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Leeds back at the Turf
There’s certainly a lot happened to the two clubs since they were last at the Turf in the league, in fact there’s a lot happens at Leeds almost on a weekly basis these days. In my forty-four years of watching the Clarets we’ve only had four chairmen, Leeds have had four in the last couple of years.
Ridsdale went, the comical character of Professor McKenzie followed and then came the even funnier Gerald Krasner. Now for better or worse they have a Burnley fan in charge, none other than Ken Bates.
Apparently Ken’s wiping out the debts, dafter still the Leeds fans are believing him, but for a club who go through chairmen quicker than the Clarets change kit I would suspect their could be more crises on the way.
In the aftermath of that wonderful win at Elland Road back at the beginning of November, manager Kevin Blackwell bemoaned the inexperience in his side, an incredible admission having sent out a side made up mainly of experienced professionals.
He’s still moaning but has been able to add to his squad since then. The only permanent signing has been Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Einarsson who came in at the beginning of 2005 from Lillestrom but the squad has been further boosted by loan signings.
The first of them was Nathan Blake but he returned to Leicester after picking up a serious injury after just two games. French midfielder Leandre Griffit has come in from Southampton, goalkeeper Paul Harrison from Liverpool and this week Blackburn’s former Sunderland left back Michael Gray has signed on a three month loan period.
They’ve also tried to add striker Rob Hulse but the deal did not go through in time and he will sign for Leeds next week.
Their recent form could be considered average with two wins, two draws and two defeats from their six league games in 2005, they have played three more than us during January. Both those wins came away from Elland Road, at Coventry and then at Stoke where needless to say the home side didn’t get a goal.
Blackwell was hoping to have both Seth Johnson and Eirik Bakke in his side tomorrow with both players returning after cruciate ligament injuries. Johnson will be on the subs bench but Norwegian Bakke has picked up a knock in training and won’t be available.
Bakke played the last couple of minutes at Brighton last week but apart from that neither of them have played since they won 2-1 at Blackburn last April. On that occasion Bakke came on for Johnson but the game led to both of them facing months out of the game.
Apart from Johnson, Blackwell will also include Michael Gray in his side and he is expected to come in for Frazer Richardson in the only change from the side that drew at Brighton last Saturday.
Leeds are expected to line up: Neil Sullivan, Gary Kelly, Paul Butler, Clarke Carlisle, Michael Gray, Simon Walton, Sean Gregan, Gylfi Einarsson, Aaron Lennon, Brian Deane, David Healy. Subs from: Paul Harrison, Matthew Spring, Seth Johnson, Frazer Richardson, Michael Ricketts, Leandre Griffit.
Steve Cotterill is fast running out of numbers. Since the New Year both Robbie Blake and Richard Chaplow have been sold, Amadou Sanokho has cleared off and with Michael Duff sidelined we are getting to the bare bones again.
His only real choices are between the two goalkeepers, but he has said that for now Brian Jensen is his number one, and between John Oster and Lee Roche on the right of midfield.
So we can expect Burnley to line up in their usual 4-5-1 formation as follows:
Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair, Gary Cahill, John McGreal, Mo Camara, John Oster, Micah Hyde, Tony Grant, Graham Branch, Jean-Louis Valois, Ian Moore. Subs: Danny Coyne, Lee Roche, Paul Scott, Joel Pilkington, Matt O’Neill.
It was the week after Easter in 1983 the last time Leeds were at Burnley for a league game, in the old Second Division. Leeds went into the game in 6th place whilst the Clarets were four points adrift at the bottom of the table and had lost the previous three games, the last of which being at Ewood Park on Easter Monday.
It all went to form and we were beaten 2-1. Trevor Steven got our goal and Andy Ritchie had scored for Leeds in the first half but a Derek Scott own goal won it for the visitors in the second half.
The two teams lined up as follows:
Burnley: Alan Stevenson, Brian Laws, Willie Donachie, Derek Scott, Micky Phelan, Martin Dobson, Brian Flynn, Trevor Steven, Billy Hamilton, Terry Donovan, Kevin Young (Tommy Cassidy).
Leeds: David Harvey, Gwyn Thomas, Frank Gray, John Sheridan, Paul Hart, Martin Dickinson, Kevin Hird, Eddie Gray, Andy Ritchie, John Donnelly, Arthur Graham.
Previous 20 Seasons | |||||
Season | Div | Ven | Result | Att | Scorers |
2004/05 | C | a | 2-1 | 27,490 | Roche Duffy |
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