From Champions League winners to Euro 2016 stars, Leeds United have welcomed some big names to Elland Road.
Few teams turn over players, or managers for that matter, quite like Leeds United. Therefore, it’s only natural that a few relatively well-known names sneak through the revolving door without detection.
So, without further ado, here’s eleven players that will make Leeds fans say ‘hang on, didn’t he play for us for a bit?’.
Ross Turnbull
Pride and place on Ross Turnbull’s mantelpiece is a Champions League winners medal. Whether that is enough to soothe the nagging feeling that he has wasted the entirety of his professional career is another matter entirely. The modern day Richard Wright made only 19 appearances during four seasons with Chelsea.
Though that’s 18 more than he’s mustered at Leeds.
Adam Smith
A major player in Bournemouth’s remarkable rise to the Premier League, the former Tottenham youngster is one of the top flight’s most adventurous right-backs.
Yet, his brief spell at Elland Road, on loan from Tottenham, was rather less enthralling. Although, in his defence, he could hardly be blamed for the fact that Simon Grayson was sacked days after he signed him.
Alan Tate
Leeds fans may not be particularly tolerable of those red-wearing rivals from t’other side of the Pennines but a fair few Manchester United graduates have braved a move to Elland Road over the years.
Alan Tate, winner of the club’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2001, didn’t make a single first-team appearance for United. Then again, the current Port Talbot veteran hardly fared much better in Leeds colours either.
Amdy Faye
A powerful, rangy enforcer plucked from France by Harry Redknapp, Faye drifted from Portsmouth to Stoke via short-term stays with Newcastle, Charlton and Rangers. However, after falling behind the emerging Bradley Johnson in the pecking order, his experience counted for little at Leeds as he retired after just six appearances.
Fede Bessone
Now plying his trade in the fourth tier of Spanish football with AE Prat (us neither), the former Barcelona youngster is fondly remembered in South Wales for a decent two year stint with a rapidly rising Swansea City between 2008 and 2010.
He’s barely remembered at all in West Yorkshire, however, featuring just six times.
Michael Tonge
Another youngster reared in the shadow of Old Trafford, Tonge never quite lived up to his supposed potential, enjoying only one season as a regular in the top flight with Sheffield United. Though it was at Leeds where he enjoyed one of the most consistent seasons of his career under Neil Warnock in 2012/13, earning admiration for a number of long-range strikes.
He’s at Stevenage these days, for anyone who’s interested.
Barry Bannan
The Scotland international’s current employers, Sheffield Wednesday, are just a few points behind Leeds in the table, not that the Elland Road faithful have any reason for animosity towards their former midfielder.
After all, Bannan didn’t exactly stay long enough to make an impression, featuring just seven times on loan from Aston Villa in 2011.
Mika Vayrynen
When your new central midfielder has over 60 caps for his country, you can be forgiven for getting a little carried away. Although the fact that each and every one of Mika Vayrynen’s international appearances came in the colours of Finland rather toned down the excitement.
Joining compatriot Mikael Forssell at Elland Road, the veteran midfielder’s contract was cancelled by mutual consent after just eight months. After a brief spell with LA Galaxy, Vayrynen is now winding down his nomadic career in his homeland with HIFK.
Paul Dickov
No matter what wonders Sergio Aguero weaves in Manchester City colours, he will never scale the heights of Paul Dickov in the eyes of supporters old enough to remember the days prior to the petrodollars. Though the former Doncaster and Oldham boss is rather less revered at Leeds.
The Whites were forced to apply for special dispensation to register the wily old striker in 2010 after he had already played for two clubs that same season. One start later, they’ll wish they hadn’t bothered.
Sam Vokes
Burnley’s strapping frontman is an established Premier League forward these days and, thanks to a soaring header against Belgium in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, is a proud owner of one of the most historic moments in Welsh football history.
There were no wild celebrations at Leeds however. Just eight appearances and a singular goal, against Bristol Rovers rather than Belgium.
Dougie Freedman
The lower-league legend may have spent a few months at Elland Road but, in just fourteen short appearances, captured the hearts of the Leeds supporters. Netting six times to help the club reach the League One Play Off Final on his 34th birthday, Freedman remains a cult hero to this day.
Which is more than can be said for the rest of this motley crew of misfits.
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