Leeds United Homegrown XI

Follow us on Google Discover

Despite Leeds United having struggled in recent years, their academy has continued to produce quality players.

Leeds United are currently in their 13th season outside of the Premier League, which has included a few years in League One, and rarely a genuine push for promotion back to the top flight, in recent years at least. Yet despite the plight of Leeds’ first team, their academy has continued to churn out some very capable footballers.

The current Leeds team can boast 4 semi-regular starters who all came through the ranks at Elland Road, and a further two or three who are also members of the first team squad. The likes of Sam Byram, Jonny Howson and Lewis Cook has all been sold for substantial fees in recent times, although Leeds fans may wish they had made a greater effort to hang onto such talents.

This is a Leeds United Homegrown XI based on what the Leeds United team would look like now if Garry Monk was only allowed to utilise players produced by the club’s own academy. Therefore, it is based entirely on current ability and not prior achievements. It is generally very strong, but naturally far stronger in certain positions than others. Here is our Leeds United Homegrown XI:

Paul Robinson

Paul Robinson looks on whilst playing for Leeds United

There’s not much to split Paul Robinson and Scott Carson in terms of current ability, but Robinson has certainly had the more accomplished career. Aged 37, the Beverley-born shot stopper played 119 games for Leeds before departing to Tottenham and won 42 caps for England. Now back-up to Tom Heaton at Burnley, he looked capable when recently called upon in the Premier League.

Sam Byram

Sam Byram hasn’t quite had as much game time as he would have liked since leaving Leeds and joining West Ham United almost 12 months ago, but the 23-year-old still has time on his side. Byram made 143 appearances for Leeds before the club cashed in for somewhere in the region of £4 million.

Tom Lees

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans are surprised Leeds United let Tom Lees leave Elland Road so willingly, given the Whites defensive struggles prior to this season. Lees didn’t really show the kind of consistency and solidity he now regularly brings to the Owls side during his 120+ appearances for Leeds, but he is now a very accomplished Championship central defender.

Charlie Taylor

Current Leeds United star Charlie Taylor up against Blackburn’s Martin Samuelsen

Centre-back is not the strongest area of this team, it is fair to say, and that is why we have shoehorned full-back Charlie Taylor into the centre of defence. Matthew Kilgallon should be here, but his career has gone horribly wrong since joining Sunderland in 2010. Taylor is the only current Leeds United player in this XI, the 23-year-old is regularly linked with Premier League teams.

Danny Rose

There are a plethora of players vying for the left back spot in this team, most notably Danny Rose, Charlie Taylor and Luke Garbutt, but ultimately it has to be Rose. Arguably the best left-back in the Premier League right now and England’s first choice in the position, Rose never played a game for Leeds, joining Tottenham for £1 million at the age of 17.

Aaron Lennon

Another man who swapped Leeds United for Tottenham Hotspur as a teenager, Aaron Lennon made the switch to White Hart Lane at the age of 18, again for a fee of £1 million, although he had played 43 games for the Whites. He went on to spend a decade with Spurs, making more than 350 appearances and winning 21 caps for England. He now plays for Everton.

Lewis Cook

Lewis Cook in action for Bournemouth vs Valencia

One could make a case for Jonny Howson deserving a place in this team, but ultimately all three chosen central midfielders we believe are superior players. Lewis Cook may have seen limited game time at Bournemouth, but it is surely a case of when not if the 19-year-old will establish himself on the south coast and in the Premier League.

Tom Cairney

Not a name commonly associated with the Leeds United academy as he was released at the age of 16 for being too small and had a further couple of years in the Hull City academy, but that doesn’t alter the fact he is a Leeds homegrown player. The 25-year-old is now one of the most admired footballers in the Championship and is unlikely to be at Fulham much longer unless the club wins promotion.

Fabian Delph

Fabian Delph isn’t playing much football at the moment, but the energetic midfielder is still worth a place in this team. A key man at Aston Villa, the Birmingham-based outfit sorely felt his absence last season as they were relegated from the Premier League. Delph has had little first team football under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and has also been unable to add to his 9 caps for England.

James Milner

James Milner celebrates scoring for Leeds United

The left wing may not be his most natural position, but as this season has proved, is there an outfield position the England international can’t play? Now a first team regular at Liverpool, Milner made the grade at Elland Road, making 48 Premier League appearances for Leeds before a £3.6 million move to Newcastle.

Danny Ward

He may look a little out of place playing in front of a midfield packed full of current or former England internationals, but Danny Ward is a very decent Championship player, and earns the centre-forward spot over the likes of Andy Keogh. Ward himself never played for Leeds, leaving the club at 17, but now stars for Rotherham United, where he has scored 8 goals in 23 games so far this season.