can also operate down the right side of midfield as well as up front, has joined the West Yorkshire club on a free transfer, after being released by his club, following their relegation to League Two last season.

The youngster, who has been capped at the Under-19s level for England, has signed a deal at Thorp Arch today until the end of the 2015-16 season.

The striker may well still be only a teenager, but he did finish as top scorer at Victoria Park last season, finishing the season with seven league goals, and 11 goals in all competitions. Last season also saw the Ashington-born player, pick up his first cap for England at the Under-19s level, and he scored two goals in the recent 4-0 victory over Armenia Under-19s.

The signing of James will add competition to the current strike force at Elland Road, with their only currently being five strikers on the books at the club, with those being Luciano Becchio, Ross McCormack, Luke Varney, Dominic Poleon and Davide Somma, but it is expected Somma will leave the club, as he is currently transfer listed.

Leeds United fans will also be hoping he can add goals to the team, as the third top scorer last season behind Becchio and McCormack was Varney, but he only found the net seven times in all competitions, in his debut campaign.

Luke James on his transfer to Elland Road. "It is a great feeling to have signed for a club like Leeds United today, this is one of the biggest clubs in England, and it is a great feeling to have signed for them.

"This past year of my football career has been a little bit mental, I have had the ups of finishing as top scorer at Hartlepool United, and winning a Under-19s cap for England, but then I have had the disappointment of relegation at Victoria Park, and being released by them, but I just hope this season is going to be one with just highs and no lows."

Phil Walker on the signing of Luke James and future signings. "It is a great feeling to have finally signed one of my targets, I know a lot about the lad after having him watched last season, and I hope he can hit the ground running, and add goals to the team this season.

"We are in the process of trying to add another couple of new faces to the team, and I am hoping one of those players will be joining before Saturday, but there could also be more signings made, so this could be a busy summer for us.

"In terms of players leaving Elland Road, I have been told we are not in a position of having to sell to buy players, especially after the profit we made last season, but obviously if I get an offer which is too good to turn down, then I will accept, but at the minute we do not have to sell our key players."

5 July 2013
Last updated at 12:40


Ex-Newcastle United midfielder Kieron Dyer has today completed his move to Leeds United.

The midfielder, who was released by Queens Park Rangers last month, has put pen to paper on a deal at Elland Road, which will see him stay in West Yorkshire until June 2014, on a deal worth £5,250-per-week.

Dyer who is 34 years old and will turn 35 in December, can operate in each position across the midfield, and if needed he can also be played at right-back and as a striker, so it looks like The Whites have signed him to offer competition to the squad.

The Ipswich-born player is a very experienced one, despite having an injury plagued career, he has played in over 300 league games, in spells which has seen him play for his local club Ipswich Town in two separate spells, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers.

Along with having played in over 300 league games in club football, the midfielder has picked up 33 international caps for England, and featured for them in the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.

This is the fourth player to arrive at Elland Road this summer, with him joining fellow new boys Stephen McPhail, Ben Davies and Luke James, but none of the new arrivals have been handed squad numbers yet.

SOMMA DEPARTS FOR SUFFOLK.

6 July 2013.
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Striker leaves for a new challenge.



Striker Davide Somma has today departed the club, with the transfer to Ipswich Town being completed.

The 28-year-old striker, had found himself surplus to requirements and on the transfer list with us, but has today completed his down south, with the player joining the Suffolk club for £750,000.

The striker did join us permanently in September 2009, after impressing while on trial under Simon Grayson, who was our manager at that time, but his Elland Road career did get off to a slow start, with him spending time away out on loan first at Chesterfield and then at Lincoln City, where he scored nine goals in 14 league appearances. The following season saw the striker burst onto the scene at Elland Road, with top scorer Jermaine Beckford having left to join Everton, and he did not disappoint, going on and finding the net 11 times in 29 league games. The 2011-12 campaign was a disappointing one, with the striker missing the whole of the season, after picking up a damaged knee cartilage. Last season saw Somma make his long awaited comeback from injury, but under Phil Walker he was unable to find the form he had a couple of seasons before, with the striker only finding the net three times in all competitions, but he did create six goals for his team mates.

Somma does have 12 caps for South Africa to his name, with him winning his last one against Ukraine in June, a game which finished 1-1 with him finding the net, and he hopes a move to Ipswich Town will see him continue his international career.

We would like to wish Davide all the best for the future, and would like to thank him for his efforts whilst playing for us.

LIVINGSTON PRE-SEASON MATCH IS CANCELLED.

8 July 2013.
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Another pre-season match to be arranged in place.



Our pre-season trip to Livingston has today been cancelled.

The friendly, which was due to be played on August 2, will now not take place, due to Livingston facing Montrose away just 24 hours later, in the Scottish League Cup First Round.

Livi are now managed by our former centre-back David Wetherall, who took over at Almondvale Stadium in December 2012, and has recently signed a deal until May 2015, with the clubs board hoping they can win promotion from Division One this season.

Manager Phil Walker has confirmed that he is looking for another Scottish side to play, so that fans that have paid for trains and hotels will not have their money wasted, and he will be looking to arrange the match on the same night, as when the Livingston match would have taken place.

REPLACEMENT FRIENDLY IS CONFIRMED.

8 July 2013.
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Replacement friendly confirmed just hours after the cancellation.



We can this evening confirm that we will face Scottish side Bathgate Thistle, as a replacement for the cancelled Livingston friendly.

The confirmation of the Livingston friendly being cancelled was announced this morning, but manager Phil Walker has worked hard to find a replacement team, with Bathgate Thistle being confirmed as the replacement this evening.

The friendly will take place on August 2, the same night we was due to take on Livingston, and fans will be pleased to know that just 6.4 miles separates Almondvale Stadium with Creamery Park, which is where Bathgate Thistle play their home games.

Ticket details for the match will be confirmed later this month, with those being released on this website.

Brilliant signing in Luke James, always looks a brilliant prospect to me so to get him for free is a great deal!

Best of luck for the new season and getting promotion

Cheers jambo, he looks a good prospect and scored a few goals last season, so I will see what he can do making the step up, hopefully he will take the league by storm, and add a few goals to our squad.

As for promotion I believe we are in a great position, I believe our squad is stronger than last season, and new faces could be arriving soon.

Hope you keep following and commenting from time to time.