Leeds’ most controversial exits ranked after Patrick Bamford announcement
Patrick Bamford has completed his move to Sheffield United after leaving Leeds earlier this summer.
Bamford was released from his Leeds contract after Daniel Farke made it clear that the striker was not in his plans for the new season.
The 32-year-old has linked with up Leeds’ local rivals Sheffield United, despite his controversial past with their manager, Chris Wilder.
Here, MOT Leeds News looks at other Elland Road exits which have proved controversial.
5.) Jonathan Woodgate – Leeds to Newcastle United
Bamford‘s move to the Blades is nowhere near the most infuritating for supporters, although it may harm his legacy.
Jonathan Woodgate was considered as one of the best players in Yorkshire, when he was sold to Newcastle United in January 2003.
He departed for a £9million fee with the Whites in financial trouble, but the transfer did not go down well with manager Terry Venables.
The move reported led to the former England boss considering his future in LS11, and his fury at the raft of sales, including Woodgate’s, would ultimately lead to his sacking.
Selling the defender may have helped the precarious situation, but it left a sour taste for many supporters as he was an academy product.
- Read More: What Chris Wilder has already said about Patrick Bamford after Leeds-Sheffield United controversy
4.) James Milner – Leeds to Newcastle United
James Milner is a bit of a journeyman, having played for eight clubs in a storied career, but he was once one of the most promising academy graduates at Leeds.
He had just signed a new five-year contract with the Whites in February 2003, suggesting that he wanted to stay and star for the club after earning a first-team berth.
However, the Peacocks were relegated to the Championship, and Milner was sold to Newcastle for £5million in July 2004 despite chairman Gerald Krasner insisting that he would stay.
3.) Eric Cantona – Leeds to Manchester United
The rivalry between Leeds and Manchester United is well-documented, yet Eric Cantona had no trouble crossing that divide in November 1992.
After spending less than a year in Yorkshire, the Frenchman handed in a transfer request after being axed by Howard Wilkinson for the 3-0 win over Arsenal in November 1992.
That move did not go down well with the Leeds fanbase, as he was joining one of their fiercest rivals.
2.) Alan Smith – Leeds to Manchester United
Alan Smith had claimed that he would never play for United, but he had no issue making the move from Leeds in 2004 for a £7m fee.
Another casualty of the financial difficulties of the mid-2000s, Smith was an academy graduate who made 225 appearances for the Whites.
The reason that it is not number one is because it has since been revealed that the Red Devils were the only club that the Whites would allow him to join, as United were offering the money up front.
1.) Rio Ferdinand – Leeds to Manchester United
Rio Ferdinand was another to make the move to United from Elland Road, with a £30m switch in July 2002.
Ferdinand had been made club captain, just nine months after joining the Peacocks from boyhood club West Ham, and the move to Old Trafford did not please supporters.
He has since admitted that he sat in Peter Risdale’s office for six hours to force the transfer to go through, and that he is still baffled by the anger about the transfer.
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