Cairney, who is one of the Championship’s standout performers this season, was released by Leeds United in 2007.
Fulham’s Tom Cairney holds off Leeds United’s Charlie Taylor
Fulham’s Tom Cairney has told the London Evening Standard he ‘shed a tear’ when Leeds United released him.
The Scottish midfielder is one of the Championship’s standout performers this season, scoring six goals and creating another seven in 30 Cottagers appearances.
Leeds fans may recall Cairney, who played for the Whites’ academy between the ages of seven and 16, scoring Fulham’s opener in August’s 1-1 draw between the two sides at Elland Road in August – his third overall against his first club.
And the 26-year-old admitted to being motivated by the events of a decade ago.
“I had been there from the age of seven,” Cairney told the London Evening Standard. “I gave a lot to the club but I was tiny and struggling. My parents were telling them, ‘He just needs time to grow and everything will catch up’ but they released me. I must admit, I shed a tear. It hurt for a long time.
“I went from Leeds academy to Hull, which was a complete reality check. I wasn’t playing against teams like Manchester United at youth level any more but it turned into a blessing in disguise. I made my Premier League debut a couple of years later with Hull.
“As for Leeds, I have scored on my last three visits there (once with Blackburn Rovers, twice with Fulham). What happened does motivate me.”
Cairney’s form is believed to have caught the eye of several first and second tier sides ahead of the January transfer window, with Championship leaders Newcastle United notably linked (The Chronicle).
Fulham’s Tom Cairney celebrates
Fulham, though, are determined to keep the player for whom they paid Blackburn around £3.5 million in 2015, and are said to have requested a fee of almost six times that amount – £20 million.
Would Cairney get into Leeds United’s current best eleven?
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