Leeds United are on the verge of a play-off campaign – and it’s almost nine years since they last reached a play-off final.
Leeds United line up before facing Doncaster Rovers
Leeds United are on the verge of a play-off place, putting them in contention for a return to the Premier League after 13 years outside of the top flight.
Garry Monk will be hoping to take Leeds to the play-off final, and hopefully fare much better than the club’s last Championship play-off final – a 3-0 defeat to Watford in 2006.
(L-R) Leeds United’s Frazer Richardson, Dougie Freedman, Bradley Johnson and Lubomir Michalik exit the players tunnel before the match
The last time Leeds reached a play-off final in any league was in 2008, as they turned out against Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers at Wembley in the League One play-off final, but were on the wrong end of a 1-0 defeat thanks to James Hayter’s winning goal.
After finishing six points off automatic promotion and beating Carlisle United in the semi-finals, Leeds were left heartbroken against Doncaster – and, almost nine years on, here we go through what each player who featured for Leeds that day is doing now…
Gary McAllister (2nd R) – Leeds United Manager and his players line up before facing Doncaster Rovers
Casper Ankergren: A popular figure with Leeds fans following a 2007 move from Brondby in his native Denmark, Ankergren made over 100 league appearances for Leeds before being released in 2010. Now 37, Ankergren is Brighton’s third-choice goalkeeper behind David Stockdale and Niki Maenpaa, but has also been working with the Seagulls’ youth team goalkeepers as he takes his first steps into coaching.
Frazer Richardson: A product of the Leeds United academy, Richardson stayed with the club following their relegation from the Premier League in 2004, and racked up more than 150 league appearances for the club. The right back, now 34, has enjoyed spells with the likes of Charlton Athletic, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town, Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers since leaving Leeds in 2009, but saw his spell with Doncaster cut short through injury earlier this season. With just six appearances this season and a patchy injury history, Richardson may be nearing retirement in the not-too-distant future.
Paul Huntington after Leeds United’s 2008 League One play-off final defeat to Doncaster Rovers
Paul Huntington: He may have been a bit-part player for Leeds following a 2007 move from Newcastle United, but Huntington has gone on to become a solid, dependable Championship centre back with Preston North End. Now 29, Huntington played only 23 league games for Leeds before moving on to Yeovil Town, and his impressive displays earned him a 2012 switch to Preston. Popular with North End fans as something of an unsung hero at times, Huntington’s time at Deepdale has been far more fruitful than his spell with Leeds.
Lubomir Michalik: A giant centre back signed from Bolton Wanderers – initially on loan in 2007 – Slovakian man mountain Michalik played more than 50 league games for Leeds, scoring one goal. A former Slovakia international, the 6ft 5in Michalik was transfer listed by Leeds following promotion to the Championship in 2010, and he moved on to Carlisle. A spell with Portsmouth followed, and the 33-year-old defender is currently playing for Slovakian top flight side Dunajska Streda following a stint in Kazakhstan with Kairat.
Leeds United’s Bradley Johnson looks dejected against Doncaster
Bradley Johnson: Played at left back against Doncaster in 2008, Johnson has gone on to carve out an impressive career as an all-action midfielder. Leeds snapped him up from Northampton Town in 2008, but a lack of first-team football saw him join Brighton and Hove Albion later that year. Johnson did eventually star for Leeds, hitting 17 goals in 140 games having become a key part of Simon Grayson’s side. In the summer of 2011, Johnson moved on to Norwich City, where he scored 21 goals in 152 games before a surprise 2015 switch to Derby, where he is currently featuring on a regular basis.
Neil Kilkenny: A former Arsenal and Birmingham City youngster, former Australian international Kilkenny joined Leeds in January 2008 and immediately played an important role at Elland Road. After making nearly 150 appearances for Leeds, Kilkenny stunned many by leaving Leeds at the end of his contract in 2011, where he made 72 appearances in an up-and-down spell. Kilkenny reunited with Simon Grayson at Preston in 2013, and helped the Lilywhites win promotion to the Championship in 2015 before heading back to Australia last summer, joining Manchester City’s sister club, Melbourne City, where the 31-year-old features prominently.
David Prutton in action for Leeds United against Doncaster Rovers
David Prutton: Once billed as a hot prospect at Nottingham Forest, Prutton made 150 appearances for Forest before joining Southampton, and a disappointing spell on the South Coast led to a 2007 move to Leeds. A combative, hard-working and often feisty midfield, Prutton scored four times in 78 games for Leeds before moving on to the likes of Colchester United, Swindon Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Scunthorpe United and Coventry City before retiring in 2014. Now working as a pundit for Sky Sports, Prutton is considered a Football League expert.
Jonathan Douglas: Another combative midfielder, Douglas made nearly 150 league appearances for Leeds following a 2005 move from Blackburn Rovers. A dependable player in the middle of the park who wasn’t afraid to put his foot in, the former Republic of Ireland international played a key role for Leeds before leaving for Swindon Town in 2009. A spell with Brentford followed before he was snapped up by Ipswich Town in 2015, and the 35-year-old has been a regular under Mick McCarthy this season, playing 23 times.
Doncaster Rovers’ Brian Stock in action against Leeds United’s Jonny Howson (R)
Jonny Howson: Leeds have lost many top players since their relegation from the Premier League, but few hurt quite as much as Howson’s exit. Born in West Yorkshire and a part of the Leeds ranks since 1997, Howson played more than 200 times for Leeds, scoring 28 goals, and he even went on to become Leeds captain and the heartbeat of their midfield. In January 2012, Norwich swooped to land Howson, reuniting him with the aforementioned Johnson, and he has hit 24 goals in 176 games for the Canaries, playing a part in four Premier League campaigns and one promotion to the top flight.
Dougie Freedman: Former striker Freedman was only on loan at Leeds from Crystal Palace in 2008, but he made a big impact with six goals and three assists in 14 games. The Scot moved on to Southend United after Leeds’ play-off final defeat, and retired with the Shrimpers after hitting six goals and five assists in 42 games. Since his retirement, Freedman has turned his hand to management with Crystal Palace, Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, but has been out of work for more than a year having been sacked by Forest in March 2016.
Leedsd United’s Jermaine Beckford in action against Doncaster Rovers
Jermaine Beckford: One of the most popular Leeds players in recent memory, Beckford became an Elland Road hero with 85 goals in 152 games for the club – including the famous winning goal in the 2010 FA Cup tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The striker moved on to Everton, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers following his Leeds exit, before reuniting with his ex-Leeds boss Simon Grayson at Preston. Whilst he hit 18 goals in 31 games to fire North End to promotion in the 2014-15 season, he has endured an injury-hit 18 months, and the 33-year-old has scored just once this season, and was sent off against Leeds in December.
Manager – Gary McAllister: Appointed in January 2008, McAllister – who made almost 250 league appearances for Leeds as a player – immediately took Leeds to a play-off final, but was sacked in December 2008 as the Whites moved for Simon Grayson in his place. The Scot, now 52, has since had a spell as Aston Villa’s caretaker manager and joined Brendan Rodgers’ coaching staff at Liverpool in 2015, but lasted a matter of months before being made a club ambassador for the Reds, a role he still serves to this day.
Leeds’ Tresor Kandol looks dejected after losing to Doncaster
Substitutes
Tresor Kandol: Brought on after 69 minutes of that play-off final, Kandol initially joined Leeds on loan from Barnet in November 2006, having hit 18 goals in 21 games. The former DR Congo international’s move became permanent in January 2007 despite scoring just once in nine games for Leeds, and he went on to bag 13 goals in 59 league games for Leeds. Since leaving Leeds in 2010, Kandol – now 35 – has turned out for Albacete, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Hackney Wick and is now believed to be playing for non-league Crawley Wanderers.
Andy Hughes: Hughes, a 77th minute substitute against Doncaster, racked up nearly 150 appearances for Leeds following a 2007 move from Norwich City. A versatile player for mostly played in midfield, Hughes was praised for his hard work, combative style and never say die attitude, but left the club in 2011 to join Scunthorpe United. Spells with Charlton Athletic and Bolton Wanderers followed, and Hughes – now 39 – is currently working with Leeds’ local rivals Huddersfield Town as First Team Coach.
What did you think of the 2007/08 Leeds team?
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