Leeds United Football Club News updated daily

January 97

31st January

Contrary to yesterdays report...
Bill Fotherby today confirmed that Parma have paid a fee to keep Tomas Brolin until the end of the season. Leeds will receive 300,000 pounds for the loan deal with 2.7M to follow if the clubs agree to a permanent transfer.

30th January

Brolin
Tonight's Yorkshire Evening Post says that Parma are about to pull out of the Brolin deal and he will be forced back to Elland Road. (Yippydoo!)
Quotes
Graham said: "There were three instantly forgettable performances, two by the teams and one by the officials. I thought both defences were outstanding but we had too many individual players below par. Derby got everyone behind the ball and didn't have one shot on target in the game." Speaking about Robert Molenaar Graham said: "I don't want to go overboard about him as it's still a honeymoon period. There has been a lot of adverse comment about continental players, but you can get good value for money. I also thought that Gunnar Halle also played well and it was a very defensive game."

29th January

Result
Leeds 0 Derby 0
Clubcall
Today's Leeds United Clubcall states "1.5M international link" ???

28th January

Sharpe
Lee Sharpe is out of Leeds clash with Derby tomorrow night and is also doubtful for the league and FA Cup double against Arsenal. Sharpe has seen a specialist but the groin injury has still not cleared up.

27th January

Bowyer
Lee Bowyer is rated doubtful for Leeds Premiership encounter with Derby County on Wednesday. Bowyer limped off with an ankle injury in the win over Crystal Palace.

26th January

FA Cup draw: It's Pompey
Arsenal or Leeds V Portsmouth. The tie is scheduled to be played on the 15th or 16th of February.
Quotes
Graham said: "I am obviously delighted to go through. We had a very tough game at Palace in that first encounter so I decided to sit the players down after training yesterday and make them watch a video of that match. I think they realised, if they hadn't already, just how competitive Palace are. I told them it was going to be a tight game due to the way they played and that's how it proved. Speaking of Leeds next opponents: "With us facing Arsenal it is unimportant and immaterial. It wouldn't bother me who we are facing in the fourth round. If there's one thing I've learned since coming back into football, it's that you must enjoy winning and let the next game take care of itself nearer the time."

25th January

Result
Leeds 1 Palace 0

24th January

Beesley
Manchester City want to sign Leeds United's Ł600,000 rated centre back Paul Beesley.

23rd January

Brolin to Parma?
Parma plan is to take Brolin on a loan deal for the rest of this season. They are prepared to pay Leeds Ł700,000 for this facility. Providing the loan spell is successful they will make the transfer permanent in the summer.

21st January

Quotes
George Graham was all smiles. "I think it was a good away performance. We were nice and solid in the first 20 minutes and I always though that if we didn't give any silly goals away we would win it. We decided to take the game to them at half-time and we broke really well although I was a bit disappointed that we didn't punish them a bit more." Speaking of Kelly's claim for his goal Graham said: "I'm quite happy to give it to Gary. It was a great free-kick and if it had been a couple of inches lower it would have gone straight in. I am just delighted tonight. That's nine clean sheets out of 18 in the league since I came here which is the sort of thing I am looking for."

20th January

Result
West Ham 0 Leeds 2
Yeboah refuses to play in practise match
Graham said: "He went to play for Ghana and when he returned he told us he couldn't play in a friendly match we had arranged. The ball is in his court. To put it mildly I am very disappointed with him."

18th January

Dorigo faces long layoff
Graham said: "Tony won't be fit in time for Monday. We don't know how long he will be out, but it is a blow for him and the club. He is a quality player who gives us a lift when he is in the team."

17th January

Bucci
Luca Bucci has opted to play for Serie A side Perugia.
Woan
Norwegian football magazine "Tips" states that Leeds are prepared to make a Ł3M offer for Ian Woan of Nottingham Forest.

16th January

Another goalkeeper?
Luca Bucci, 27 wants away from Italian club Parma. He said "I would like to play in England for a time." Italian newspapers state that Derby, Leeds and Boro are all interested.
Dorigo
This morning's Yorkshire Post says that Dorigo felt a slight strain in his hamstring and was brought off in the Palace match as a precaution. Graham hopes that a couple of days rest will mean he is fit for Monday's game against West Ham.

15th January

Cadete
Graham has denied making a Ł4million bid for Celtic's Portuguese striker Jorge Cadete.
FA cup Third Round Replay
Leeds v Crystal Palace - Saturday, January 25 - 3.00pm
It's official
Leeds are setting up an official Web Site that plans to start on the 28th January. http://www.lufc.co.uk

14th January

Result
Palace 2 Leeds 2
Cadette
CapitalFM said Leeds have bid 4M for Celtic striker Cadete. (More info when available.)

13th January

Palace
Graham has rejected suggestions a quick Cup exit will allow him to concentrate on the Premiership. "I'm happiest chasing trophies and I'm hopeful that will happen regularly at Leeds. We know Palace will give us problem at their place but we've been keeping a few clean sheets and the chances we created in beating Leicester 3-0 on Saturday will lift our confidence."
Internet Live!
The game at Palace tomorrow will be broadcast live on Internet Radio by Capital FM. Their site is at http://www.capitalfm.com/ You will need the RealAudio plugin.
Elland Road
Leeds want to redevelop the West Stand at Elland Road which would raise the capacity of the ground from 40,000 to 45,000. If Caspian are given the go ahead by the council, work could start in May and be finished 15 months later in time for the start of the 1998-99 season.

12th January

Graham on Leicester Victory
Graham celebrated the end of Ian Rush's goal scoring famine. He said: "I am absolutely delighted with our performance and I am particularly pleased for Ian Rush. He has worked hard with little reward since I came here. "He could have had a hat-trick and probably deserved one. When an early chance got away from him I thought 'here we go again' but instead he got the goals he deserved." Graham criticised referee Mike Reed. He said: "The referee had a very poor game. It was played in a good spirit but he booked six players which I thought was very sad."

11th January

Result
Leeds 3 Leicester 0

10th January

Graham on Leicester
Graham says: "We had a really disappointing Christmas but I don't think many people expected us to beat Manchester United and Newcastle United. The real disappointing result for me was losing to Coventry City at home when we had a suicide 15 minutes. We now have to get it back together and after six games without a win it is important to take all three points off Leicester. We lost a close game at their place and I've no doubt that Saturday's match will be similar because there is a lot at stake. The players we have here are good enough but it is getting very tight at both ends of the table. Leicester have probably done a lot better than most people expected but I think half the teams in the league can be dragged down into the relegation zone if they suffer two or three defeats on the trot. But likewise if any team wins two or three on the bounce they can climb into mid-table."

9th January

More Molenaar
The fee is said to be around 1million pounds and he has signed a three and a half year contract. He is 27, blond and 6ft 3inches tall. Graham says "He was first brought to my attention by our chief scout Ian McNeill, who has a good track record in discovering players and turning them into stars. I saw him on tape to start with and then went to see him in Holland. He can play as a sweeper or a marker and he looks to have great stature. What impresses me most is that he has a couple of coaching badges so he can understand different systems. I managed to talk to Robert's advisers yesterday and got them over this morning, but it has taken a little time. Signing a player is not what it used to be it is not done in a few hours any more." Graham dismissed criticism that Molenaar is not a big-name. "I remember signing Anders Limpar for Arsenal and no-one had heard of him and he was sensational in his first season, so it just shows that you have to back your judgement. Molenaar was captain of his club in Holland and most captains can talk and are good leaders. His English is good it's probably a lot better than mine and I'm sure the players will probably understand him more than they do me!" Molenaar has not played since December 22, will undergo a fitness check before deciding whether he is fit for Saturday's Premiership match with Leicester.
Molenaar says "It's always been a dream of mine to play in what I think is the strongest league in the world. I don't think there will be any problem in playing on Saturday but we will have to wait and see. I am looking forward to playing in front of big crowds because we are used to around 4,500 watching Volendam. That will be a great experience for me."

Molenaar signs!

George Graham has made his second signing, the rugged Dutch centre-back Robert Molenaar from Volendam. He was scheduled for a trial with Tottenham but they didn't want him after signing Vega and Scales. Reduced to Spurs cast offs! (More info when avaiable)
Hooydonk
Graham was in Glasgow last night to see Celtic beat Kilmarnock 6-0. It's rumoured that he is going to table a bid for Pierre Van Hooydonk.

8th January

Thorne
Leeds have been linked with Swindon Town's highly rated forward Peter Thorne. Swindon have agreed to release the 23 year old who is rated in the 2M bracket.
He's a 1950's fatboy
Swedish tabloids today report Brolin has got the go-ahead from Leeds to train with Parma (initially for 10 days.) Brolin and his agent then hope Parma ask to take him on loan, and eventually buy him back (before 31st of Jan, the deadline for Italian clubs to buy foreign players.) Fotherby has said Leeds will sell, but for a minimum of 3M.

7th January

The Fotherby flop
Spurs have signed Ramon Vega for 3.75M.
Sacrifice
Ian Rush has offered to make way for someone else if it gives Leeds lift off. He said: "If I am not scoring and we are in the relegation zone, I am willing to sacrifice myself and maybe someone else should be given a chance. At the end of the day I want Leeds United to be successful whichever team the manager selects. When you are not winning games sometimes you have to try something different just to see if you can improve things."
Gray
Andy Gray made a bid for a first team place with Leeds only goal in their reserve match at Blackburn last night.
Yorkshire Evening Post
Last night's edition had back page speculation regarding a possible bid for unsettled Celtic striker Pierre Van Hooydonk.

6th January

Curcic
George Graham is poised to bid Ł3million for Aston Villa's Sasa Curcic. Curcic has been told by Villa to put a transfer request in writing, which is almost certain to be accepted. Little will probably not be prepared to sell him for less than the club record Ł4m fee he paid Bolton a short time ago.

5th January

FA Cup Fourth round draw
If Leeds overcome Palace on the 14th January, they face an away trip to either Arsenal or Sunderland. The game will be played on either 25th or the 26th of January.
Brolin Blimpoid
Leeds have turned down Brolin's request to train with his former club Parma.
Citko
The People reports that Blackburn are strong favourites to capture the signature of Polish international striker Alexander Citko for 4M. Leeds were rumoured to be interested.

4th January

Wilkinson gets a job
Wilko is set to be announced as the FA Technical Director on Monday.
Fotherby tips of Francis (again)
Leeds Teamtalk reckons we're closing in on Vega. Clubcall has "an exclusive interview with Fortherby on the transfer chase - Signing imminent ?" Rumours over Christmas say that Leeds were expecting to unveil a big signing before the Leicester game and were taking steps to deal with the predicted larger crowd.
Israel
Israeli Press states that George Graham is expected in Israel in the near future to watch Tal Banin play in one of the next international matches. Graham is also interested in Haim Revivo and in Gad Brumer.
Mirror
The Daily Mirror recently had two articles of interest. First was about a bid which Everton made for Palmer last week (1.5mill) but was turned down, and the possibility of an improved bid this week. Second was a possible signing, Rufus from Charlton (valued at 2.5mill.)
Haaland
Nottingham Forest's Norwegian international midfielder Alfie Haaland rejected a new four-year contract Friday and could be on his way to either Manchester United or Leeds.
Injured Yeboah still flies to Ghana?
Mystery surrounds Yeboah's fitness as the Leeds striker prepared to fly to Ghana. Leeds are puzzled that a hamstring injury which would have kept Yeboah out of today's postponed FA Cup third round tie against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park did not prevent him pressing ahead with arrangements to play for his country.
Fat Brolin wants to get thin with Parma
Brolin has asked his former Italian club Parma for permission to train with them, the club said yesterday. Parma spokesman Giorgio Bottaro said: 'He asked our permission and, of course, we answered "yes" - but only if Leeds authorise him. He was in Parma this week but went on to Sweden without training with us.'

3rd January

Postponed
The Palace game on Saturday is off. It has been rescheduled for the 14th January.

2nd January

The big freeze
The match at Palace on Saturday could be in doubt. The freezing weather could take its toll. A pitch inspection will take place tomorrow (Friday 3rd) at 11.00am.

1st January

Quotes
Graham admitted his side had finished "well beaten", and was left to rue a couple of second-half near misses from Ian Rush "While it was 1-0 we had a few chances but we didn't take them."
Result
Newcastle 3 Leeds 0

Email Jon Bunting at
JonB@rawhead.demon.co.uk