Woolford? I don’t think so, my friend.
It is being claimed by elements of the south London press that Neil Redfearn’s wish to add Millwall winger Martyn Woolford to his squad has been denied by Massimo Cellino, currently barred from “significant involvement” at the club under the terms of his Football League temporary ban.
If true, this development raises serious questions, not only about who calls the transfer shots at Leeds (that has long been a thorny issue) – but also about the extent to which Cellino is still influencing policy at Leeds, despite the measures the League has taken against him.
It is common ground among the bulk of the United support that the squad is lacking in quality options in wide attacking areas. If the Woolford rumours are true – and Millwall manager Ian Holloway certainly appeared to think a move was likely, as recently as the weekend – then it is clear that Redders agrees with the fans, at least to the extent that he would prefer to recruit a winger for the rest of this season. The question now remains – if Leeds have to go through what remains of the campaign, and conducting a relegation fight at that, then who would carry the can if the unthinkable were to happen, and the Whites sank once more into League One? Answers on a postcard…
Nevertheless, I don’t think that a disastrous relegation is actually all that likely to happen – and, of course, there’s always the emergency loan window to plug any serious gaps in the squad, as we keep hearing year after year. But the reports from London allude to Cellino not wanting Woolford because he “didn’t know enough about him”. Redders clearly feels that he does know enough to back the signing of the lad – so we may still be in the situation of a stand-off between an owner who wants to remain “hands on” (whatever the League might say or do) and a football pro who understandably wants to exercise his own judgement in football matters.
This could well be yet another unwelcome can of worms, freshly opened at Elland Road.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Wikipedia says that Martyn Woolford is a Man U fan from Castleford….. Could it be any worse?
Also I remember him playing for Frickley, and he was completely insignificant, next thing you know he is a full time pro.
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No debate over his merits – seems Redders saw something. What concerns me is that Callino seems to be deliberately defying the Football League – IF these reports are true.
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Mate I think Redfearn saw someone who “could do a job” but no offence to redfearn we have signed to many of those kind of players. They don’t make it at ER due to the heightened expectation, criticism and cynicism of our fan base.
It was the right call not allowing him to come………..then there is Cani….. hope im wrong but his record makes Habib Habibou look world class
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Can’t have been involved as one he is banned, and two he is too busy beheading Japanese reporters in Syria.
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Hmmmmm…. I believe he can multi-task
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Ok Che….!
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It’s all bullshit. Cellino didn’t know anything about Ajose and Sharpe either. Let’s face it the lad can’t get a place in the
Millwall side so why would we want him. Talk about short memories. We had TWO crap wingers came in the last window not required elsewhere if you all remember!
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Why do they all wear yellow on Sky for Deadline Day?
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Maybe they think it’d be a BIT obvious if they wore red??
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Is there just a chance that Cellino, o la sua famiglia, read LUFC blogs and got the heads up that most fans don’t rate Martyn Woolford, a winger who can’t get a game at struggling Millwall?
But, surely, there are other options!
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Are you really a Leeds fan? I seriously doubt it. Do you really want to get the Football League investigating us for something else? I think you do. What other possible reason could you have for publishing it? Astound me!
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if I hear something interesting, I share it. Do you think the FL won’t hear if I say nothing? Get in the corner with a pointy hat on FFS
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So if you heard something that might cost LUFC a fine, or a points deduction, or both, you’d spread it & help being down the club, would you? Very helpful indeed. And if this story is true, God knows what punishment might befall us. And you’ll have played your part. You cannot possibly be a true Leeds supporter if you do not consider this a possibility. You clearly think your ego is bigger than the club. Let me remind you of Billy Bremner’s motto – ‘Side before self’. Learn from it.
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Do you still believe in Santa Claus?
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Overeaction Neil, stick to selling burgers
I don’t think the FL need a blogs help to plan their anti Leeds schemes
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Exactly. Now if I really DID have an ego that was running away with me, I’d have thought, hmmm – better keep schtum, as I’m sure Mr Harvey is monitoring my every work. Pah.
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Burgers! Hahaha. How very year 3. You might want to check on the spelling of my surname, Carthorse. Whether they need help or not, he is complicit in trying to expose this ‘violation’. That is treason to me. If this leads to our club being harmed, let’s just say the the ‘author’ might be rather unpopular.
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Oh, shut the fuck up, you prissy daft twat.
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elements of the south london press, i stopped reading after that.
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Well done, you – but you pulled your head out of the sand long enough to tell us all….
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I miss the idiot fans in the background. More entertaining than the reports.
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Yep. Bring back the Deadline Day Tossers.
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I think that all the paper talk will end up creating a lot of problems for Redfearn. Redfearn is the coach. Salerno is the director of football. The board decides who to bring in and who to let go! There are too many articles saying NR wants this and that. It only serves to create a divide with the board. NR would be well advised to leave the finding of players and spending to those people who’s responsibility it is under the current management structure. Redfearn will have his say but it should be in private. I think that we can forget the paper talk about Cellino’s involvement as garbage snd hope the FL think the same. People have to see that they can’t go round spending the club’s money as though it is their own. We still have massive debts, which Cellino is trying to reduce. The bloke needs to be given all the support we can muster. God knows his job is difficult enough!
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I thought the same……….I think some of the press, even our own cuddly YEP reporters would quite enjoy a bust up between Cellino and redfearn……. its very possible that Redfearn has been involved on advisory level and it was visionary that is Salerno that thought Martyn Woolfood was the next Lional Messi
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Typical spin the caravan of prositutes are still trying to ply their trade with us , no more journey men please we have unloaded some dead weight at last warnock , Pearce , tonge and Norris why would we need another melingerer from ruddy Miwwaw he can’t get a game there …. He would be another waste of space…. I sense you longer feel that Cellino is the saviour Rob, we have seen more activity in and out than we have in sometime….. This will continue until hopefully until a good formulae of current players …. The Youth and foreign B until we gel …. We are settling hopefully a home win with Brentford will show how much we have improved …. Have some patience another two seasons on on on MOT
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Also, there is evidence of a good clean out, which is needed and in general better quality players being brought in. They won’t all work but we are definately building. Let’s keep Refearn on board snd get Cellino back in April
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This is shit stirring Sellerno advises Massimo on the players Leeds are after and with the boss man away on his hols made this decision, I don’t think Redfearn would come out and say to anyone that Cellino vetoed this .By doing that he would be hanging Massimo out to dry with the FL and would be out of a job himself.
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It beggars belief that Cellino stopped the Woolford deal, just because he
had never heard of him, but Redfearn clear had heard of him.
Most Leeds fans have also heard of Woolford and we all know more about the English game, than Cellino obviously does.
Personally, I and practically every other Leeds fan, had NEVER heard of Silvestri, Bellusci, Bianchi, Barardi, Doukara, Antenucci, Del Fabro and those three “not ready yet” players, Benedicic, Adryan and Motenegro, who are absolutely no use to a team struggling in the bottom half of the Championship.
Redfearn obviously wanted to sign a winger to create more much wanted goals and Woolford could have been a useful signing.
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Woolfood is shyte
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Well, he’s from Cas….
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Quite a few of the European players that Cellino has signed for Leeds are s**** as well.
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You don’t have to be a fan of Feng Shui to appreciate the joy of cutting out the dead wood. First Hunt, then Tonge and now even Norris gone. Not bad. Not been this happy since Varney departed. Refreshing to have a clear out. Speaking of dead wood, I notice Oldham have released Paul Rachubka.
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Whilst it is not at all surprising Cellino is still wielding control over the club he owns, I agree with Rob that it is concerning if he is doing it in a transparent way whilst banned from doing so by the Leeds hating football league. Good crooks don’t get caught.
Kind of glad we didn’t sign a scum lover who can’t get in the Millwall team though, course if we had of, he would have been a pacey magician with a wand of a left foot. C’est la vie.
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I have just found out that clubs are only allowed a maximum of 8 loan players and Leeds currently have 7 loan players, so perhaps Cellino wants to have a spare loan position, just in case he needs to bring in another player on-loan, before the end of the season.
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Did Banana Yaya get a look in, during this window?
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Erm…… 😳
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I’m glad we haven’t signed woolford. Redfearn openly said in his post match interview that any players we sign have got to be better than what we’ve got and I’m damned sure that Woolford doesn’t fit that bill. He’s a journeyman that’s never done anything anywhere he’s gone and if he’s not good enough for Millwall he’s not good enough for us. I’d much rather see the likes of Adryan and the younger players given a chance.
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Rob, I like your articles, pretty much honest most of time however, if the London press are wrong, which I think they have no evidence, unless they’re choosing to have Cellino’s phones tapped, have him followed and stalk him everywhere; then we have grounds to sue’em if the FL choose to investigate and find nothing.
Then we sue’em for the phone taps and stalking.
Come on Rob, you’ve been doing this job long enough to know that, when multiple media start reporting on false accusations then it raises alarm bells, look what happened to Austin.
If you’re a Leeds fan fine, if you’re a Cellino hater, which the article can suggest, then as a journalist you would know that for Leeds to fail then Cellino has to fail, and visa versa.
Secondly, Redfearn has mentioned on numerous occasions that he has nothing to do with incoming or out going players, as he says, he’s the coach and the buying and selling of players is not his job, but he keeps mouthing off to media, so no one is undermining Redfearn, he’s shooting himself down in flames without the help of anyone.
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Plenty of other articles might tag me as a Cellino fan. I really have to reflect what’s going on at any particular time, rather than maintaining one viewpoint come hell or high water.
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A desperate Leeds Utd fan tries to give advice. Or was it? FL investigotion is on the cards?
http://www.joe.ie/sport/pic-a-leeds-fans-comment-on-massimo-cellinos-daughters-bikini-instagram-post-is-priceless/483485
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Blimey :-O He’s not exactly overflowing with testosterone, is he? I honestly doubt I could look at that picture and keep the words “defensive midfielder” in my addled head.
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Unlike a previous reply I didn’t stop reading after ‘elements of the south London Press’ AND of course Ian Holloway! Looks like mischief making by our friends in south London who are a bit miffed because we wouldn’t take this third rater Woolford of their hands. Redders and Cellino will have been discussing these things for months and I’m sure he would have had his say BEFORE the ban was imposed. I wouldn’t believe Holloway or the south London Press if they told me today is Tuesday (which as I write it is!)
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Fingers crossed you’re right to be optimistic!
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One Millwall player can’t be blamed for sub human fans so hope he gets a chance.
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Not good enough, I fear. And, despite being a born and bred Yorkshireman, a scummer besides. Ohdearmeno.
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