Rudy Austin seals United’s victory
It was the worst night imaginable for the legion of Leeds United Twitterati, who look forward with such glee to every defeat, lip-smackingly relish every setback and dream feverishly of humiliation and disaster – all for the chance these calamities afford them to seek some attention in 140 illiterately-utilised characters. Yes, Leeds United have actually triumphed in a pre-season game, against good footballing opposition too – and with several new signings shaping up well. It’s a set of circumstances liable to give the gloom merchants a serious migraine; all they can do now is wait, and hope, for another defeat on which to lavish their negative attention.
For the real fans, of course, the 2-1 win at Swindon is a cause for renewed optimism. These long-suffering types who follow their team everywhere, providing peerless vocal support and exuding loyalty, commitment and passion, were rewarded for their devotion by a much better display from United. There appears to be reason to believe that, at last, things might be taking a turn for the better. The latest news is that Milan youngster Zan Benedicic will complete a loan deal shortly, while the up-and-down, on-and-off transfer of Federico Viviani of Roma appears once again to be a strong possibility for completion, mere days after United owner Massimo Cellino appeared to nix the deal.
All of which will leave the Leeds cadre of joyless pessimists on Twitter, and elsewhere in the ether, very glum indeed. What, no chance to criticise recruitment plans? No opportunity to indulge in witty manglings of the Head Coach’s name?? Where will these attention-deprived types be, if they can’t sally forth to seek approval from like-minded idiots with derisive references to Whackaday, Hockalot and other blindingly-witty puns worthy of the finest of playground humour? What’s a boy to do, when there is no gloom and doom material to facilitate the urgent quest for more and more attention? It’s a conundrum, alright. Trust Leeds to go and spoil the fun for their growing army of doom-mongers, just when this was promising to be the kind of season they could truly drool over.
Leeds being Leeds, of course, there may well be further opportunities to spread a little misery in the near future – so the negative tendency need not despair just yet. Still, what with a win in probably the toughest pre-season game yet, and the cranking-up of the intensity of player recruitment with new targets mooted every day – these are alarming times for the Dismal Daniels and Gloomy Grahams out there. And long may they remain so.
For the rest of us – the devoted and uncomplaining majority – it’s onwards and upwards towards the serious business of League football in a couple of weeks’ time. For the time being, at least, we will be able to follow our favourites in relative peace and quiet – but always aware that we’re only one bad result away from the next joyous chorus of pessimism and fatalistic self-indulgence from the Hock-haters and nay-sayers. Let’s just enjoy it while they’re quiet and leave them to the misery that a Leeds United win will always bring them.
On, on, on.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Perhaps many of those who like to complain are the ones who really enjoyed the clubs struggles during recent years. Maybe they don’t want things to change in case there is nothing to complain about.
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Rob, for once I was actually at the game as spend my mid week in Bath. Sam Byram is class, his skill on the by line set up the first goal from nothing and he is far too skilful to be wasted at right back. That move reminded me of wee Gordon back in 89-90 when he used to skip seemingly through the legs of defenders.
Morrison was better but his lack of pace is shocking, twice he was pretty much clear on goal and went from a full sprint to a jog then passed it back when a striker with pace would have bored down on goal and had a shot. The new fella playing up front (Doukoura), looked very tasty and not afraid to get his head in areas where most wouldn’t put a boot.
Bear in mind we also hit the post twice and their goal was very very poor defending and if I was the Hock I’d threaten to stick a red hot poker up the jacksie of the next Leeds defender who allows the opposition so much space in the box.
As for the rest very difficult to comment, would have been nice to see more of the new signings and Mowatt and Mat Smith. Seemed a shame that the Hock did not use more substitutes but then again there’s a reason why he’s red hot favourite to be the first manager to lose his job this season. I don’t fancy being in his shoes if things go belly up in the first game at ER against Boro. Buona notte caro!
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Should have been 3-1 😉
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I totally agree I think most true Leeds supporter are sick of these fake Leeds fans but are these actual Leeds fans or just morons trying to get on the take a pop at Leeds band wagon, I see the signing MC brought in as 100% better than the ones that have been released more composed on the ball and better passing, and it was good to see Morison silence his hecklers which I do not agree with, I’m old school Leeds supporter if a player having a bad game no need to make it worse for him and lambast him from the stands, it’s not his fault he’s playing out of position, we all have bad days. Although I’m not a fan of Morison, he has as played and been successful in this league and must be doing summat right in training to be getting in starting line up. So hats off to Morison for picking his game up and facing the fans again
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Bang on the money once again Rob. Too many whingers out there by far. Really hope the Viviani deal goes through as he certainly looks to be a talented player.
Glen Murray or even Danny Graham to replace Ross McPaycheque plus a winger or two and we could be looking fairly decent. MOT
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Excellent article Rob – the biggest doom mongerer of them all in the leafy suburbs of Watford will be spitting feathers this evening!
Just be careful what you say because he hangs on every word in his very own unique & puerile way.
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After all the negativity it is refreshing to read your article Rob. I went to see the Chesterfield game and despite all the negativity from the supposed Leeds fans, could see an emerging passing style that has long been missing from our game.
I remain optimistic and hope the Hock remains firm to his vision. Rome certainly was not built in a day and he needs time.
It was great to see a team wanting to keep the ball and play with it rather than hoof it oilfield. We are improving.
I think we could be MOT!
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Well said my good man, well said.
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Well said Rob! The YEP is also full of them and I get thoroughly sick of reading their moaning drivel. We’re still in pre-season and they have us already relegated. I wonder if any of them actually go to a game. I guess it’s the downside of the information and communication boom that every idiot gets a voice too. MOT to a few more wins, as difficult as it may be for some!
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Yorkshire folk in my opinion tend to be negative but demand the best out of the players or managers no what caliber they are. If we get good results in the first five games then we will rock E.R. In the meantime let’s get behind Morison and the Italian players that may be our savior’s on the pitch. Hock needs to be seen and not talk which may help his future before too long.
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how can fans accept this….the 1975 european cup finalists have vanished. and it’s all the fans fault, they do nothing but accept this shit
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Again bang on Rob he sick of the the wish I hadn’t bothered brigade on theLeeds forums like moaning for the sake of moaning I think there r obviously some wums and some genuine fans but likeit or not if u follow the whites u r going to get more ups n downs than u ever thought u would on trick to the Himalayas you’ve just gotta live with it as the saying goes if you’ve nowt good to say shut the feck up mot
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Been a while since you penned an article , don’t leave it so long this time or else. I know not much in the way of positives in the camp, and wether it’s our idiot brigade or others twiting the real fans will always be positive eh Roberto. So keep the good vibes coming my mush ok. Good win, looks like we are getting some class in with Viva and the monk coming in , it seems the policy is on younger guys which so reminds me of the Revie years, unfortunately if these and the other four or five we have been promised materialise its a case of fending of the vultures to pick out our carcass, if they turn out to be class. However I think Cellino may have a better way of dealing with Italian starlets. In conclusion I do wish Hockaday all the best , I think some press maybe right in he doesn’t have the draw to pull names in , and it’s easy to be negative over a loss and draw, the sofa needs to wind his neck in that site is so negative all of the time, give the management a chance and back them, be positive and hopefully it will encourage them, it takes time to bond as a team, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but with all these Italians coming in , it’s being re built at LS11.
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“The Monk”. Arf!!
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Been busy mate – changed the car and getting ready to help the parents move house. Hard yakka 😉
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It’s great to know everything is great with nothing to give cause for concern.
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If you ever want a crash course in how to employ sarcasm effectively, my rates are very reasonable. There may even be a discount for such a very needy case.
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The negativity no matter what brigade is the reason I stopped following hundreds on twitter last year.
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Well Played Sir, Well Played.
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The drip, drip, drip effect of countless player sales, home hammerings, lies from the boardroom and megalomaniac managers over the past 12 years has tended to make even the most diehard of Leeds fans cynical and pessimistic. I often think of what Kevin Blackwell said of LUFC – ‘If it can happen, it will happen.’ So don’t be too harsh on the ‘negative’ Leeds supporters. They – we – just need to feel things are moving in the right direction again. It has got to the stage where each pre-season friendly result seems absolutely vital; if we lose, it’s a disaster and a cue for panic. Personally, I was disappointed when Cellino appointed Hockaday, and I still have reservations about him being a puppet manager while Il Presidente chooses the signings. But I like Hockaday’s honesty – his LUTV interview after the Chesterfield game was so refreshing when you think back to Warnock’s self-promoting, ref-blaming utterances – and he could hardly have less tactical nous than McDermott. So let’s give him a chance, and that means not demanding his head on a plate if – heaven forbid – the first few league games don’t go our way.
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Yes, but there are some that are negative just for the sake of it. And I never agree with fans booing players who at least try.
for me both the “cellino is the devil” and the “cellino is the messiah” camp are both wrong. he’s not the messiah, but he’s a naughty boy who has more chance of getting us back in the premiership than the last 3 sets of owners.
however I see us then being a side happily bumbling along collecting the tv money in the vein of say Newcastle. having an amateur “owner manager” might work for keeping a team like cagliari in serie A, but no ones ever won trophies that way.
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Rob – I suspect that there are elements of the ‘doom munger syndrome’ in most clubs if the truth be known – but you are right, of late it has bordered on obsessive and a general delight from the ‘told you so’ brigade! MOT
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I’ve even seen some of these moaners say sack the Hock and get Gary Mac back ! That would be the same Mac that got himself sacked after 5 defeats in the trot and going out of the cup to a non league team , and has done nothing since . Strange people .
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So I’m an idiot because I don’t rate Hockaday as anything more than good at getting young players through in the lower divisions? Thanks.
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John – why do you take it all so personally? Believe it or not, not EVERYTHING on this blog is aimed right between your eyes. Most articles get 3 or 4 thousand reads. It’s not ALL about you, you know.
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Is rob the racist coming down to the den Saturday? We like racists down there rob don’t you know?
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Birds of a feather, I suppose.
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