Editor's Comment: If you think I've missed a match, an event or a goal glaringly obvious, please comment. The likelihood is I wasn't there. Or I was there and forgot, in which case, I apologise, you're right.
BEST HOME MATCH:
The way of the world dictated I missed two of the stand-out
matches at Elland Road against Birmingham and Huddersfield, with six points
gained and nine goals scored. I enjoyed Blackpool at home, taking my Grandad
for his first visit in years and Middlesbrough on my birthday weekend, but the
most memorable home game for all in attendance was the opening day sell-out
against Brighton. In traditional Leeds United fashion, we went 1-0 down early
on before Luke Murphy completed our come-back, securing a 2-1 win in the 95th
minute.
BEST AWAY MATCH:
Again, university ensured I missed the stand-out away day,
undoubtedly the 4-2 win at Charlton in November. Of the fifteen or so away
games I attended, there weren’t many successful ones and so I’d have to go for
either the 3-0 win at Doncaster or the final away day of the season at
Birmingham. We led mid-way through the first half at the Keepmoat before being seriously
pegged back. McCormack’s individual brilliance saw us sneak an un-deserved
second and the scenes were reciprocated shortly after when Rodolph Austin added
a third. Birmingham away was just amusing; two awful teams seemingly playing
out a dour 0-0 draw until we scored three times in ten minutes.
WORST HOME MATCH:
There’s almost been too many to choose from. Finally, being
away at university brought me some success, missing both the 5-1 reverse to
Bolton and the 4-2 thrashing by Reading, but I did see some shockers. For a
terrible match, a very poor atmosphere and an even worse result, the 1-0 loss
to Charlton has to take the honour, but Forest at home isn’t far behind either.
WORST AWAY MATCH:
There were three that no Leeds fan should ever have to
experience again. Millwall, Rochdale and Sheffield Wednesday will remain
forever in the memory bank all for the wrong reasons with the latter two coming
within a week of each other. We were out-classed at Millwall, but as it
features elsewhere here I’ll go for Sheffield Wednesday. Rochdale embarrassed
us, but they were a young, in-form side epitomising everything that we don’t. You
can’t watch your side concede six against noisy neighbours and say you endured
a worse away match.
BEST AWAY DAY:
Away days on the whole are more about the travelling, the
visiting new places and the eating and drinking with your mates than the
football, which as a Leeds fan is a good thing considering the football is
usually awful. I loved both Birmingham and Barnsley with my closest friend,
Ipswich was good but, because it was made all the more amusing for the
football, I’ll go for Watford. I wasn’t expecting to go, my ticket was free, I
met some outstanding people and we had a good drink. And then we lost 3-0.
WORST AWAY DAY:
Travelling three and a half hours on a Wednesday night to
lose 1-0 in the 97th minute to an incredibly irritating Reading wasn’t
great but you can’t look any further than Millwall. It’s a long journey to an
area somehow worse than Beeston. You arrived and you’re greeted by gestures and
Istanbul chants. It wasn’t particularly cheap. The £4 hot dog was the worst I’ve
ever had and I could have found nicer lager teasing my glass around in the
urinal. We also got thrashed.
BEST AWAY FANS:
Sheffield Wednesday weren’t bad, Forest were average and I’d
imagine Derby were good but I wasn’t there so, as most said, Middlesbrough.
They travelled in good numbers and saw their side go both a goal and a man down
inside the first half. Special mention must go to Charlton as well. They weren’t
particularly loud, and considering it was a Tuesday night, there wasn’t great
numbers either. For a side struggling badly with relegation, they looked to
enjoy themselves however and you couldn’t help feeling slightly happy for them
as they celebrated Ben Hamer’s last minute penalty save.
WORST AWAY FANS:
There’s a lot to choose from. Huddersfield, deluded.
Reading, boring. Millwall, non-existent. I wasn’t there but I’ll go for
Doncaster. They boycotted a game that was “too expensive” when in reality, the
extra money they had to spend on the ticket was saved on the travel. It’s half
an hour down the road lads.
BEST HOME FANS:
It has to be Millwall unfortunately. If they could cut out
the vile chants it’d be a unique place to watch football because it’s
incredibly loud. Their “to the Den” chant works outstandingly and despite going
too far when Leeds are in town, it’s full of people that genuinely care about
their football club.
WORST HOME FANS:
Toss-up between Reading and Newcastle. The
Madejski is a number of soul-less bowls that is kick-starting the end of the
beautiful game known by most. Their fans are silent for the entirety, until
they sneak a last minute winner. Newcastle fans disappointed me the most
though; it’s an incredible stadium in a part of the country famous for its
football. Admittedly, it was only a League Cup tie, but they earn this award
for a lack-lustre attempt at joining in the chants for Gary Speed, a hero for
both clubs.
BEST GOAL:
I often complain how we never score good goals; it’s rare a
Leeds player drills one in to the top corner from thirty yards and if they do,
I probably wasn’t there to see it. McCormack’s goal against Sheffield Wednesday
at Elland Road was outstanding earning him the club’s official “Goal of the
Season”. His goal away at Doncaster wasn’t bad either. As for the opposition,
Chesterfield’s team goal in our League Cup tie was outstanding, whilst Reza
Ghoochenejhad, Matt Derbyshire and DJ Campbell all scored with stunning
individual strikes for Charlton, Nottingham Forest and Millwall respectively.
GOAL CELEBRATED THE MOST:
Aside from the Luke Murphy winner on the opening day, this
would have to go to McCormack’s goal at the City Ground. For eighty minutes we
were absolutely out-classed until a strike of enormous fortune saw us draw
level with ten minutes to go. With our play-off ambitions still very much on,
we went wild at what we thought was the goal to secure an excellent point.
Nottingham Forest scored the winner twenty seconds from the restart, brilliant.
BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE:
I wasn’t there for Ross McCormack’s show-stopping
performance at the Valley so I’d probably choose Jack Butland’s debut at
Middlesbrough. For a young goalkeeper making his debut at a club the size of
Leeds United he was outstanding and kept us in the game. He’d be a contender
for the best performance by an opposing player for his heroics against us
whilst at Barnsley but would probably just lose out to Tom Cairney who was
unbelievable for Blackburn in their 2-1 win at Elland Road.
WORST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE:
Mariusz Zaliukas away at Sheffield Wednesday. He must have
been pissed.
BEST OPPOSING TEAM:
Similarly to last season, in our games against the champions
I wasn’t overly impressed and for me, the best side I saw finished second in
Burnley. Sean Dyche has done an excellent job creating a squad that on paper,
looks average but that works unbelievably hard and relies on its key performers
such as Danny Ings to step up to the plate. They were brilliant at Elland Road and
could have been three or four up inside fifteen minutes.
WORST OPPOSING TEAM:
Birmingham. I don’t understand how any team can concede
seven goals to us in two games. Defensively embarrassing and limited up front.
And some quick fire
awards…
BIGGEST DICKHEAD: David Haigh. Lied and cheated his way to a massive wage.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON: Ross McCormack. Not his biggest fan but twenty nine goals in
a team this bad is outstanding.
THE PLAYER OF THE SEASON AWARD FOR SOMEONE WHO PLAYED VERY
WELL BUT WASN’T ROSS MCCORMACK: Jason Pearce. Outstanding.
UNSUNG HERO: Matt Smith. His size ensures your average, clueless Leeds
United fan expects him to win everything in the air and delivery forty headed
goals. In a team with no creativity and no wingers, Smith has contributed well
with both goals and assists.
THING EXCITING ME THE MOST: Massimo Cellino, all being well. On the playing side; Luke
Murphy.
FOUR WORD SEASON REVIEW: Thank God It’s Over.
PREDICTION FOR NEXT SEASON’S YORKSHIRE EVENING POST FINAL
DAY HEADLINE: Noel Hunt fires Leeds United to Championship title.
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