Leeds Banter 2

11 Jun 2026 05:02:37
Ok. World Cup prediction time chaps before a ball is kicked. I haven't got a lot of faith in it being too entertaining but you never know. Interesting to see the odds. Here are by predictions.
England to lose in quarter final.
Top 4
Spain
France
Mexico
Belgium
Top scorer Yamal.

11 Jun 2026 07:40:42
France
Spain
Brazil
Argentina

England shock defeat in last 16 - hope I'm wrong, but not getting the vibes at the moment.

11 Jun 2026 07:53:23
Top scorer, Cleggy?

11 Jun 2026 08:02:42
Backing from me is usually the kiss of death, but hers goes.
Top 4:
Spain
France
Argentina
England

Top scorer:
Dembele.

11 Jun 2026 08:04:34
Top 4
France
Spain
Brazil
Argentina

Top scorer
Doue (France) .

11 Jun 2026 08:06:51
England's decline, Dave.

11 Jun 2026 09:12:23
Hope I'm wrong, Aus, but I can't see it for England, especially in a hotter climate.

11 Jun 2026 09:26:21
Top 4
Portugal
France
Spain
England

Top scorer: Harry Kane.
Dark horses: Norway

England to lose on pens in the semi-finals.

11 Jun 2026 10:06:06
Spain
Brazil
France
Hopefully England (but they may depart in QF) .

Dark horses: Japan.

11 Jun 2026 11:46:22
A bit predictable from me:

Argentina
France
Spain
Brazil

Dark horses: Uruguay (love to see MB do well)
and Norway.

England prediction: QF, hopefully better.

11 Jun 2026 12:21:25
For me:

Spain
France
Morocco
Argentina

Top Scorer: Yamal.

I think England will be undone at altitude v Mexico - Hope I am wrong, though if we get past this match, anything is possible!

11 Jun 2026 15:36:33
Sorry Aus, missed the top scorer bit -
Mbappe.

11 Jun 2026 15:37:20
Can't see past France.
France
England
Spain
Ecuador

Kane top scorer.
Ecuador, obviously my dark horse.

10 Jun 2026
New image uploaded to the
Leeds Player Sightings page entitled, Hope not!

Click picture for larger image

10 Jun 2026 19:48:41
Hope not fgs!

That's a tea towel!

10 Jun 2026 19:59:13
Reminds of that early 80's one! I like it.

10 Jun 2026 20:05:14
Saw this a few weeks back and thought it was a wind up.
Looks like shite on images, but maybe in the flesh?

10 Jun 2026 20:11:58
Brighty, the striped RFW sponsored 1981/82 kit was also a tea towel. 🤣

But, in all seriousness, it was the kit Leeds United got relegated in 1982. It defo wasnt inspiring to those players.

10 Jun 2026 20:13:25
Corkey, 😆 .. It's worse even than that.

11 Jun 2026 00:18:50
Bloody awful.

11 Jun 2026 07:16:04
If a player needs to be inspired by the design of the shirt, they shouldn't be wearing anything with our badge on it!

11 Jun 2026 10:12:51
Don Revie changed Leeds United shirts to the pristine all white Real Madrid shirts for their psychological winning benefits.

Not that tea towel design above, Brighty.

Likewise, Leeds generally played awful in that awful design, multicoloured 3rd kit monstrosity last season.

Did not win any EPL match in it and got thrashed in it.

Very naive of you, Bright, to believe kit design and colours should have no relevance to players winning psyche.

{Ed001's Note - I have never known a player who gave a toss about the kit design.}

11 Jun 2026 11:51:07
I agree with Ed, players not bothered. Seems I am on my own here, but I quite like the new home shirt. Prefer the bulls to be blue though. I await the pile on! 🤣

11 Jun 2026 12:03:55
Love it ;) .

11 Jun 2026 12:23:13
I have never seen a post match interview where the Manager said it was the terrible kit that did it! [Though Slot probably would have, given time!]

11 Jun 2026 12:32:37
150% super sure Revie, Billy, and Leeds legends would defo baulk at playing in that garish multi-coloured, hideous, design monstrosity of a Leeds United 3rd kit of last season.

Whether or not modern players think they don't give a toss is one thing.

But plenty of academic and sports science research indicates strongly that colour of shirt in particular, and also design, makes a conscious and subconscious difference to players, coaches, fans and referees!

Be interesting to know from super LUFC legend Eddie Gray which design of Leeds United shirt Eddie Gray preferred.any of the Leeds United iconic all white pristine Leeds United shirts of the 1960s and 1970s.



.or the awful pinstripe tea towel design, non pristine, non all white 1981/82 relegation shirt?

Eddie played in all of them.

11 Jun 2026 12:37:04
I remember Ferguson blaming Man U 2nd/3rd kit for a defeat at Southampton. He said the kit made the players camouflage into the crowd, so they couldn't see each other clearly across the pitch.

11 Jun 2026 15:50:15
That's a fair one tho, Feath.
And, it's a sad indictment of some of the Revie greats, if you think they gave a flying stuff at a rolling donut what the shirt looked like! The same will apply this season, and it won't have the slightest bearing on performances or league position, in the same way it wasn't relevant in the early 80's. Beggars belief!

11 Jun 2026 16:07:17
Agree to disagree on this one, Bright, no problemo.

But I'll take the great Don and the sports psychologists' studies over your opinion, Brighty, on this one every day of the year.

And, likely, very few, if any, of the current team/squad genuinely liked the kids' pantomime 3rd kit last season, and they sure as hell played absolute garbage in it.

11 Jun 2026 17:03:01
Are you saying Revie used Sports Psychologists before they existed?
Either way, think what you want. BS twoddle is still just that.

11 Jun 2026 17:22:00
Brighty you evidently know little about Revie the player and manager

No problem

11 Jun 2026 17:56:50
Your opinion, Bright, we don't agree, no problem.

11 Jun 2026 18:44:07
I think the Club meant so much to Revie's boys and the team spirit he created. Different times to now, money didn't seem as important. Regarding the actual kit, they played in red on occasions or wore red socks, so maybe it was LUFC that mattered more than the actual kit to them.

12 Jun 2026 07:16:24
Red 3rd kit incoming. The players will go on strike then?!

12 Jun 2026 07:17:29
Probably as much as you, Baz, given it's all things you can read. Or were you his best mate?

12 Jun 2026 08:41:49
I will buy you some for Christmas, Brighty ..Good reads 📚..broaden your knowledge.

12 Jun 2026 13:23:12
I'll get you a massive wooden spoon for your turd stirring Baz, because you need a much bigger one than you're trying to use right now!

12 Jun 2026 15:44:37
Silver spoons for Baz.

10 Jun 2026 18:29:06
Before the World Cup starts tomorrow, name your best ever Leeds United World Cup X1.

Must be 442 or 433.

Must have been a Leeds player when they appeared at the World Cup - you have to state the year they appeared. For example, you can't name someone who was brilliant at a WC then signed for Leeds afterwards (Roque Junior in 1994 springs to mind - not that anyone in their right mind would name Roque Junior but you get the idea.)

Good luck guys.

:)

10 Jun 2026 18:56:40
For clarification, went to the WC or played at a WC?
Norman Hunter would be the example, Cleggy.

10 Jun 2026 19:05:53
Great question but way too much like hard work for me.

10 Jun 2026 19:18:15
Harvey 1974
Kelly 1994
Charlton 1966
Hunter 1996 (Radebe 1998 if not eligible)
Harte 2002
Bremner 1974
Adams 2022
Lorimer 1974
Aaronson 2022
Clarke 1970
Hasselbaink 1998.

10 Jun 2026 19:35:52
You can have went as well as played. Remember, we are trying to find those who excelled at a WC in a Leeds shirt. Sorry for any confusion.

10 Jun 2026 19:38:51
I've gone for:

Harvey 74

Mills 02
Cooper 70
Charlton 66
Radebe 02

Hunter 70 (played in midfield when he came on)
Bremner 74
Lorimer 74

Clarke 70
Charles 58
Jordan 74.

10 Jun 2026 20:01:29
Good question, Cleggy. Yours is the best selection (so far) .

I quite like Canada's choices, maybe not so much Adams and BA. Ideally, supreme talents Strach and Gsry Mac would be in the mix.

But, the Scottish coach Andy Roxburgh made a right mess of his disastrous WC 1990 final squad selections.

10 Jun 2026 20:32:34
Ok, here goes, but I ain't putting down the years.
Harvey
Kelly
Cooper
Big Jack
Hunter
Bremner
Frank Gray
Ferdinand
Jimmy
Clarke
Charles.

10 Jun 2026 20:40:00
Jeez, Cleggy, follow your own rules ffs haha.
Wasn't Charles a Juventus player in 1958?

10 Jun 2026 21:43:06
Ooh, you've got me there, Canada. I'll have to look that one up.

It's such a shame that players such as Eddie Gray 74 (injury) , Arthur Graham 78 (amazingly not selected) , Reaney 70 (injured) , Madeley 70 (booked a family holiday after not making the original selection) never got to go, plus the likes of McQueen not getting a game in 74, Currie 78 when England failed to qualify, and Giles (before the Republic became a force) .



Hopefully the four guys we've got at this year's event will all have decent tournaments.

10 Jun 2026 21:47:10
My apologies, Canada, you're quite right. He left to go to Juventus in the summer of 57. For some reason, I got in my mind it was 58 - my bad!!

10 Jun 2026 21:47:23
My god, Baz, how did I miss Stachan and Mac, embarrassed. 😳

10 Jun 2026 21:53:02
Hmm, Baz, I missed them because they didn't play in a WC when Leeds players did. Mac didn't even play in one, apparently.

10 Jun 2026 22:48:38
Yes Canada, as I stated above, coach Andy Roxburgh and Scotland had a disastrous WC finals in 1990.

Not even selecting an in the form of his life Strachan, and bench-warming McAllister.. he got what he deserved.. nowt.

11 Jun 2026 01:56:32
Here's my selection, Cleggy:
Nigel Martyn 1998/2002
Danny Mills 2002
Jack Charlton 1966/1970
Lucas Radebe 1998/2002
Tony Dorigo 1990
Gordon Strachan 1982/1986
Billy Bremner 1974
Norman Hunter 1966/1970
Peter Lorimer 1974
Alan Clarke 1970
Joe Jordan 1974

Like you, John Charles was one of the first names on my team sheet til I realised he'd left us by 58.

In 1958, Charles was injured in the final group stage match and missed the rest of the tournament, although Wales still qualified for the knockout stage.

Wales were eventually knocked out in the quarter final by Brazil thanks to a goal from some guy called Pele, and Brazil went on to win the World Cup. The Welsh manager later said "With John Charles in the side we might have won." What a player that man was.

11 Jun 2026 10:13:55
Interesting post, JR, re 1958 WC and JC.

11 Jun 2026 11:38:12
Under the rules at the time, at the end of the group stage, Wales and Hungary were dead level and had to play an extra playoff match. Hungary knew that JC was the biggest threat to them and targeted him heavily, and as a result he was injured and had to withdraw.

Despite the Hungarian thuggery, Wales still won, but the injury prevented JC from playing in the subsequent quarter final against Brazil. Would they have won if he'd played? Who knows, but a match with him on one side and Pele on the other would have been a mouthwatering event.

11 Jun 2026 11:54:28
A good team there, Jr. I think we could put two strong sides out.

10 Jun 2026 16:48:54
Interesting that Burnley have been awarded £35m from Everton PSR breaches adversely affecting their Premier League status. Everton naturally appealing, but that's huge. I believe we reached a settlement with Everton, according to the same BBC article. However, because Burnley were relegated and we weren't, the financial losses for us are significantly lighter.

10 Jun 2026 17:15:12
Any guesstimate of figure Leeds United received.. £ 5 million? More?

10 Jun 2026 18:56:42
£1,500, 000 apparently from other sources.. Not a lot.

10 Jun 2026 19:41:01
That could open up citeh to a number of claims if/when they are charged for their 115 financial irregularities. Millions and millions in potential fines.

10 Jun 2026 20:39:10
Yeah, Baz, I think 1 - 1.5m is a fair estimate. Given we didn't go down, it's more relevant to look at the funding between league positions (approx 2m) as the right ball park. Given we settled, it's like 1m - 1
5m.

10 Jun 2026 21:28:31
Yep entirely logical snd correct reasoning, Ealing.

11 Jun 2026 11:55:48
Reports say we did an undisclosed agreement with Everton last September.

10 Jun 2026 13:39:03
Farke and the club have not ruled out reintegrating Rama for next season. There were concerns at the end of the promotion season re attitude (training and following instruction) , but if he can show improvement in pre season, he has the chance to stay.

10 Jun 2026 14:36:44
Sensible.

10 Jun 2026 14:39:02
Hope so. Big impact player. Keep him.

10 Jun 2026 16:49:39
Rumours from Valencia suggest Corberan also had probs with him, too. A good impact player, as Aus says, but we can well do without a player with an attitude problem disrupting a harmonious squad.

10 Jun 2026 16:58:46
JR16, I fully agree.

10 Jun 2026 17:30:53
Hold on, fellas.

Facts are:

Corboran played Largie 27 times, scoring 6 goals, and Largie contributed well to Valencia having a very good season.

And Farkey played Largie 29 times, scoring 6 goals, with Leeds finishing champions on a record-breaking 100 points.

So both managers trusted Largie with a large number of games.



And Leeds players seemed to get on well with Largie; harmony, certainly, not disharmony.

Hopefully, Largie can "track back" more in pre-season games this seez to satisfy the ever-cautious Farkey, as Largie is a talented attacking player one Leeds squad/team could quite well do with.

11 Jun 2026 09:20:34
Totally agree, Baz. I think there's an agenda out there that Largie has an attitude, etc.

He's a decent player & as a back up option to Okafor, we need him. He's proved he has an eye for goal, and an assist. He has pace too.

Replacing him would cost more than the reported £10 we want for him. It's a no brainer to keep him.

He also does appear to be popular with team mates.

I have seen lots of posts and official club stuff of him with other players, and he always looks popular and like he fits in.

I think there's a false narrative where Largie is concerned because he likes a bit of bling & is a little flashy.

11 Jun 2026 11:57:12
Rama would offer more from the bench than some of this season's incumbents.

11 Jun 2026 12:36:42
100% agree, Dave and LUFCfeath.

09 Jun 2026 08:47:23
Have to start by saying I'm not absolutely sure what our deal is with Red Bull, is it purely shirts and PR or do we have access to the full Red Bull football conglomerate?

Just looking at the amount of young talent and success by many Red Bull affiliated teams in world football and well . I want more benefits for Leeds United in particular access/ sharing of key talent.

Now previously if you suggested to me name changes, stadium naming rights to Red Bull etc I would have been fiercely against it but now I'm mellowing or becoming more pragmatic in that without the billions that support the likes of PSG, Citeh, Newcastle etc from rogue states, we'll, we must find ways to evolve or permanently be at risk of slipping back into the football wilderness.

So full on Red Bull for me now, let's get as tight and look to benefit as much as is humanly possible, now that may be a selfish position as I age, but we have to think differently, strategically, if we are to survive and more importantly prosper.

09 Jun 2026 10:17:04
Interesting post, class. I'm not sure about Elland Rd. But, happy to share talent. Give them Harrison, Wober, Piroe, James, etc.

09 Jun 2026 13:36:12
The renaming of the stadium is inevitable. Within 4 years, I reckon.

Take the huge cash naming rights, but it will always be Elland Road to the fans.

09 Jun 2026 14:14:01
The RFU tried renaming their "home," the Allianz Stadium, but it's still Twickenham to all the fans.

09 Jun 2026 14:33:45
Well, we have to move with the times, we can't just poodle along. Like it or not, our budget cut to 80mill is not going to buy what we really need. We have to face the hard, blunt facts.

09 Jun 2026 15:23:08
When Lurpak were one of our sponsors a few years ago, some suggested calling it the Utterly Butterly Stadium.

09 Jun 2026 16:51:09
As Baz says, let them name it and get the cash. It will always be Elland Road to the fans who won't ever call it by a sponsor's name.

09 Jun 2026 17:53:37
That would have buttered fans up the wrong way, totally, JR16. 🙈😂

09 Jun 2026 18:49:56
Would anyone accept RB Leeds United name change if it meant home and European dominance?

09 Jun 2026 18:56:09
If we still had Leeds United in there, Corkey, then yes.

09 Jun 2026 20:03:50
RB Leeds United name all day, Corkey, if guaranteeing trophies. 🏆

Righteous Baz (RB) Leeds United sounds great.

09 Jun 2026 22:53:03
But not RB Elland Road. It would sound too much like Bell End Road for my liking.

10 Jun 2026 00:52:03
Lol Chris. 🤣😂🤣😂

10 Jun 2026 13:09:49
Maybe, Ridiculous Baz?

10 Jun 2026 13:17:46
Red Bull do not own us, therefore, a change of club name etc is very unlikely as things stand. Stadium sponsorship is certainly likely. RB model no longer includes full takeovers of clubs, so unless that changes, it will never happen.

10 Jun 2026 14:17:13
Nah, let's settle Alfonzo on Reliable Baz.

And,

Stadium sponsorship is not just likely, it's inevitable.

10 Jun 2026 14:41:11
Here we go. From treading lightly on return to full tosser, I am 99.9% within weeks. Zzzzz.

08 Jun 2026 14:37:43
Is anyone more than a tad nervous that Leeds United this season will do (considerably worse) than last season's 14th place and 47 points in EPL?

We have seen it happen very recently before with Leeds United

Namely the huge drop off from mercurial Marcelo's superb 20/21 season of 9th place and 59 points to follow in 21/22 season with a very disappointing perilous 17th and 38 points

For me Marathe, Farkey, Underwood and the rest of recruitment team must get the recruitment spot on this summer.

Most especially in

1) goalscoring players
A striker, wingers and an attacking midfielder. I have a feeling we might not get as many goals again from DCL this season

And

2) The goalkeeper situation for me will again become a huge concern if the club can't persuade Darlow to sign a new contract.

As we then must get it right in signing a quality reliable number 1. Perri is not anywhere near good enough to be our number 1 in EPL.

08 Jun 2026 15:47:47
I've said before that this season will be trickier. Fewer teams will come to ER going for 3 points. I.e. more will be happy leaving with a draw. That means we need to achieve more on our travels. Like you say, for that to happen, we need quality additions in key positions, and I'd add additional strength in depth.

Are both achievable at this stage of our development? I'm not sure, so next season will be very reminiscent of this season, I guess, yes.

08 Jun 2026 16:23:53
I agree, regarding DCL he might not score as many next season as we may not get as many penalties. Also, he has remained fit for the majority, despite his iffy injury record. As I have said before, no goals from such as Piroe or James when they have had game time, not much, I know, but still disappointing.

So signings capable of hitting double figures or just below is a must. A tough season ahead for Coventry and Ipswich, but they won't be relegation fodder, only Hull look certs to go down for me, so our recruitment has to be spot on.

08 Jun 2026 16:29:29
We will defo need more than just the 2 measly away wins we achieved this seez, Brighty.

I think we were in bottom 3 of away points accrued for the season, which simply must be improved upon!

More goalscoring players, more pace and more guile in our starting line up / squad, or it's going to be another attritional season.



Think this may well be Farke's last season at Leeds United, whatever happens.

08 Jun 2026 20:03:31
I'm nervous this season. I was nervous last season, and the one before that, and the one before that. For one reason or another, I've been nervous most seasons for the past 50 years - that's the life of a Leeds United fan. The recruitment team needs to be on their game this summer, and more firepower up front is a must.

The promoted teams will all be splashing the cash like Sunderland did last time around, and we must not relax and let them outbid us to our preferred targets.

08 Jun 2026 20:04:38
Believe Sunderland and ourselves have shown the blueprint for promoted sides surviving in the EPL, bigger, stronger players, well drilled and organised, not to lose.

Actually, believe the three promoted teams are weaker than the three relegated teams from last season, but, in my opinion, only Coventry is capable of springing a surprise without some major player investment for the others.

We were fortunate overall with injuries last season, but limped across the line, and we need a minimum of four or five better additions to even match last year's points haul.



There may be another West Ham scenario with so many teams playing in Europe. I've heard Brighton are planning almost separate squads for playing in Europe and the EPL.
I see us being OK, but it will be just as difficult as last season, and we urgently need more goals and creativity in the team if we are to stay up.

08 Jun 2026 20:46:48
Good posts, JR, and Class.

We all agreed we need more firepower.

As regards nerves.

I never used to get nervous pre season for Leeds United anytime in the 60s and 70s.

Even in the 81/82 season I wasn't nervous, and it was an utter surprise that Leeds United were relegated despite knowing we needed to sign a quality striker (instead we blew a record
£ 930, 000 on woeful winger Peter Barnes) .

The first ever season I had real genuine fear for Leeds United.



was 2003/04 season.

I really dreaded that season, thinking we were definitely going down before the season even commenced.and so it proved.

The 2007/ 08 season is a haze for me that I tend to completely gloss over.

The dreaded feeling was back in 2022/23 season (after the very disappointing near relegation 21/22 season) .again relegation happened!

And again some fear in 2025/26 season.thankfully I was wrong this time, and we ended staying up fairly comfortably!

09 Jun 2026 07:13:38
Bit early for panicking even for Leeds fans. Maybe wait a while, and see what happens over the summer before worrying too much?

09 Jun 2026 13:50:34
I'm always worried preseason regardless.

I'm actually looking forward to the next season, partly because I just like being a fan and following the team, but mostly because I can see the current setup works on the whole, and I'm pretty optimistic we're on the cusp of something better.

I think if we can just keep our second half level, it'll be a better season.

Fixtures out next week!

10 Jun 2026 11:05:22
Small wager that our first match is away at one of the current top 6.

10 Jun 2026 11:12:41
Take our chance, JR. All their players are probably out of sync because of the World Cup, hopefully.

08 Jun 2026 07:39:13
{Ed's Note - Davey Sulls has posted a new article entitled, Iraola Expectations and Liverpool Squad Priorities

07 Jun 2026 16:00:38
Mental men.

A few rumbling that the one and only Igor Paixao will be sold this summer and Marseille will accept €30m for him.

Would ya?

Him, Roony and Okafor as options behind DCL or another would be ridiculous.

07 Jun 2026 16:19:04
Why?
Not many clubs buy a 35m player one year and want to sell him the next. If true, there must be a story in there somewhere.

{Ed001's Note - Marseille are in financial difficulties. Their whole 'team evil' concept has flopped badly, with so many off field problems amongst the players (anyone surprised at that?) and they are in a mess. They will need to shed a lot of players.}

07 Jun 2026 17:01:53
No chance, not happening, and big no thanks!

Paxo beef cubes rejected Leeds United last seez. Paxo clearly sees himself as bigger and better than Leeds. He'll be off to another Champions League club, probably Italian.

And, Marathe himself said, in a recent interview, he only wants to sign players who understand and get Leeds.

That, for sure, ain't Paxo.

By the way, Dave, since when did we sign Wayne Rooney? Thought he had long retired to the sanctuary of MOTD punditry.

07 Jun 2026 17:02:51
Marseille were given a small fine in 2022 after they agreed to meet UEFA's sustainability/fair play rules, which they had not been doing.
In the last three years, they've had a deficit of nearly EUR160m, including over EUR100m last season.
They've been hit by falling French TV revenues, and are concerned that they may get a ban from any European competitions.


Paixo may not be wanted at Marseille for a number of reasons, but they need cash; he's had a good season, and he'll be in demand. He probably won't be the only one to go.

07 Jun 2026 17:03:26
Daffy Duck Him.
Certainly seems like a player we beat stay out wide from.

07 Jun 2026 19:11:57
Baz, think Dave was referring to links with Roony Bardhji, the Barcelona winger.

07 Jun 2026 19:41:23
Ealing, 😆 .. Yep, if you believe the clickbait, half a dozen EPL teams have made enquiries..

Probably end up on loan to a club in another league, though.. Dutch or French league.

So still more chance of us signing Wayne Rooney.

07 Jun 2026 21:28:03
Bazilbrush, I was referring to Roony Bardhji.
Obvs all the links right now are clickbait.
Unfortunately that's all we have at the minute.

Wayne (granny fettler) has an E in it!

07 Jun 2026 22:18:18
Classic sixties and seventies telly?.. I had you down as younger, Davey.

08 Jun 2026 06:11:20
Boom boom!

08 Jun 2026 09:37:30
Vintage 1976 Baz lad.