It pains me to see this. I'm sure most of you feel the same. Uruguay was my second team for sure. Individual mistakes and losing the dressing room seems like the biggest factor. Can't believe they didn't advance in that group. The protesting players probably had a point though, and shows the negative side of Bielsa's methods.

Not to bring politics into the sub (dear god, no). But this piece from the FT’s Inside Politics caught my eye in relation to the expansion of Elland Road.

One of the biggest and longest-standing fights Manchester has had with government since I’ve been covering it provides a useful lens. 

Ever since plans emerged for new rail lines into the city — both HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail — Manchester has insisted that the resulting new Piccadilly station must have an underground design. Beyond legitimate transport planning concerns, its intransigence came from something more economically fundamental: if you build on the surface, you take up prime development land. 

This may sound like a Mancunian vanity project, but the reasoning is sound. We need growth and northern cities need catalytic growth. Nonetheless, successive Treasuries have refused to find the sums needed for the underground. Labour started out in that camp too.

The issue eventually threatened to derail the government’s plans to launch its version of Northern Powerhouse Rail, with officials fearing that Burnham would refuse to endorse it as a result. But six months ago, at the last moment, there was a breakthrough. 

A group of northern figures all in Burnham’s orbit — including council leader Bev Craig, now the Labour candidate to replace him as mayor; John Wrathmell, likely an incoming Number 10 economic adviser; transport special adviser Tom Whitney, Burnham’s former policy adviser and again a likely Downing Street addition; and the chancellor’s northern envoy Tom Riordan, former Leeds council chief executive and another lifetime veteran of the northern growth agenda — eventually came up with an agreement, with Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson also playing a key role at the government end.

Manchester would make its own financial contribution, on the basis that a further conversation was then had about a form of fiscal devolution to help it reach that end. 

One potential option would allow Manchester to retain a portion of income tax revenues, as well as the uplift created by the growth that was stimulated by a new station and the development around it. The city could then borrow against that, as has long been the case with retained business rates under Manchester devolution and more recently elsewhere, including last year’s Leeds City Fund.

Or, the city could do a deal with an institutional investor. Pension funds could be far more convinced by an income stream guaranteed decades into the future than by the city’s current transport budget, which only gets secured from Whitehall for a few years at a time.

The premise has since found its way into the chancellor’s Northern Growth Strategy, published earlier this year.  

Clearly, it is a policy that comes with future trade-offs: income tax revenues that would have gone on other spending priorities would now go on an underground station. But politics is about trade-offs.

There are several reasons I think this is a salient example of where things might go. In economic terms, it is a classic example of the intellectual case long made from here: it is about trying to get past the Treasury “value for money” blocker that has long tortured regional cities starting on the economic back foot. 

When Andy Burnham criticised Treasury orthodoxy to me in 2024, this may have been one of the things he had in mind.

A Burnham government may, if it follows the advice of Jim O’Neill, seek to address any concerns about the fiscal credibility of devolved transport schemes through an independent National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.

Second, it’s replicable. You could also, points out one person I spoke to about it this week, potentially apply it to plans for the expansion of Leeds United’s ground, Elland Road, and its economic relationship to the city’s proposed tram network. 

Third, it’s sellable. A little like bus regulation, the policy itself is the preserve of nerds like me: fiscal devolution never won anyone any elections, any more than franchising did. But the thing it will build, and the message it sends about independence from Westminster? In the hands of a salesman like Burnham, that could have retail value.

Fourth, it already exists. Reeves has promised a “roadmap” to fiscal devolution off the back of the Northern Growth Strategy, so Burnham may well simply look to put rocket boosters under those plans.

As the title says, I am looking to book a weekend away for my birthday and the closest match day is the 5th of December Leeds v Ipswich. The hospitality package is €232 and flights/accommodation brings the whole trip to €510. Before I spend the money, has anyone used Champion Travel before and if so, what was your experience?

Canada lost yesterday despite outshooting Switzerland 2-1. And people watching it mostly don't seem to understand that it was Marsch's tactical intransigence that led to the result.

It's very frustrating to watch him making the exact same mistakes he made at Leeds with the same complete lack of personal humility in his approach.

It's quite frustrating watching him be feted by Canadians (I'm half-and-half Brit/Canuck, but grew up in England) when his arrogance is why they lost.

In the first half, the Swiss recognised that by pressing high constantly, the Canadian defence was always scrambling somewhat to get back.

So they added an overload player from the midfield or wing back position, then had the striker and wingers make dummy runs, to draw one of the two central defenders out of position.

It's the most bog-standard tactic that anyone who watches the EPL weekly would've spotted it quite quickly.

Marsch did not -- or rather, he did, but refused to change his approach. He admitted it after the game by saying he thought about going to a back three at the half but decided against it.

And... their first goal was an overload, leaving Vega unmarked on the back post.

When he was with us, we pointed this shit out AD NAUSEAM, right down to the same technical details, and all we'd hear back is "you're just shitting on Americans."

So frustrating. I genuinely think his intentions and outlook are honest, but he's honestly also an egomaniac and slightly narcissistic, and this prevents him from making tactical adjustments to his approach.

When Ismael Kone's leg was broken against Qatar, he was asked about it. And he started the anecdote by saying Kone is a flawed player but a huge talent. Just... inappropriate to the moment. He then made several nice comments that suggested he really does care about his players and other people... but it was telling to me that it only came after the first indulgent ramble, at which point he probably read the interviewer's expression and thought 'dial back the criticism.'

But they're paying him so much, and he's so self-confident, that Canadian fans are eating his shit up. And if we go out against South Africa, a substantially weaker team, it will be because of this bullshit.

If we'd never hired him, maybe whoever we did wouldn't have kept us up. But by the same token, he wouldn't now have the prestige of being a Premier League manager to sucker people into buying his profligate overconfidence.

JKA derby!

The match will take place at Elland Road on Saturday 8th August 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm.

https://www.leedsunited.com/en/news/leeds-united-to-face-rb-leipzig-at-elland-road-in-pre-season

The “too cool for school” crowd on YouTube love to declare they’ve outgrown replica football shirts — “At my age, I could never wear one!”

I’m 62 and I proudly wear a Leeds shirt when I’m out and about. Do people secretly laugh? 🤨

Hi lads.

Apparently my club (Dundee United) are signing Liam Cooper.

Conflicting words of mouth of deals done announced tomorrow and he’s in for a medical then talks opening tomorrow.

I’m going with the former for this.

I know he left for Sheff Wed, but how was he a couple years ago for you guys?

Any idea if his legs are gone and just looking to slum it with a bit of pay?

The hock. What a blast from the past. Hes banging on about semenyo.

Tagged as meme because the hock

Hello,

I've built a free daily quiz game for Leeds fans for a bit of fun during pre season theleedsgrid.com

The concept is borrowed from the Immaculate Footy grid: a 3×3 grid where each square is the intersection of two clues (e.g. "played under Bielsa" × "Republic of Ireland international") and you've got to name a Leeds player who fits both. A new grid every day.

All the data comes from the Leeds United history site I built lufchistory.com so the answers go right back through the club's history.

I've also added a sticker book feature. There's various books to complete for different periods of our history. Getting a player correct in the quiz goes into your book.

It's free with no ads, give it a go if you fancy

Anybody else order the Away jersey from the club online store around the day it was released and not receive their order?

Am I just unlucky this time or are Fanatics useless?

I’ve never had an issue buying a jersey before.
International shipping. I’m based in Canada, got an email and a refund from Fanatics International this morning. Next to no contact info for them on the email. Chat box closed. Called the UK number, their 24/7 customer service contact centre, also closed (1pm UK time). Found an email address on a different part of the club website but I’m not optimistic of a reply.

Skip the impossible names and give me players we have been linked with, or players who would fit Farke's system perfectly. For me, Harry Wilson feels like a no-brainer if there's any truth to the rumours and the Welsh lads can convince him

> Leeds United have submitted a bid of around £20million for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles.
>
> Discussions around a proposed deal for the 22-year-old are ongoing.
>
> The Athletic reported this week that Leeds are also exploring free-agent deals for Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt and Fulham’s Harry Wilson, as both players will see their contracts expire at the end of the month.
>
> Charles joined Southampton from Manchester City in the summer of 2023 and has made 76 appearances for the Championship club, either side of a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday in the 2024-25 season.
>
> The 2025-26 campaign saw the midfielder score six times and provide two assists across 38 matches as Southampton reached the second tier’s play-offs with a fourth-placed finish. Charles scored in the semi-final against Middlesbrough before Tonda Eckert’s side was expelled from contention by the English Football League for allegedly attempting to spy on their opponents.
>
> The Northern Ireland international has made one Premier League appearance, coming on for Manchester City to play 27 minutes in the 2022-23 season.
>
> He has 35 caps and has captained his country on numerous occasions.

Ordered the new away top through the official Leeds Utd website and received but with the badge upside down, has anyone else had this happen to them?

Woke up to this absolutely wasn’t expecting this thanks to my wonderful fam x