Paddy the Baddy advising angry Reading fans to pipe down
There may well still be a small section of Leeds United fans who don’t quite “get” Patrick Bamford, although they’ve been noticeably quieter of late – as the majority of Whites fans seem finally to have cottoned on to our number nine’s value to the team. But there’s mounting evidence to suggest that Mr. Bamford certainly does “get” Leeds United, football’s perennial pantomime villains and the club opposing fans just love to hate. Bamford seems to have bought into United’s “the world’s against us and they can get stuffed” mindset, and just lately he’s been feeding off that siege mentality vibe, fanning the flames of opposition hate, thriving on all of that negative energy. It’s been a joy to witness for any Leeds fan who glories in that old maxim “Our history makes us strong, your hatred makes us stronger still”.
Perhaps Bamford’s more defiant and in your face attitude has its roots in his much tougher and more durable physicality this season. He seems to have developed a core of steel, giving as good as he takes in terms of the rough stuff while still retaining his cultured approach and all round ability. Bamford is certainly no soft touch nowadays, and his opponents will know they’ve been in a game after the ninety minute nightmare of trying to cope with his relentless work rate and intelligent movement. But, although this factor is appreciated by the more knowledgeable Leeds fans, it’s that extra edge, that emerging nasty streak and accompanying tendency to rub the noses of opposing players and fans well and truly in it, that has really caught the eye of his admirers this season. Football fans have a word for this phenomenon, but it’s not one that I’d want to use in a family-friendly blog, so I’ll move swiftly on.
But, whatever you want to call it, it’s certainly working wonders for Bamford, in terms of his effectiveness on the field as well as the esteem in which he’s held off it. Recent manifestations of Paddy the Baddy have been sighted at Luton and at Reading, where he has made a point of winding up frustrated home fans after United’s winning goals. Add this to his heartwarming tendency to give direct opponents a physically difficult battle, and you’ve got the kind of striker that will always find a place in Leeds United fans’ affections. Bamford himself admitted recently that he’s “feeling the love” from the fans, a happy situation for a hard-working and committed striker who doesn’t always get the breaks his application and skill deserve in the attacking third of the pitch.
The thing is, even when all this effort fails to reap a goals dividend, it’s becoming clear that Bamford’s contribution is vital to United’s season. On Tuesday night, right at the end of a hard-fought win over Hull City, we saw a neat demonstration of how our Patrick puts in a shift for the team, and is not discouraged when luck is not with him in terms of goals – which, let’s face it, are the life-blood of any striker. And it was somebody else’s match-clinching goal after 86 minutes on Tuesday that summed up the Bamford effect, as he combined with keeper Kiko Casilla to scramble clear a goal-bound effort from a Hull corner. The ball was immediately played upfield, and Bamford put in a lung-bursting run to the opposite penalty area to thud a shot against the visitors’ post. Luckless again, but his narrow miss rebounded to Gjanni Alioski, who buried the chance from a narrow angle to end the Tigers’ resistance.
And that, my fellow Leeds United fans, is the Bamford effect in a nutshell, and long may it continue to manifest itself to our advantage. Because, whether it’s Posh Patrick or Paddy the Baddy we’d rather cheer from the stands, both will have a big part to play if we really are finally going to go up to the Premier League.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
We haven’t had such a well spoken hard man in our ranks since Vinnie Jones retired LOL
Keep up the brilliant work Patrick, you deserve all the plaudits having overcome such an injury ravaged season last time out and now operating as a lone striker you really are contributing so much to the “team’s” effort, energy & accomplishments
Why did we play Kiko’s lesser talented twin brother last season Rob? What an unbelievable transformation. ALAW
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I have watched that run and shot at goal by both Patrick and Ganni quite a few times and from the camera angles showing it Hull are out of order claiming Patrick did the knee in the head job purposely. Why have you got to spoil what was a good game of football played by both teams.
Patrick is running at full pelt on to that ball and striking it as the Hull keeper is trying to get to it and you can see clearly it is a collision but not intentional. You can also see Patrick pull back with his head turned towards Ganni knowing if he carries forward with the motion he could block the ball and in pulling back so abruptly he actually falls backwards to the ground. He’s lucky he did not injure himself with that abrupt movement.
I do hope the Hull keeper is not suffering any head issues and recovers well and healthily.
But those in the Hull team who have called Patrick out for this need to really check out their facts first. Look at the whole incident before jumping to conclusions. I am sure there was contact but not intentional or malicious as claimed.
If we are going to start this calling out players for unfair play what about Eaves smashing Ben in the face and trying to get his Leeds shirt off him before the match has finished. Was all that intentional….only the two players involved can say and neither of them are complaining.
Be humble in victory and graceful in defeat 🤐
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Spot on 👍
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The similarities to Chapman are uncanny. I remember the uneducated taking an initial dislike to him ‘cos he wasn’t Ian Baird.
Leapy Lee scored a hatful to take us up and so will Posh Paddy
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Pat needs the love and he gets it from the fans and the boss.
He is not a lethal as Roofe, and that miss, that ended in Alioski’s goal was a bad one.
I have always liked Patrick, and the fluid way we play means that anyone can score, which is fine by me.
He seems to be winding up the opposition, and must have had lessons from Alioski!!
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Dear Mr Atkinson,
You are beginning to mature, I liked that article especially when you declined to use bad language to describe the Patrick Bamford phenomenon. Well done.
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Gee thanks
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The work ethic and togetherness of this team is outstanding. Even if the performances have not been top notch in recent games we still find a way. As you said the second goal last night demonstrated this.
How many teams would simply have played out the last couple of mins once the ball was cleared? Not dissimilar to the second at Huddersfield. Kiko, Harrison and Bamford are transformed from last season.
God I love Alioski! MOT
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I believe that the Daily Mirror has lambasted Patrick Bamford, saying that he deliberately took out the Hull goalkeeper. The keeper’s head was level with Bamfords waist, his momentum caused him to collide the keeper. If there had been no collision the keeper would not have been able save Alioski’s goal. Of course Hull players and staff saw it differently.
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You’re right in my view. I think that some of the comments in the press, as well as the unwise Lichaj outburst, amount to defamation and are potentially actionable.
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I went over the goal view a dozen times and there are two things that are glaringly obvious:
1) There was only a single contact between Bamford and Long, not two as McCann claimed.
2) That contact was between Long’s head and Bamford’s hip, not his knee despite Lichaj’s claims.
Hull City is full of it.
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