Leeds and Derby stunned over proposal to move clash to Premier League venue – report
Leeds United and Derby County are said to have been stunned at alleged proposals to move their clash to Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium.
The Telegraph have reported that the Championship game on the penultimate weekend was identified as a ‘high risk’ fixture and plans were put forward to move the game down south by the head of the United Kingdom’s football police.
Both clubs were said to refuse the proposal, and it is one that national lead officer Mark Roberts has described as “categorically untrue”.
The Telegraph report that the Derbyshire Constabulary informed Roberts on Thursday night that the fixture will remain at Pride Park.
Neutral venues have been discussed by the EFL, but Sky Sports have reported that it is more than likely that the home stadiums of Championship clubs will still be used.
It is suggested that the planning and organisation needed to set up neutral venues would just be too much for clubs and the EFL to manage.
Leeds against Derby has always been a fierce rivalry, and it’s certainly one that has heated up since the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa.
It started with a 4-1 thrashing at Pride Park at the beginning of last season, then came Spygate, and it was finished off by the miserable defeat in the playoffs last summer.
Leeds fans have been relishing this trip to Derby ever since the fixtures came out, with a real opportunity for the Whites to win the title in their rivals back-garden, so to speak.
It is understandable that this has been categorised as high-risk, but to potentially move the game to the south coast makes no sense whatsoever, and it appears that common sense has risen to the top.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Give us Liverpool’ – Leeds Super Fans react to Championship restart preparation