Leeds United’s youngest Premier League XI took the field against Manchester United in October 2000 – with an average age of just 22 years and 342 days.
Goalkeeper: Paul Robinson (21 Years, 7 days)
The 37-year-old goalkeeper is still going strong, having made two Premier League appearances for Burnley this season. Robinson, a 42-capped England international, made his Leeds United debut in 1998 and played over 100 times for the Elland Road club before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur in 2004. A return to the north followed in 2008, as Robinson signed for Blackburn Rovers for whom he featured for on more than 200 occasions, before moving to Burnley. Robinson has two career goals to his name – a League Cup strike for Leeds and a Premier League goal whilst at Spurs.
Defence: Gary Kelly (26 Years, 125 days) , Jonathan Woodgate (20 Years, 273 days), Danny Hay (25 Years, 160 days), Dominic Matteo (26 Years, 177 days)
Right back Gary Kelly is somewhat of a Leeds legend, having played well over 500 times for the Yorkshire club. Kelly made his debut during the 1991-92 season and played his final game in a white shirt in 2007. Kelly also earned over 50 international caps for the Republic of Ireland, including playing at the 1994 and 2002 World Cup Finals.
Jonathan Woodgate played for Leeds from 1998 to 2003, forging a strong reputation as an outstanding central defender. Woodgate made more than 100 appearances for Leeds, including memorable games in Europe and towards the top of the Premier League, before a £9 million switch to Newcastle United. An infamous transfer to Real Madrid in 2004 saw the forever injury-plagued defender sidelined for his first year in Spain, followed by an own goal and a red card in his long-awaited debut for Madrid. A return to the Premier League with spells at Middlesbrough, Spurs and Stoke CIty followed, before Woodgate ended his career in 2016 after a four year return to his native Middlesbrough.
Danny Hay partnered Woodgate in central defence for the 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford, but never managed to dislodge the likes of Lucas Radebe, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Duberry during his three years with Leeds. Indeed, Hay made just four league appearances for Leeds before a season at Walsall in 2002-03. Upon leaving English football, Hay played the remainder of his career in Australia, before retiring in 2009 with 31 international caps for New Zealand to his name.
Dominic Matteo started his career at Liverpool and despite being an emerging regular under then Anfield boss Gerard Houllier, joined Leeds in the summer of 2000. The Scotland international represented Leeds for four years, making over 100 appearances in the process. Matteo departed Elland Road in 2004 before spells at Blackburn and Stoke led to an injury-influenced retirement in 2009.
Midfield: Jacob Burns (22 Years, 185 days), Lee Bowyer (23 Years, 291 days), Matthew Jones (20 Years, 50 days), Stephen McPhail (20 Years, 317 days)
Australian midfielder Jacob Burns was signed from Parramatta Power in 2000, but only played in six Premier League games for Leeds before joining Barnsley in 2003. After 3 years and 89 league games for the Tykes, Burns left the UK and saw out the rest of his career at Poland’s Wisla Krakow, Romania’s Unirea Urziceni and Perth Glory back in his homeland – before retirement in 2009.
Lee Bowyer’s experience at Elland Road began when the lively midfielder signed from Charlton Athletic in 1996 – at the time a British transfer record for a teenager. Bowyer played in more than 250 matches for Leeds, and was known as an energetic, goal-scoring midfield player. Bowyer was an instrumental part of the talented Leeds team under David O’Leary either side of the millennium, but on and off the field controversy was never far away. The marmite-style nature of Bowyer’s playing career saw the one-time England international play for Newcastle (where he infamously fought with team mate Kieron Dyer mid-match), West Ham United, Birmingham City and ultimately Ipswich Town.
Matthew Jones made 23 appearances for Leeds between 1997 and 2000, before departing for Leicester City. However, the Welsh international midfielder was forced into retirement shortly after the move to the Foxes following a serious knee injury sustained whilst tackling former Leeds great Gary McAllister during a clash against Liverpool. His post-football career has seen Jones take to journalism, in addition to attending the Bristol Institute of Modern Music.
Stephen McPhail made his Leeds bow in 1998, but the youngster only became a regular starter in the 1999-2000 season. A left-footed central midfielder, McPhail was known for his guile and passing ability. After making close to 100 appearances for Leeds, the Republic of Ireland international left Elland Road for Barnsley in 2004, before a significant seven-year spell at Cardiff City. McPhail ended his career with a three month contract at Sheffield Wednesday and a two year stint in Ireland with Shamrock Rovers.
Attack: Alan Smith (19 Years, 358 days), Mark Viduka (25 Years, 13 days)
In the days when a front two was still en vogue, Leeds had the talented Alan Smith and Mark Viduka amongst their ranks. Local Leeds lad Smith scored on his debut, aged just 18, and was another significant starlet in Leeds’ adventures in European and domestic competition around the turn of the century. However, the tough tackling darling of Elland Road soon turned to villain – as in the summer of 2004, upon Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, Smith departed Elland Road to sign for Red Rose rivals Manchester United. Smith, who bagged 56 goals in six seasons with the club, went on to experience an injury hampered career at Old Trafford, with Newcastle United, Milton Keynes Dons and finally Notts County.
Mark Viduka was part of the trio of Australian internationals at Elland Road during the 2000-01 season, including Burns and Harry Kewell. Prior to joining Leeds, Viduka had scored 110 league goals in just five years – for Melbourne Knights, Dynamo Zagreb and Celtic. Viduka bagged a further 59 Premier League goals during his time with Leeds, the most memorable of which coming in the 4-3 victory over Liverpool – as Viduka scored all four.
As with many on this team sheet, Viduka left the club as financial difficulties and relegation hit, with the Australian moving to Middlesbrough for three years and then finishing his career with a two year spell at Newcastle – where he would be reunited with Smith.
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