Leeds Banter 3

06 Jun 2026 10:00:34
Only two weeks since the season ended and already bored!

No transfer activity (yet) , Trump and Infantino's 'love-in' World Cup about to start (which will probably be the poorest ever) , a farcical test match at Lords played on the equivalent of a parks pitch, French Open tennis with all the big names out, the 'let's see who gets on pole position and therefore wins the Monaco Grand Prix' tomorrow.

Bored, bored, bored!

To relieve the boredom how about a quick Saturday quiz;

Name your best ever Welsh Leeds United X1 - 442 or 433 formation (in other words, you can't have six strikers or three goalkeepers - must be in their regular positions)

06 Jun 2026 10:35:22
Sprake

Stevenson, Rodon, Ampadu, Roberts
Speed, Yorath, Vinnie Jones, Brian Flynn
Charles Rush.

06 Jun 2026 10:37:14
World Cup 26 likely dullish in group stages, but hopeful of some exciting games later on.

Spain to win (or Brazil) .
England quarter finalists.

Transfer window wayyy too long and not fun.

French GS tennis.

The women tourno has been a breath of fresh air. The Polish qualifier winning it would be sensational for tennis.

Cricket. OK, yes, pitch too much in favour of bowler, but I am still really enjoying the match.

06 Jun 2026 10:48:41
Baz Welsh Leeds United Eleven.
4 4 2 formation.

GK Gary Sprake (edges Darlow) .
RB Matt Jones (or Connor Roberts if loans allowed) .
CB Joe Rodon.
CB Ethan Ampadu.
LB Byron Stevenson.
RW Carl Harris (edges Dan James) .
CM Vinnie Jones.
CM Terry Yorath.
LW Gary Speed.
STR Ian Rush.
STR John Charles (Leeds United greatest ever player) .

06 Jun 2026 10:57:58
I quite enjoyed the last World Cup but this has all the hallmarks of being bats***. What were they thinking, giving it to USA? wtf do they know about football? All those stupid phrases make me puke.

06 Jun 2026 11:15:27
Err, Aus.. what phrases?

And

USA know far more about football than blooming Qatar (the holders of the previous WC that you enjoyed) .

06 Jun 2026 11:55:23
Darlow.
Roberts, Rodon, Ampadu, Stevenson.
Flynn, Jones, Yorath, Speed.
Rush, Charles.

Sprake - No way.

06 Jun 2026 11:57:53
No Mickey Thomas or Brian Flynn??

06 Jun 2026 12:29:17
Good job I picked up on zee Welsh part just in NIC of time 😂😂😂, I thought has Cork + Baz lost their farkin minds or what?

Rush ahead of Viduka 1 of many mental calls when you have concept totally wrong 🙈😂😂

06 Jun 2026 13:21:10
On pure ability, not taking into the equation off the field goings on, for me, Sprake was a far better keeper than Darlow. Good shouts above, though. Rush and the great John Charles in their pomp would be some strike force!

06 Jun 2026 13:25:50
Interest is probably waning for the WC because there are too many teams in it, and it has become too political, especially with the boot-licking antics from Infantino when he was at the White House visiting the self-appointed greatest man who has ever lived.

06 Jun 2026 13:49:01
LUFCfeath, yes. Sprake's ability was far better than Darlow. Shame about his annoying, crucial, high-profile clangers. Not going to refer to his off-field shenanigans or false bs, which is what maybe JR has also factored into his rating.

Brighty.

Micky Thomas and Brian Flynn get into the Wrexham all-time Welsh 11, but defo not Leeds United all-time Welsh 11. imo

Chrissy meep meep. Yep, Vinnie and Yorath ahead of Bremner and Giles should have been a biggggg clue of the particular Welsh theme.

06 Jun 2026 14:21:20
Loans are allowed, so you can have Roberts.

I must admit I'd put Darlow just above Sprake - as you say, Sprake could commit the odd howler which blotted his copy book for me.

With the passing of time, you forget how good a player someone like Terry Yorath was.



John Charles, a bit before my time, but from everything everyone has ever said about him, then there's no way you could leave him out.

More to follow during the week, guys.

06 Jun 2026 14:40:13
You read me like a book, Baz. For me, Sprake's accusations about the Don make him a non person for me, and I'd not touch him with the longest bargepole available. I am old enough to have seen John Charles at his best in his last season for us before going to Juventus, and he was as good as his record suggests if not better.

That season, in the old 1st Division, he scored 38 goals in 46 games.

06 Jun 2026 15:33:58
Totally agree, JR, regarding Sprake's bitterness towards LUFC later in life, and his awful accusations regarding DR. I had the pleasure of meeting JC at a Sportsman's Dinner in the 90s. What an absolute gentleman he was.

He told a tale that a Leeds director at the time, who owned a garage, gave him a voucher for a full tank of petrol for winning the Man of the Match Award, and JC said, "He knew I didn't own a bloody car!"

06 Jun 2026 15:36:16
Cleggy, you should have watched Yorkshire last night thrash Lancashire in the T20. It was excellent viewing!

06 Jun 2026 17:25:30
Good shout Carl Harris there, Baz.

06 Jun 2026 07:39:14
{Ed's Note - Seano_ has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool Squad Assessment and Summer Priorities

05 Jun 2026 07:46:51
Rumours are rife about Florentino Perez promising the Real Madrid fans a new £150m galactico next Tuesday.

So given that I'd like to be the first to thank Brendan Aaronson for his service and wish home well in his new life in Madrid.

05 Jun 2026 09:05:10
Here, here, Dave. Wakey, wakey, mate.

05 Jun 2026 09:59:29
Ba has been a Leeds United player for a whopping four years.

Apart from Danny, Jackie and Pascal, he is currently our longest serving player!

With just one year left on his contract, something's gotta give.



Either he leaves this summer.

Or, more likely, his fellow compatriots Marathe and Co hand him a shiny new 4 year Leeds United contract in the next couple of weeks.

Prepare yourselves, peeps.

05 Jun 2026 10:09:00
Let's hope he has a storming World Cup and scores goals galore. Get some coin for him.

05 Jun 2026 11:15:21
Maybe Becks could sign him for Inter Miami?

05 Jun 2026 17:49:22
I for one hope he stays at Leeds. He's never really been given credit for his hard work, our goalkeeper has made more mistakes than him. I just don't get it.

05 Jun 2026 18:04:23
Nice thought, Dave. I'm still convinced he has a video of Daniel in arseless Lederhosen dancing to 99 Luft Ballons. No one will tell me otherwise. Also, I heard it was BA who told Daniel to change formation against City. I made that last bit up.

05 Jun 2026 18:27:17
It's ok. BA is staying as Real Madrid have lowered their expectations and want to buy Olise instead. Their loss is our gain.

05 Jun 2026 22:41:19
To be fair to Brendan, he has modified and changed his game here in England. When he first arrived, he tried to compete physically and go shoulder to shoulder, and then fall over. This season, he seems to jink and try to get space away from the opposition, and try to outpace them.

He, and quite a few of our players, are and have developed this season. When I think of the teams above trying to buy success, it just shows what is really achievable.

06 Jun 2026 02:12:42
Yeah. Agree, Ben. He has improved, but I would still sell him now rather than give him another contract or run it down.

07 Jun 2026 07:36:34
Ironically, I reckon Brendan would do very well in Spain, or Italy for that matter! A few goals in the WC might get him a good move?

05 Jun 2026 07:39:13
{Ed's Note - BlueNose1878 has posted a new article entitled, Everton Must Plan Properly If Ndiaye Goes

04 Jun 2026
New image uploaded to the
Leeds Player Sightings page entitled, Chris Chris : One for your LUFC album favourites

Click picture for larger image

05 Jun 2026 06:34:02
You forgot to say nawrt the caption over his head.
"What's the big rectangular white thing?" 😂

05 Jun 2026 10:02:02
You're welcome, Chrissy.

04 Jun 2026 20:49:46
Gonna put it out but does anyone believe DF stumbled upon the new formation at HT against City?
Or was he just waiting for the right moment?
It's an interesting topic to me. Was he just trying to keep the score down or had he practiced the formation?

04 Jun 2026 21:42:48
He did it at Norwich, switching from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 to achieve better play, although Norwich struggled to score goals.
He also used that formation in his earlier days with Dortmund reserves.
I have mentioned this before on here, and, no, contrary to what everyone wants to believe, he did not stumble on this like it just dropped out of the sky.

04 Jun 2026 22:02:11
Love to know, Corkey, my hunch it was the players proposed the change, (don't know, but Farkey hadn't used the formation previously) , it really doesn't matter to me though, whether Farkey introduced it, or he was big enough to give the players idea a try.

Irrespective, it transformed our season and enabled Gaby and Bogle to get forwards and add to our up to then, much needed creativity.



Also made us so much harder to beat and certainly got the best out of Bijol who I thought grew into one of our most rugged and dependable defenders as a result.

04 Jun 2026 22:45:43
Really feels like Leeds players insisted on change of formation to 3 5 2.

Farkey very rarely played 3 5 2 for Norwich in EPL. He played 4 3 3.

And, as a result, Norwich managed to have a horrendous minus 120 goal difference combined over the 2 EPL seasons 19/20 and 21/22.

04 Jun 2026 23:35:38
We will never know who made the decision, but in his comments after that game, or maybe the next one, when asked about the formation, he replied 4-4-2 wins the PL and it's my preferred way of playing, and he wanted to go back to it.

Over the season, his management of the team got better, his sub timing got better, and he actually started to show some emotion and pride in the team.

So, imho, whether it was the players, or his coaches, or management, it was good that he listened to them and stuck to it; otherwise, I think we would be playing Championship next season.

05 Jun 2026 00:18:34
But, according to reports, he wants to go back to his more favoured 4-4-2 next season. The losing formation, which we would have got relegated with, had the players not suggested a change at half-time v City.

05 Jun 2026 06:05:45
He changes three, then to four at the back during certain games, depending on the opposition and their tactics. Nothing wrong with that, and it shows his flexibility to adapt.
Absolute, baseless nonsense that the players are making all the tactical decisions for him.

05 Jun 2026 06:16:43
I think we all know why Norwich did so badly and were relegated twice. Their owner refused or couldn't spend money on new players.
It seems to me that for some Leeds fans, they still can't accept that DF is our manager, and that continues to really irk them.


Pity that he doesn't receive the credit he surely deserves, or is it just an ego agenda from some fans?

05 Jun 2026 07:09:27
They'd clearly been doing it in training as a different option. I've never, in my life, seen a team switch formations, not having practiced it repeatedly! This is pro football, not a rush goalie scenario in Roundhay Park.
Maybe players "suggested" switching? No one will ever know.

05 Jun 2026 07:43:38
Rumours at the time were that Ampadu and DCL were behind the halftime change at Man City. Does seem plausible.

05 Jun 2026 08:08:33
There's Opti's fave phrase when people disagree. Some Leeds fans. Cheer up, mate. Some agree with you, some don't.
I have no doubt it would have been practiced. It doesn't matter if it was him or, more likely, the players' suggestion. It 100% saved his bacon.

05 Jun 2026 06:50:40
OP I think that you are reading what you want from the posts. First off Norwich has nothing to do with the last season. Leeds gave him most of what he wanted, not everything, but most things.

He then played 4-4-2 and lost 9 games, and at half time at chity decided to change, so the fans will always be questioning what happened.

It was a different season from the Chitty game, we got to the semi's of the cup and could have easily swept them aside, and we had some great game to keep the team safe. Now he has a foundation to build on. and hopefully we do
MOT

05 Jun 2026 09:18:36
Who knew OP watches Dortmund reserves. 😳

05 Jun 2026 10:23:15
Come on Corky, you can read and inform yourself or you can be like a sheep and just follow and repeat what others have guessed or simply made up.
It's only my opinion for Christ sake or am I not allowed to have one Aus?
What's wrong with you?

05 Jun 2026 14:08:08
Some Leeds fans opti. But not you. 😬

05 Jun 2026 15:15:05
Only jesting, OP, mate.
It was a fair question, I thought?

05 Jun 2026 17:39:20
Fair enough lads. 😎

04 Jun 2026 20:06:18
Lads watch on YouTube Leeds Leeds Leeds. A tribute to Leeds United fans.
Song released three days ago.
I enjoyed it, great craic.

04 Jun 2026 12:25:35
Amps signs new four year deal. Good news. Hope we keep the rest of the midfield but suspect one of Tanaka/ Gruev will go to free up space for a no.10.

04 Jun 2026 13:04:04
A good start to the close season business.

04 Jun 2026 13:07:50
No bids or interest in Amps from other clubs, perhaps telling. But, yep, good news, one supposes.

04 Jun 2026 13:39:00
Gruev is a definite keep as Amps backup unless a direct replacement is brought in.

04 Jun 2026 13:40:20
You're a hard man to please, Baz. Amps at £7m is great value when compared to what's been asked for the likes of Anderson and Fernandez. We're not in that spending bracket-yet.

04 Jun 2026 14:04:44
With respect, Baz, how can you possibly know whether or not there has been any bids or interest in Amps from other clubs? Just because it's not been reported in the media, doesn't mean it's not happened!

04 Jun 2026 14:22:00
Yep, ok, very fair comments, both Dune and JR.

04 Jun 2026 14:45:26
By all accounts, both Villa & Spurs were expected to bid for Ampadu. A new contract keeps him here or massively increases his value.
Either way, he gets what it is to be Leeds, he gets and embraces that iconic #4 shirt.
He stays.

04 Jun 2026 19:46:14
Our first signing of the new year.

04 Jun 2026 21:58:08
Ampadu is integral to how we play, and a very good leader on and off the pitch, I imagine.
Without his presence in our team, I seriously doubt we would be enjoying our next season in the Premiership.
Ampadu might not only be signing a four-year contract, but also could be leaving his future legacy in the history books at Leeds United.

05 Jun 2026 00:22:46
Still Doesn't mean he stays. Puts another 10-15 on his worth, mind. Think owners have really got to show ambition this window to placate the better players. They have said they are targeting impact players, so if it gets crossed, we get some goodens.

05 Jun 2026 07:11:31
That's true, Aus. Whichever way it plays out, it's a very, very good move.

04 Jun 2026
New image uploaded to the
Leeds Player Sightings page entitled, One of Leeds Utd best ever strikers Mr Viduka in our fab new kit ...I'll buy two

Click picture for larger image

04 Jun 2026 11:07:26
If only!

04 Jun 2026 12:04:00
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Surprised it wasn't The Road Runner.

Meep Meep. 🤣

04 Jun 2026 13:11:25
Chris, ..Yep, I was thinking of doing so especially for you. 😆

Indeed, LUFCfeath! ...What an absolute game changer Viduka would be for this Leeds United side!

04 Jun 2026 21:08:04
Indeed, if only someone could find us a new V Bomber, strength, speed, shooting and heading power, he had the lot.