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'Mini Me turned up at games' | Leeds United fans remember 16 mental years

As Leeds United fans around the world bask in the glory of winning the Championship, here are som...



'Mini Me turned up at games' |...
Soccer

'Mini Me turned up at games' | Leeds United fans remember 16 mental years

As Leeds United fans around the world bask in the glory of winning the Championship, here are some of the most vivid memories from Whites fans of the last 16 years.

For those that have been living on the moon, Leeds fans have had to battle with two relegations, a seemingly endless list of managers and owners that could have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Thankfully, for the moment at least, this gives them the chance to look back on some darker times with a smile and no little relief.

Some of the memories beggar belief...

Dan Bradley, 38, Insurance team leader, Leeds

What memories are the most vivid of the last 16 years?

Most vivid, I would have to say, is promotion from League One. Although those were dark days, the positive was that we got to win more games than not and push for promotion.

That made life more exciting than finishing 15th in the Championship every year, with the season over by October.

The culmination of life in League One was needing a win at home v Bristol Rovers to go up. We were 1-0 down, and down to 10 men after a Max Gradel red card.

Jermaine Beckford scored the winner, and Elland Road exploded so much it needed another ten seasons in the Championship to cool down.

Which owner left the sourest taste?

So many to choose from, but it has to be Massimo Cellino. From fans chasing his taxi around the Elland Road car park (not in a fan idolisation way), hiring and firing about eight managers, even sacking Brian McDermott twice.

There are so many things that went wrong and he clearly didn’t have any money, he even tried to shut down Thorp Arch (our training ground) as he said it cost too much money!

One time, he went public about his disgust that one of our best young players wouldn’t sign a deal. It was then the player said he was actually offered less than he was currently on!

There were so many bizarre stories such as getting Vern Troyer to Elland Road as guest of honour, to leaving press conferences halfway through to go for a smoke, leaving the manager just sat there.

He was only ever after his own gain.

Which manager of the last 16 years is the most easily forgotten?

I actually totally forgot about Uwe Rosler, but he was only there for five months. Darko Milanic was also pretty forgettable, he couldn’t speak English and only lasted a month in charge.

He invited his family to watch the game and afterwards Cellino fired him.

How do you think you'll get on next year?

I actually think we’ll get on alright! Teams like Sheffield United have shown you don’t need to go mad changing the entire squad to be successful, equally we all saw what happened to Fulham in signing an entirely new squad.

I’d like to see a few additions but, on the whole, it would be good to see these players and the Bielsa system put to the test at the highest level - they’ve certainly earned that right.

I think a few of the players would suit a higher level too.

Where do you want Bielsa's statue put?

Ha! Whatever happens, he’ll always be a legend here, both for what he’s done for the team, the style of play, the results, and the myth surrounding him.

It’s a shame we won’t be there to see celebrate with the squad on the pitch side and recreate the Newell’s Carajo he is famous for (look it up).

I don’t see him being here forever though - he may even decide that his mission is accomplished now in getting us promoted - so we should savour every game with him.

 

Alex Rowe, Sports Psychologist, 34, Leeds

What memories are the most vivid of the last 16 years?
Where to start, to say we've been through the wringer would be the understatement of the century.
A personal low point was when I camped outside Elland Road with about 5,000 other people to get tickets to the League One play-off final against Doncaster.
Ken Bates had knackered our credit rating so badly that Leeds couldn't take card payments, so paying by cash at the stadium was the only choice.
It was May and it was bloody freezing, I got the tickets around 1.00 pm after camping outside since 11 pm the night before. We lost 1-0 Doncaster at Wembley in one of the lamest performances of all time.
I can remember watching on the local news as Leeds fans chased Massimo Cellino around Elland Road as he tried to sack Brian McDermott. With the taxi firm tweeting out a request asking the fans to let him through as they needed the driver.
There were a few fond memories, beating Man Utd in the FA Cup whilst in League One was amazing, a brief moment of pure joy. Finally getting promoted after coming back with ten men against Bristol after almost 'doing a Leeds' at the back end of that season.
Which owner left the sourest taste?
Ken Bates - he alienated the fan base, sponsors and the whole community. He put us in administration only to somehow buy us out of it, settling debts for pennies on the pound. Lots of these debts owed were to local small businesses and it ruined them.
It resulted in our relegation from the Championship and starting the next season on -15 points in League One, where he continued to charge £35 ticket to watch absolute dross.
He even tried starting his own propaganda internet radio station, Yorkshire Radio, to win back some favour. It didn't work, he is despised.
He failed to buy back the stadium and training ground for cheap, forcing us to pay exorbitant rental costs for years.
Which manager of the last 16 years is the most easily forgotten?
Jesus, Cellino went through a few. He said that "coaches are like watermelons, you never know until you open them up".
Dave Hockaday was the oddest, plucked from non-league and thrown into the deep end with no chance.
But Darko Milanic is the forgotten man, lasted a shorter period than Cloughie and spent two years on gardening leave. He must have a right garden, old Darko!
How do you think you'll get on next year?
If you watched Leeds play against Arsenal in the FA Cup earlier this year, you'll have seen we totally dominated the game and were really unlucky to lose.
With the right signings, a season like Sheffield United have had isn't outside the realm of possibility.
We play some beautiful stuff but we must be more clinical at the highest level if we're to have a solid season.
Mid-table would be a fantastic season. Not sure Bielsa does mediocrity though. He'll be trying to win it.
Where do you want Bielsa's statue put up?
I cannot understate how much he is adored in our city. The way he transformed that team that was languishing in the bottom half in the space of a few weeks of pre-season was unbelievable.
He got them picking rubbish up around the training ground to show the players how hard the public works to get tickets games.
He's humble, understated, he stops to take pictures with disabled fans, he's turned Kalvin Phillips from a £3m player to a £30m player and Stuart Dallas into Javier Zanetti.
He united the whole club behind his philosophy, the beautiful game at maximum velocity.
If he sticks around long enough, he might get one next to Don Revie.

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