Championship Playoff Final - Leeds V Watford (scores etc)

Kingp35

Well the last big game of the club season is on Sunday as Leeds and Watford play in the richest game in football for a place in the Premiership next season.

Demand for tickets among Leeds fans has been absolutely crazy with many fans very annoyed that they couldnt get tickets. It was limited to 2 for season ticket holders and 1 club members which meant many people missed out. Its believed there will be in excess of 40,000 Leeds fans there which should make for a cracking atmosphere.

Im very nervous about this game already. Watford are a top side but we have proven already this season by winning one and drawing one that we are well capable of winnig the game. The bokies have Watford as slight favourites but its very even in my opinion. Kevin Blackwell faces some tough decisions for this match. It looks like captain Paul Butler will be fit for the game but Gregan and Kilgallon were brilliant against Preston and I think it would be a bad decision to break that partnership up. Either way Kilgallon has to play in order to look after the pace of King who has been top class all season.

The other decision is about the formation. Despite having 4 top class strikers available in the 2nd leg of the semi, KB went with just Hulse up front and it worked a charm. He needs to decide whether to use that again or to go with 2 up top. Im sure both Healy and Blake are desperate to play but I would go with the way we played in the semi with Hulse up by himself and push Eddie Lewis in an advanced position on the left and then one of three out of Richardson, Healy or Blake in an advanced position on the right. KB also needs to decide to start either the experienced Bakke or the excellent Douglas in the middle. I wuld go for Douglas who has had a great season and deserves his place.

The key player for me is Shaun Derry. How he didnt get player of the season I will never know, he is a Leeds legend now and a top class player. This is what he had to say about the game and the club. I dont usually believe players when they talk like this but its easy to see the Passion Derry has for the club.

Shaun Derry wrote:

"It is well documented that it is the most expensive game in world football, so that is pressure on our shoulders.
However, playing for a club the size of Leeds means we have had pressure all season long so it will not affect us. I've come here last season when no one was willing to take a chance on me, and I absolutely love it here. The fans have been incredible, and I'd be happy to play out the rest of my career here, be it Premiership, Championship, League 1, whatever. When I put on that white shirt, I get a sense of pride, and last week, 35,000 fans belting out 'Marching On Together' really brought home what a great club I'm at. Now it's up to us to give them what they want, and deserve- trips to Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge. We have been walked all over by crooks for far too long, and now it's our chance to get our own back. This is our time."

Indeed it is Derry, indeed it is.

Big Nelly

Hope Leeds get as many fans down as Shef Wed had last year for PLay off final. Good luck to them anyway and I hope Miller or Douglas score....I guess both are due to start?

Oh yeah the Munster fans would have something to say about the last big game on Sunday:p

Kingp35

Big Nelly wrote:

Good luck to them anyway and I hope Miller or Douglas score....I guess both are due to start?

Miller is a certainty to start. Douglas should start imo but KB does have the option of Bakke. I think he will go with Douglas though.

Mushy

Im actually quite confident of a Leeds win this time. I thought Preston would be tough to beat, and in all honesty, didnt think they would go through.But when they went 2-0 up, i knew they wouldnt let it slip and that they would reach the final. And now that they are there, im fully confident that it can be done. I think it'd be great for Kevin Blackwell to take them up aswell, after all the crap he has had to put up with over the lsat few months. He deserves it more than anyone and the players have been fantastic this season.Should be a good game of football, but I can see Leeds coming out of it with a 2-0 win again

eirebhoy

I'll be up for Leeds because of their Irish contingent. I think they'll get Douglas permanantly but Miller seems to want to prove himself at Man U. He should stay at Leeds if they go up.

The Muppet

eirebhoy wrote:

I'll be up for Leeds because of their Irish contingent. I think they'll get Douglas permanantly but Miller seems to want to prove himself at Man U. He should stay at Leeds if they go up.

I hope Leeds go up . They should be a PL club and the atmosphere surrounding Leeds Man Utd games is always special, I would love to see that again next season.

Chucky the tree

Come on Watford!

kensutz

Watford 2-1

Rollo Tamasi

eirebhoy wrote:

I'll be up for Leeds because of their Irish contingent. I think they'll get Douglas permanantly but Miller seems to want to prove himself at Man U. He should stay at Leeds if they go up.

I can't see Douglas going back to Blackburn, he is a forgotten man at this stage. Miller thou......imo he should have been called back to UTD circa Janurary, UTD made a mistake leaving him at Leeds when they had a midfield crisis on their hands. I don't know what he will do, he will play every game for Leeds in the PL if they come up but will probably only make a hat full of appearances for UTD. He has balls thou, so i could see him moving back to UTD for a while before finally been sold off or given a free transfer.

Big Nelly

Rollo Tamasi wrote:

I can't see Douglas going back to Blackburn, he is a forgotten man at this stage. Miller thou......imo he should have been called back to UTD circa Janurary, UTD made a mistake leaving him at Leeds when they had a midfield crisis on their hands. I don't know what he will do, he will play every game for Leeds in the PL if they come up but will probably only make a hat full of appearances for UTD. He has balls thou, so i could see him moving back to UTD for a while before finally been sold off or given a free transfer.

He was all over the press before Jan there was no way he was staying at Leeds and was going to head back to Utd because he seen it as his best chance of getting into the Utd team and showing what he could do. A week later there was a small press release saying he was staying at Leeds for the rest of the season. My point of view is that Fergie had a word with him saying he wouldnt get into the team and stay where he was, could be wrong but was strange he was all over the paper saying he wasnt staying and then all of a sudden a small press release saying he was and no comments from Miller himself.

Kingp35

Big Nelly wrote:

He was all over the press before Jan there was no way he was staying at Leeds and was going to head back to Utd because he seen it as his best chance of getting into the Utd team and showing what he could do. A week later there was a small press release saying he was staying at Leeds for the rest of the season. My point of view is that Fergie had a word with him saying he wouldnt get into the team and stay where he was, could be wrong but was strange he was all over the paper saying he wasnt staying and then all of a sudden a small press release saying he was and no comments from Miller himself.

Yeah I agree with Nelly. At his very first interview with LUTV he stated that he wanted to help Leeds for the next month but that he was a Man Utd player and had come to Leeds in order to show Fergie what he could do. He made it very clear about that to the point that some Leeds fans were pretty annoyed at him. Then at the end of the month he decided to stay for the rest of the season.

One thing is for sure, if we dont win tomorrow then he will go back to Man U. If we do win then it will depend on what Fergie says to Miller but I fully expect Man U to buy 2 midfield players this summer and so Miller will be down the pecking order again. He seems to have enjoyed his time at Leeds as well so who knows what will happen.

The important thing is Leeds win tomorrow!

Kingp35

Now I know many players have superstitions like wearing the same pair of socks for years or walking out of the tunnel in a certain order but surely Shaun Derry's has got to be one of the strangest yet!

The Independant wrote:

For when the bell rings in the Leeds dressing-room at the Millennium Stadium, the 28-year-old holding midfielder will nip into the toilets, thrust his fingers down his throat and force himself to be sick.

"Not the nicest of superstitions, I know," admits the quietly spoken Derry, "but it's something that has stuck with me since I was 18. Every player has his own way to focus on the game ahead. Mine is just stranger than 99 per cent of the other players.

"I've done it so long that I won't be changing now. I'm fortunate that I don't get nervous about playing. I love it. Out there, I feel free and I can express myself. But I do have to do this daft thing to get me prepared."

What do the other players make of his habit? "When I first arrived there were a few wondering eyes. But now they understand it's just a mental thing to get me right to go out and play."

Linky to article with other superstitions
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/coca_cola/article548925.ece

evilhomer

The Muppet wrote:

I hope Leeds go up . They should be a PL club and the atmosphere surrounding Leeds Man Utd games is always special, I would love to see that again next season.

Oh to see Alan Smith go back to Elland Road! It would be worth it just for that

Zaph

On Football Focus today they said that Leeds had received a total of 250,000 applications for tickets. This shows just how big the club really is. Despite all the abuse and slagging I've endured over the years as a Leeds fan, every single person I've spoken to this week about the game has told me they wants Leeds to go up because they're a big club and should rightfully be in the Premiership. No disrespect to Watford, but if they go up they're not going to have 40,000 at every home game and bring a large travelling support to their away games. Leeds fans have a lot of pride and passion, God knows we needed something to get us through the last few years, and promotion is the least the fans deserve for their amazing support. It would also show those few idiots who sent Blackwell death threats that the club is so lucky to have a man like him in charge, and if they don't like him they can f*ck off and "support" someone else.

Marching on together...

Q_Ball

Marching on together indeed! I missed the munster final because of study (damn finals but at least i have it taped!) but there's no way in hell i'm missing this!

I think that the 4-5-1 formation against preston worked a charm but the question is who to slot in at LB. That position is up against king, who's not the slowest of players. I'd hate to break up the gregan-kilgannon partnership but in the absence of crainey (who always looked nervous on the ball) we only have pugh(to big an occasion for him i think), lewis(need him further forward) and kilgannon. so maybe slotting him in at LB and gregan and butler at CB would be the formation of choice?

I'd be worried that watford would be prepared for a 4-5-1 tho. I'd like to see it played for the first hour or so and switch to a 4-4-2 with hulse and healy for the remainder. Just to mix it up.

random names but maybe a
sullivan, kilgannon, gregan, butler, kelly, lewis, bakke, derry, miller, richardson, hulse teamsheet?

Cant wait for this one!

Kingp35

Q_Ball wrote:

so maybe slotting him in at LB and gregan and butler at CB would be the formation of choice?

Thats looking the most likely at the moment. Im just a little worried about how fit Butler is because he is going to have to be at the top of his game in order to deal with King. Kilgallon on the left side means that we will be lacking some serious pace in the centre and may be forced to play a little depper than usual.

Tbh im kinda of stuck in two minds whether KB should start Pugh or Kilgallon left back. Either way doesnt seem to great to me!

Zaph

What about playing Dan Harding in place of Crainey? Is he fit at the moment?

Kingp35

zaph wrote:

What about playing Dan Harding in place of Crainey? Is he fit at the moment?

Yeah he is fit but hasnt been getting a look in at all at the moment. I dont know why that is although he did have a bit of a shaky start

Q_Ball

harding is also an alternative but my worry is that both pugh and harding(?) have very little experience in a big game like this. fair enough it'll be like a home game, 2 of every 3 fans a white apparently, but the prize at stake could unsettle them.

I agree that we'll be lacking pace in the centre alright, but there aren't many choices left. i can see king drawing away the LB and CB allowing their winger to get a cross in. He's the big worry for me and the biggest proble the defense has to face.

wouldnt like to be in KB's shoes right now

now, if only there was a kaiser chief version of marching on together

Zaph

True, but if playing him meant keeping Kilgallon and Gregan together and not relying on Butler's fitness it might be worth the gamble, especially as he wouldn't be playing out of position.

Kingp35

zaph wrote:

True, but if playing him meant keeping Kilgallon and Gregan together and not relying on Butler's fitness it might be worth the gamble, especially as he wouldn't be playing out of position.

Thats it I think Zaph, its probably one of the biggest games in the clubs history so now doesnt seem like the time to be playing people out of position.

Your right as well Q_Ball, King is definitely the main threat and he is the one e have to keep quiet. Ironically, Mathew Spring has been a top player for Watford this season and we will have a tough job keeping him quiet.

Kingp35

Q_Ball wrote:

now, if only there was a kaiser chief version of marching on together

Link to the classic version in my sig

el rabitos

whats the story with leeds, are they likely to be capable of staying in the premiership with the current crop of players or is a cull likely to happen if they get promoted?

i havent been too clued in about them since they went down

Kingp35

el rabitos wrote:

whats the story with leeds, are they likely to be capable of staying in the premiership with the current crop of players or is a cull likely to happen if they get promoted?

Well if im totally honest I think that alot of players that are in the squad wont be able to hack it in the Premiership. The first eleven is strong enough bar Butler and Gregan who I dont think will make it and then Healy, Blake and Cresswell should be ablt to do ok but the none of the squad players are good enough for me. Lets just say that Leeds would need quite a few signings if we were to stay up bt with the size and popularity of the club I think its well doable.

kensutz

I think it's gonna be a cracker of a game. Watford have some good set piece plays and big old Malky is gonna be a threat. He's slow but what he lacks in pace he certainly makes up for it by being a step ahead of most attackers. The pitch will be another talking point after todays game but they should be professional enough to deal with all circumstances. I'll stick with my 2-1 Watford prediction and I have the Watford jersey on me now. I could've gone over knowing a few season ticket holders but I rather their real fans go.

kensutz

zaph wrote:

On Football Focus today they said that Leeds had received a total of 250,000 applications for tickets. This shows just how big the club really is. Despite all the abuse and slagging I've endured over the years as a Leeds fan, every single person I've spoken to this week about the game has told me they wants Leeds to go up because they're a big club and should rightfully be in the Premiership. No disrespect to Watford, but if they go up they're not going to have 40,000 at every home game and bring a large travelling support to their away games. Leeds fans have a lot of pride and passion, God knows we needed something to get us through the last few years, and promotion is the least the fans deserve for their amazing support. It would also show those few idiots who sent Blackwell death threats that the club is so lucky to have a man like him in charge, and if they don't like him they can f*ck off and "support" someone else.

Marching on together...

Watford will sell out all home games although it's not 40,000 in capacity they will sell out every game. Same for away games you will know that they will take up all allocations or 90% of them. As for amazing support??

Team Pld Total Highest Average Capacity Pct
1 Norwich City (9) 23 572836 27470 24906 25500 97.6%
2 Brighton & Hove Albion (24) 23 156449 7999 6802 6973 97.5%
3 Luton Town (10) 23 210203 10248 9139 9975 91.6%
4 Coventry City (8) 23 489943 26851 21302 23633 90.1%
5 Reading (1) 23 464770 23845 20207 24200 83.5%
6 Wolverhampton Wndrs (7) 23 543361 27980 23624 29400 80.3%
7 Ipswich Town (15) 23 557813 29184 24253 30311 80.0%
8 Hull City (18) 23 456351 23486 19841 25404 78.1%
9 Sheffield United (2) 23 543958 30558 23650 30936 76.4%
10 Crystal Palace (6) 23 447512 23843 19457 26400 73.7%
11 Southampton (12) 23 543115 30173 23614 32551 72.5%
12 Derby County (20) 23 555821 30391 24166 33597 71.9%
13 Preston North End (4) 23 336240 19350 14619 20600 70.9%
14 Queens Park Rangers (21) 23 309133 16152 13441 19148 70.1%
15 Watford (3) 23 355342 19842 15450 22100 69.9%
16 Crewe Alexandra (22) 23 154832 8942 6732 10046 67.0%
17 Leicester City (16) 23 498891 25578 21691 32500 66.7%
18 Plymouth Argyle (14) 23 316857 17726 13776 20922 65.8%
19 Sheffield Wednesday (19) 23 571625 33439 24853 39859 62.3%
20 Leeds United (5) 23 514159 27843 22355 40204 55.6%
21 Burnley (17) 23 286616 17912 12462 22546 55.2%
22 Cardiff City (11) 23 269562 16403 11720 21432 54.6%
23 Stoke City (13) 23 331947 20408 14432 28384 50.8%
24 Millwall (23) 23 219178 13209 9529 20146 47.2%

Kingp35

kensutz wrote:

Watford will sell out all home games although it's not 40,000 in capacity they will sell out every game. Same for away games you will know that they will take up all allocations or 90% of them. As for amazing support??

As I have said countless times already, many Leeds fans chose to boycott the games this season in protest of the 40% rise in season ticket prices this season by Bates. Just over 22k average is still very good taking this into consideration and Leeds will easily fill their stadium next season if playing in the Premiership.

KdjaCL

Irish Leeds supporters club got 8 tickets, not sure how many are in the club but 8 tickets, why?


kdjac

Kingp35

KdjaC wrote:

Irish Leeds supporters club got 8 tickets, not sure how many are in the club but 8 tickets, why?


kdjac

There was 250,000 applications for tickets from Leeds fans for the game so it was impossible to give evrybody what they wanted.

kensutz

How much are the season tickets ranging from do you know by hand? Mine is £401 at the first cut off point which was in March and up until today it was £530 or thereabouts.

KdjaCL

Kingp35 wrote:

There was 250,000 applications for tickets from Leeds fans for the game so it was impossible to give evrybody what they wanted.

My mates could only get 2 tru family (season ticket holders got 2 each), hence me not going to bristol for the night.


250,000 was it a fair weather game



kdjac

Kingp35

KdjaC wrote:

250,000 was it a fair weather game

Pretty ridiculous all right that these people want tickets once the team starts doing well but it does show that the stadium should be full next season if we go up.

Tbh I have no idea where all these fans suddenly came from.

Zaph

kensutz wrote:

Watford will sell out all home games although it's not 40,000 in capacity they will sell out every game. Same for away games you will know that they will take up all allocations or 90% of them. As for amazing support??

I've no doubt that Watford will sell out every game, but Vicarage Road is half the size of Elland Road. As Kingp35 mentioned, many Leeds fans boycotted the matches this year because of the ticket price increases. Last seas when there was no boycott the lowest attendance was 25,759, and the average was 28,632. As for the league table, it's ranked on percentage of ground filled by the average attendance. Elland Road is the biggest ground in the division, so naturally their position is going to be distorted even though their average attendance was bigger than most teams.

KdjaCL

zaph wrote:

As Kingp35 mentioned, many Leeds fans boycotted the matches this year because of the ticket price increases.

Not being funny, but the club was in Dire ****, like *gone* **** yet the fans could only see that in the PL. As soon as they went Div 1 they boycotted the club, hardly helping the club ?


kdjac

Kingp35

KdjaC wrote:

Not being funny, but the club was in Dire ****, like *gone* **** yet the fans could only see that in the PL. As soon as they went Div 1 they boycotted the club, hardly helping the club ?


kdjac

Nope, the club was in dire trouble last season, this season has seen the debt pretty much gone but I do understand where your coming from. Think about it though, a 40% increase is an awful lot and maybe the average Joe just cant afford to spent that much money on football.

KdjaCL

Kingp35 wrote:

Nope, the club was in dire trouble last season, this season has seen the debt pretty much gone but I do understand where your coming from. Think about it though, a 40% increase is an awful lot and maybe the average Joe just cant afford to spent that much money on football.

Like going from a fiver to home games to a tenner? It what i had to go tru.

But then again i buy a season ticket regardless of whether i can make it, i was living abroad but still bought one just to support the club. Because Leeds had mega millions debt it does not justify the fans boycotting them when they are trying to stabilize the club. Now the smell of the PL is in the air and they all applying for tickets.

Tbh Leeds found who their real fans where when they got relegated and not those who liked bashing people from Lancashire.


kdjac

Kingp35

KdjaC wrote:

Like going from a fiver to home games to a tenner? It what i had to go tru.

But then again i buy a season ticket regardless of whether i can make it, i was living abroad but still bought one just to support the club. Because Leeds had mega millions debt it does not justify the fans boycotting them when they are trying to stabilize the club. Now the smell of the PL is in the air and they all applying for tickets.

Tbh Leeds found who their real fans where when they got relegated and not those who liked bashing people from Lancashire.


kdjac

Well I think an average a game was something like £17 and has gone up to about £24 depending on where you sit. Thats alot of money to spend on football if your a working class person.

When Leeds went down the first season they had nearly 30k average which was the most in the division by a good amount, it dropped by 8k this season because of said increases.

Again I agree with you though that those fans who continually went are the true supporters of the club.

KdjaCL

I sit in the North Stand


But these people will pay it for PL, as Ken bates will increase ticket prices in the PL. I just hope he buys in a few players as at the back they could survive but front they buggered royally.


kdjac

kensutz

It's £24-£27 a ticket for Carrow Road

KdjaCL

kensutz wrote:

It's £24-£27 a ticket for Carrow Road

And is that shocking or well worth it?


kdjac

Kingp35

Its crazy prices compared to EL season tickets. A Bray season ticket only cost 140e iirc.

kensutz

Well apart from this season it's alright. Hell of a lot better than paying £35 for a seat at Selhurst

KdjaCL

Kingp35 wrote:

Its crazy prices compared to EL season tickets. A Bray season ticket only cost 140e iirc.

But the difference is valid, you pay to see professionals and even internationals.

kdjac

kensutz

Also a higher standard in stadia

Kingp35

KdjaC wrote:

But the difference is valid, you pay to see professionals and even internationals.

kdjac

I dont think a 600 odd euro difference is valid. You do get the odd international in the EL

Yeah the difference in the Stadia is the big thing

KdjaCL

kensutz wrote:

Also a higher standard in stadia

I been to Old Trafford comfy seats in a nice covered stand does not make a better atmosphere


/zing.


kdjac

blu_sonic

KdjaC wrote:

I been to Old Trafford comfy seats in a nice covered stand does not make a better atmosphere


/zing.


kdjac

prawn sandwiches

Kingp35

Just announced on Sky Sports News that the roof will be closed for the game

Mushy

Looks as if the condition of the pitch will be terrible then! Leeds have a good record against Watford. Havent lost to them in their last 6 meetings, Kevin Blackwell hsant lost against Adrian Bothroyd in their 3 meetings. Now is not the time to loose any of these records.

Kingp35

Well said Mushy. Anyway I have my classic Leeds Jersey on me and I have rounded up every Leeds fan in Dalkey to go to the pub and watch the game so im off. Wish I could have gone to the match but my damn college finals got in the way.

COME ON LEEDS!!!!!!!!!!

fade2black

Good luck Kingp35. Lot of relations are Leeds fans and they've headed over to the game. Would like to see Leeds back up.