born-to-win - Comments

A massive congratulations to you on winning the league and what you have done at Cowdenbeath, taking them from the first division where you were expected to avoid relegation to this and Europe, and all in five years.

Great work on forcing a replay with Northampton, hopefully you can beat them in the replay and also sort your league form out.

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."

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

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 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.

Just caught up on this and its great that your top of the table, I hope you can stay up there, also great to see your still in Europe and also bringing the money in on transfers regarding Sergen Budak, but unlucky on losing the cup final to Celtic

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.

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.

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."

PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE IS CONFIRMED.

31 May 2013.
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Summer friendlies are confirmed.



We can today confirm our plans and who we will face in pre-season.

The players will report back to Thorp Arch on July 1, for pre-season training, in preparation for the up and coming season in the Championship.

The pre-season will see our first, reserve and youth-teams playing in pre-season matches, something which first-team boss Phil Walker, reserve-team boss Neil Redfearn and youth-team boss Richard Naylor have arranged together.

Our first-team have been arranged to play in a total of five pre-season friendlies, with three away from Elland Road and two at Elland Road. Our first test of the summer will see us travelling to face Crewe Alexandra on July 13, before facing Spanish Cup runners up Malaga at Elland Road a week later, we then face trips to Grimsby Town and Scottish side Livingston, before finishing the pre-season campaign against Arsenal at Elland Road.

The reserve-team will play in just four pre-season matches, with all four matches being played away. First up will be a trip to face Farsley on July 17, then we will face a trip to Harrogate Town five days later, before rounding pre-season off with trips to FC Halifax and Bury.

The youth-team will also be involved in pre-season friendlies, and like the reserves they will be away from home, but they will take on just three teams. First up will be Ossett Town on July 8, before facing a trip to Nuneaton Town on July 11, and then rounding the pre-season off away at Garforth Town.

We would like fans to note that the pre-season schedule could change at any time, with the chance of friendlies being cancelled or more being added.

The pre-season 2013 match details in full.
Monday July 8. Ossett Town at Ingfield. 7:45pm.
Thursday July 11. Nuneaton Town at Liberty Way. 7:45pm.
Saturday July 13. Crewe Alexandra at The Alexandra Stadium. 3pm.
Sunday July 14. Garforth Town at Wheatley Park Stadium. 3pm.
Wednesday July 17. Farsley at Throstle Nest. 7:45pm.
Saturday July 20. Malaga at Elland Road. 3pm.
Monday July 22. Harrogate Town at Wetherby Road. 7:45pm.
Thursday July 25. Grimsby Town at Blundell Park. 7:45pm.
Sunday July 28. FC Halifax at The Shay. 3pm.
Wednesday July 31. Bury at Gigg Lane. 7:45pm
Friday August 2. Livingston at Almondvale Stadium. 7:30pm.
Saturday August 10. Arsenal at Elland Road. 3pm.

Ticket details for the pre-season schedule will follow soon, and will be announced on this website.

Cheers Rick, I am hoping it will make the players more determined for next season, and can attract players from the Premier League to help us into the top flight next season.

Next update is ready to be uploaded, it shows who we will face in the pre-season friendlies.

Tough Europa League draw there for you, but hopefully you can fill the ground to capacity every game, and maybe even progress into the knockout stages.

Great bit of business on signing Ribery and Eto'o, hopefully then can fire you up the league and maybe give you a good run in the FA Cup

29 May 2013
Last updated at 23:55


The npower Championship awards have been announced tonight, just two days after the last game of the season.

The awards were announced tonight at The Football League Awards 2013 dinner, which saw the award winners in the Championship, League One and League Two announced, but we do concentrate on the Championship award winners in this news update, with five awards being handed out, and also the Players' Team of the Year was announced.

Let's move onto the award winners now, the Manager of the Year award went to Wolves boss Stale Solbakken, he won the award after guiding the West Midlands side back into the Premier League at the first attempt, and that came in his first season in charge at Molineux.

The Player of the Year award was won by Wolves striker Kevin Doyle, who found the net 29 times in 44 matches, and finishing with an average rating of 7.47.

It was Birmingham City winger Nathan Redmond who won the Young Player of the Year award, the 19 year-old put in a series of high-class performances this season, with him finding the net four times, and setting up 18 goals in 36 appearances, with an average rating of 7.02.

It was Jordan Rhodes of Blackburn Rovers, who finished the 2012-13 Championship season as the Top Scorer, he went into the play-off final a goal behind Kevin Doyle of Wolves, but his brace at Wembley meant he finished the season above Doyle, thanks to an impressive 30 goals in his debut season at Ewood Park.

The Goal of the Season award went to Craig Bellamy of Cardiff City, which was for his strike against Charlton Athletic on January the 19th, which was a top-drawer strike from 27 yards out.

The Players' Team of the Year was also confirmed, with the team being made up of three players from Wolves, two from Brighton and Hove Albion and one each from Barnsley, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

The list of the award winners.

Manager of the Year. Stale Solbakken (Wolves).
Player of the Year. Kevin Doyle (Wolves).
Young Player of the Year. Nathan Redmond (Birmingham City).
Top Scorer. Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers).
Goal of the Season. Craig Bellamy. Charlton Athletic v Cardiff City.
Players' Team of the Year. Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Neal Eardley (Blackpool), Roger Johnson (Wolves), Gordon Greer (Brighton and Hove Albion), Jason Pearce (Leeds United), David Lopez (Brighton and Hove Albion), Jacob Mellis (Barnsley), Chris Cohen (Nottingham Forest), Stephen Hunt (Wolves), Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers), Kevin Doyle (Wolves).

Congratulations on the double with Skonto and getting the under 21s job.

Keep up the good work.

Good luck for the rest of the season, I hope you can build a good side in the summer to properly challenge for the title, and maybe some silverwear in the cup competitions.

Started the season quite well, I hope you get into the FA Cup proper and get a run into the third round, where hopefully you will get a home Premier League tie and some money.

Keep up the good work.

With eight games left in the Premier League, I hope you can avoid the relegation trap door

WHO WILL BE JOINING US NEXT SEASON.

28 May 2013.
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The teams arriving and departing for next season are confirmed.



The 2012-13 Championship season came to an end at Wembley yesterday, and we can now confirm who has left and entered this division for next season.

It was Blackburn Rovers who were the winners in the play-off final at Wembley yesterday, as Alan Curbishley guided his team to a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest, the team that defeated us in the semi-final, to book their place to Wembley.

Former Premier League champions Rovers are the final team to leave the Championship, they have been promoted back into the Premier League with Wolves and Hull City, with Rovers and Wolves bouncing straight back into the Premier League, after relegation from their last season.

Also leaving the Championship for next season are Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic, with all those three clubs suffering relegation to League One for next season.

Arriving to face us in the Championship from the Premier League next season will be West Brom, Swansea City and Sunderland, after they all suffered relegation from the top flight on the final day.

Arriving to play in the Championship from League One next season are winners Sheffield United, runners-up Tranmere Rovers and play-off winners Preston North End.

Arriving. West Brom, Swansea City, Sunderland, Sheffield United, Tranmere Rovers and Preston North End.

Departing. Wolves, Hull City, Blackburn Rovers, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic.

Leeds United season 2012-13 results.

Last updated: May 16, 2013 2:30pm.





Leeds United completed their season last night with a victory over Nottingham Forest, but lost the play-off semi-final 3-2 on aggregate, we now look at their results from the campaign.

Despite the defeat last night in the play-offs, it has been quite a successful season for the West Yorkshire team, not only did they finish in 3rd place in the table, but they reached the last eight of the FA Cup, and also reached the Second Round of the Capital One Cup.

We have split the results into the three competitions that The Whites took part in this season, with the results and goal scorers in all competitions below.

BYRAM REFLECTS ON HIS DEBUT SEASON.

16 May 2013.
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Teenager speaks about his debut campaign.



Sam Byram has spoken to us exclusively today on how he has felt he has done in his debut season for the first-team.

Byram, 19, had not played a single minute of senior football before the start of this season, but that all changed against Port Vale in the first round of the Capital One Cup, when he featured for 90 minutes in the 1-0 victory against the League Two side, and since then he has gone on to make a total of 34 appearances this season, with 28 of those coming in the Championship.

The York-born youngster is a versatile player, he can play both at right-back and on the right of midfield, and that versatility has helped the team out this season, also helping Byram feature as many times as he has.

Sam Byram on his debut season at the club. "This season has been great for me, it has been one in which not only have I made my senior debut for the club and in football, but I have gone on and played 34 times for the club, something which I am very proud of.

"Phil Walker has been a great help for me as well, he told me at the start of the campaign I would get my chance, but he also told me that I would not be used too much, as I am still only young and need rest between matches, but hopefully I can play in more matches next season.

"I am now looking forward to the pre-season holiday, but I am also looking forward to the beginning of July, which is when we will return for pre-season training, so hopefully a good pre-season can help us hit the ground running next season, and gain us promotion back into the Premier League, something which we are all disappointed did not happen this season."

I know, I thought when Becchio scored we was going to turn things around, but it was not to be



Not a great end to the season, especially as we was in the top two for so long, but this will give me more motivation for next season

15 May 2013
Last updated at 22:20


Leeds United may have beaten Nottingham Forest tonight 1-0 at Elland Road, but it is Forest who have progressed into the play-off final at Wembley, thanks to a 3-2 win on aggregate.

The Whites came into the second leg looking for revenge after the 3-1 defeat at The City Ground, and manager Phil Walker made two changes from that match, out went the injured Patrick Kisnorbo and Michael Tonge, with Lee Peltier and David Norris replacing them.

Nottingham Forest came to Elland Road knowing that Wembley was in sight, and manager Sean O'Driscoll made just the one change from the first leg, out went Dan Harding to be replaced by Greg Halford.

The first chance of the match came in the opening minute, with Rodolph Austin firing a shot which clipped the top of the crossbar as it went over. The chance for the home side was created by Luciano Becchio, he was found by a pass from Danny Pugh, before knocking it back to Austin, and he fired a shot which beat Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, but clipped the crossbar on the way over.

The next chance of the match came just seven minutes later, with Leeds United captain Lee Peltier forcing a save from Carl Ikeme with a rising shot. The chance for Peltier was created by David Norris, he was picked out by a Aidan White pass, before playing the ball into the run of Peltier, who hit a vicious shot towards the top corner of the goal, which was turned behind by Ikeme.

The pressure from the home side paid off on 32 minutes, with striker Luciano Becchio finding the net for the 23rd time this season. The assist for the goal went to midfielder Paul Green, he picked the ball up after a terrible pass from Robert Snodgrass, before playing a pass for the Argentinian striker to latch onto, he then took a touch before scoring with a low drive in front of the stand with the Forest fans in, to give the home fans some hope of going to Wembley.

The next chance did not come until after the hour mark, with Ross McCormack hitting the post with a free-kick. It was the Scottish international who won the free-kick on the edge of the box, he was brought down by Greg Halford, who protested the decision to the referee as he felt he had dived, but the free-kick was awarded, and McCormack rattled the post with goalkeeper Carl Ikeme beaten.

Nottingham Forest finally fired a shot on target on the 66th minute, but Henri Lansbury was denied by Paddy Kenny. The chance for Lansbury was created by Guy Moussi, the Forest midfielder won the ball from David Norris, before slotting it into the run of Lansbury, and hit a low shot with just Kenny to beat, but the goalkeeper saved the shot at his near post with his foot.

The final chance of the match came again from the home side, with Rodolph Austin going close with another effort. The chance for the Jamaican international was created by Paul Green, he picked the ball up out on the right from a Sam Byram pass, before playing a square pass into Austin, who took a touch and then hit a low drive, which went just wide of the post of Carl Ikeme.

At the final whistle the Nottingham Forest players and fans were delighted, they may have lost on the night here at Elland Road, but they will be at Wembley a week on Monday, where they will face Blackburn Rovers in a match which will decide who will be in the Premier League next season. For Leeds United it will be another season in the Championship, something which will disappoint and hurt their fans and players, especially with the club having been in the top two for most of the campaign, but they will have to go away and improve this summer, and try for promotion again next season.

Leeds United manager, Phil Walker, on not making the play-off final. "I am totally disappointed tonight that we will not be at Wembley, we was in the top two for so long this season, and we only have ourselves to blame for not being promoted, but this season we have achieved our highest league position since 2004.

"I was delighted for him (Luciano Becchio) to score that goal tonight, not only was it his 23rd goal of the season to confirm him as our top scorer for the campaign, but it was his first since signing his new deal, and one which ended his goal drought which at the start of the night was at 402 minutes.

"We will now go away for our holidays and look to come back in pre-season stronger, and also looking to win promotion back to the top flight."

Nottingham Forest manager, Sean O'Driscoll, on the nights events. "It was disappointing to have lost the match tonight, especially having only one shot on target all night, but I am absolutely delighted to have won on aggregate, which will see us face Blackburn Rovers at Wembley, in a match where we will be 90 minutes away from the Premier League.

"This season has been a great one for us, in pre-season we were predicted to finish in 14th place, yet we are one match away from a return to the top flight, something I would like to congratulate all the players on."

Leeds United starting line-up (4-4-2). Kenny, Peltier (c) (Byram 67), Lees, Pearce (c), Pugh, Green, Austin, Norris, White, McCormack, Becchio (Antelmi 75).
Subs not used. Ashdown (gk), Drury, Brown, Lenighan, Poleon.
Goal. Becchio 32.

Nottingham Forest starting line-up (4-4-2). Ikeme, Mulder, Ayala, Halford, Collins (c), Guedioura, Moussi, Cohen, Snodgrass, Cox (Sharp 87), Lansbury.
Subs not used. Evtimov (gk), Harding, Herd, McGugan, Lascelles, Moloney.

Attendance. 36,551.
Referee. Jay Spong.
Man of the Match. Daniel Ayala (Nottingham Forest), rated at 7.5 over 90 minutes. The Forest centre-back put in a good performance to stop the attacks of Leeds United, and to help his side reach Wembley.

Cheers Rick and I am glad you think this is well written. As for the Premier League I am just doing my next update, but I am not giving anything away, but you will find out if we will be at Wembley or not.

As ever I hope you carry on reading and commenting on the story.

Great start so far to your career, it is good to see someone else setting their story out like mine, and it also good to see someone else doing a story which does not involve a top four Premier League side.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers for the detailed comment, it is always good to get comments from people, as it shows people are reading my career. I am glad you love my style of writing and of course I do not mind you using this style for yours, also the reason why it has taken so long to get this far is because I do not play the game everyday, so I enjoy this career when I go back onto it.

I hope you carry on reading this and also commenting on it.

Great end to last season. I hope you can win a trophy this season and maybe go far in Europe

SELL-OUT EXPECTED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.

14 May 2013.
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Around 3,500 tickets remain for tomorrow night.



We would like to inform fans wanting to attend the game against Nottingham Forest tomorrow night, that tickets are close to being sold out.

As of lunchtime today, there were 3,500 tickets remaining for the play-off clash tomorrow night, a match which could see us just 90 minutes away from a return to the Premier League.

As for where the tickets are located in the ground, the majority of remaining seats are in the West Stand, although there are some left in the East Stand Lower and Upper, but the areas in the North, North East, North West and South East are sold out, with Nottingham Forest filling their allocation in the South Stand.

Chairman Ken Bates has said he hopes for a sell-out for tomorrow night, with him hoping a capacity crowd can make for an unforgettable night at Elland Road, and the crowd can help us to victory.

Please note I have not updated anything on the game, I have just released a new home kit on the story, as if I need to use pictures of players next season in the new kit I can.