EXTROVERT WINTER 2017

21st Century Leeds United XI
LEEDS HAS BEEN HOME TO SOME OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST FOOTBALL
NAMES IN THE PAST TWO DECADES, BUT WHO HAS MADE EXTROVERT’S
STARTING XI?
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY ALEX TURK.
PAUL ROBINSON
The East Yorkshire-born goalkeeper played as backup
to United great Nigel Martyn in his early years from
1998, however then became first choice in 2002 when
Martyn fell out with manager at the time Terry Venables when
he asked for an extended pre-season break after the World
Cup in Japan. The club were unfortunately relegated in the
2003/2004 season and Tottenham Hotspur swooped in for
the promising keeper, spending £1.5 million for his services
in the summer of 2014 after a £2.5 million deal fell through
in the previous January. He went on to play over 100 matches
for Spurs then Blackburn Rovers and now is a backup
goalkeeper at Premier League side Burnley at the age of 37.
Rio Ferdinand playing for Manchester United. (Austin Ousiede)
GARY KELLY
The Irish full-back is a perfect example of your typical
one club man, playing for Leeds United and Leeds United
only while being just the 10th player to ever play more than
500 games for the club. Gary Kelly made his debut in the
1991/1992 season but was in and out of first team selection until
two years later during the 1993/1994 campaign. He proved his
qualities by being picked in the 1993/1994 Premier League
Team of the Year and a few years down the line in 1997 he
became captain for the club he loved so much. A disagreement
with new part-owner Ken Bates and manager Dennis Wise at
the end of the 2005/2006 season, Gary’s 16th in the famous
white shirt, summoned the end of his long run as captain when
he was replaced by Shaun Derry. The defender lasted one
more year and then happily retired in 2007 at the age of 32.
RIO FERDINAND
Rio joined at the age of 21 from his boyhood club West
Ham United for a total sum of £18 million, a fee which was
a record British transfer fee while also making him the most
expensive defender in the world at the time. He was put
straight into the starting 11 for the 2000/2001 season on a
regular basis, as expected, and played a pivotal role in United’s
Champions League run as they reached the semi-finals of the
coveted European competition. Everything was going well
until financial problems started to take effect and Manchester
United’s £29 million offer for his services at the end of the
2001/2002 season was too much to turn down which resulted in
the promising defender moving to Old Trafford. Rio Ferdinand
24
is now recognised as a Red Devils legend after 12 years at the
Manchester club, so you can understand why Leeds fans have
pretty much forgotten his role in that famous 2000/2001 season.
JONATHAN WOODGATE
In the five years Woodgate spent in West Yorkshire he
was a regular starter alongside the likes of Lucas Radebe
and his centre-back partner in this team, Rio Ferdinand.
Just like Rio Ferdinand, Woodgate was sold on because
of the supposed financial crisis and went further up North
to Newcastle United for £9 million in the 2003 January
transfer window and his sale sparked huge amounts of
uproar among Leeds fans. The talented defender went on to
play for some of the biggest teams in the world such as Real
Madrid, yes you read that correctly, and Tottenham Hotspur.
IAN HARTE
The defender from Drogheda, Ireland joined Leeds United in
1996 and remained there for nine whole seasons while playing
alongside his uncle and fellow full-back in this team, Gary
Kelly. Harte was famous for his rocket of a left-foot and being
a set-piece specialist with his most important moment being a