Latest news with #HowardWilkinson
BBC News
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'They bought me fish and chips after I named the Leeds squad'
You have been sharing your stories and photos about why you love Leeds is a final selection of your submissions, but do make sure you scroll down this page to see all the best responses from throughout the week: Sam: I woke up one FA Cup final day (1970) to blue and white scarves hanging from windows everywhere. "Chelsea," my dad said. "They're playing Leeds United." I replied, "I'll support them instead." I have followed Leeds religiously since - TV, radio, newspapers - and saw them live whenever they played in London. My first trip to Elland Road was in 1976, for an FA Cup match against Crystal Palace. After the game, Leeds fans confronted me over my southern accent, until I named the squad. They bought me fish and chips and escorted me back to the station. Abdullah: Growing up as a boy in the Midlands in the days we could write to football clubs for signed autographs, posters of the team and other merchandise it was a great thing. Wrote to Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool - no response. Wrote to Alex Ferguson at Man Utd - no response. Wrote to Howard Wilkinson, and a couple of days later through the post received merchandise and signed posters from the whole team and a personalised autograph from Howard Wilkinson. That's the time I knew this was the team for me. Marching on Together.
The National
30-07-2025
- Sport
- The National
Five years after the port blast, Beirut's wounds remain unhealed
SUNDERLAND 2002-03 No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes. SUNDERLAND 2005-06 Until Derby came along, Sunderland's total of 15 points was the Premier League's record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games. HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19 Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate. ASTON VILLA 2015-16 Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available. FULHAM 2018-19 Terrible in different ways. Fulham's total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games. LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Wilkinson statue campaign gathers pace, even after ex-Leeds manager's initial reluctance
He is the architect of Leeds United's highest honour of the last 51 years. He is the last Englishman to win the finest prize in English football, some 33 years ago. And yet, there is nothing to mark Howard Wilkinson's legacy at Elland Road. Don Revie and Billy Bremner have statues outside the stadium. John Charles, Norman Hunter, Jack Charlton and Revie have stands named after them. Wilkinson, who guided Leeds to the Division Two (now Championship) title in 1990 before the Division One (now Premier League) crown in 1992, is conspicuous by his absence. Advertisement A small group of supporters are looking to put that right with a new push to raise around £140,000, which would pay for Wilkinson to be immortalised with his own statue. Wilko 92, as the project has been named, was pitched to the 81-year-old earlier this year. 'Howard was very reluctant because he's a very modest fellow,' said Robert Endeacott, one of the men behind Wilko 92. 'I can't tell you his initial reaction, but it was words to the effect of, 'Well, who wants to see a statue of me?' He swore, so we had to convince him.' Endeacott spoke to The Athletic at The Old Peacock, a pub next to the stadium, for the launch of this project. Wilkinson, along with his former players Gary McAllister, Tony Dorigo and Noel Whelan, was in attendance. Asked how he had reacted when the idea was to put him, Wilkinson said: 'Shock, surprise, embarrassment and then appreciation.' Wilkinson's modesty, despite such success with Leeds, is one of the themes of this idea to build a statue. 'I never even thought about having a statue,' he said. 'My statue was what I got from the sport, not what I gave the sport. My reward was getting up in the morning and driving to work as a player, as a coach, as a manager.' Wilko 92, which was fronted by Endeacott, Dave Tomlinson and Neil Barker on the launch night, is calling on supporters to dig deep for this commemoration. There will be various fundraising events put on over the coming months. The initial aim is to unveil the structure — which has already been drawn by iconic Leeds United artist Paul Trevillion — in 2027. There is hope the siting of the prospective statue could be tied to the planned redevelopment of Elland Road. The club was represented at this month's launch event and has made positive, early noises about collaborating with Wilko 92 on the process. Endeacott said the organisers are keen to make this about more than the statue too, by working with Leeds United Foundation, the club's charity, on Wilkinson's legacy. Advertisement 'It's not just a statue,' he said. 'He's clearly not that enamoured with the idea of just him getting all the credit with a statue. 'He wants something else and so he came out with a few ideas and he said, 'Well, if we're going to do it, then we do it right.' 'He's not that actively involved, but he's keen and he's bright and I personally agree with him. It's a fantastic idea. We're hoping we can do more. 'It's not just for the fans, it's for the whole community of Leeds United.' McAllister was one of the cornerstones of Wilkinson's success with Leeds. It was another of those key pieces, compatriot Gordon Strachan, who reached out to him a few weeks ago with a nod to how their former boss was to be properly celebrated. McAllister feels a statue is befitting for a man he puts alongside Revie and Bremner as club legends. It has taken 33 years for a serious push on marking Wilkinson's legacy in West Yorkshire. McAllister, the former Liverpool midfielder who has played with and for some of the biggest names in the sport, was asked why his former manager has been overlooked for so long, despite lifting England's top-flight trophy. 'It's probably because it's wall-to-wall football now, so that's the thing,' he told The Athletic. 'Sky hadn't even been started. 'If he'd been in today's money, he'd have been all over the place. Being the last English one as well would elevate it even higher. 'It was because the games were fragmented. There weren't as many games. There weren't as many live football matches.' In today's money, as McAllister put it, Wilkinson's achievements would be akin to Daniel Farke finishing fourth with Leeds in the Premier League next season before lifting the title in 2026-27. Leicester City won the Championship in 2014 and then the top flight in 2016, if younger readers want context for how rare a feat that is. Advertisement Endeacott, as a fan who was heavily involved in the supporter-funded Revie statue in 2012, is also asked why it has taken so long for a Wilkinson commemoration to gather momentum. 'That's a difficult question,' he said. 'I don't really know. I'm one of those fans (who have not done something before now). 'I truly do remember, with fondness and great respect, what Howard has done for this club. We haven't even mentioned Thorp Arch. Great to hear about #Wilko92 tonight and the planning of a long overdue statue. Lots of exciting stuff to come, watch this space. Find out more here: — LUFC Trust (@lufctrust) June 16, 2025 'That was part of his 10-year plan. He created the academy and he made sure it develops (future footballers for Leeds).' Thorp Arch, the club's training ground and academy, does stand as the one symbol which is synonymous with Wilkinson, though it does not bear his name. Incidentally, former chairman Andrea Radrizzani asked Marcelo Bielsa for permission to name Thorp Arch after the Argentinian in August 2022. He never got a response. The training centre, which sits near Wetherby, has gone on to develop some of the country's finest footballers in the decades since Wilkinson moved on. He wanted to create a Leeds version of Barcelona's famed La Masia. Ian Harte, Stephen McPhail, Jonathan Woodgate, Paul Robinson, Alan Smith, James Milner, Fabian Delph, Lewis Cook, Sam Byram, Kalvin Phillips, Archie Gray and Harry Gray are all proof of what that academy vision has delivered. It seems imperative Wilkinson is remembered for the decades and centuries to come at Elland Road. Every new generation of Leeds fan should have that opportunity to ask their parents and grandparents, 'Who's that man? What did he do here? Why is there a statue of him?' For more information and to donate, visit Wilko 92 here (Top image: Beren Cross/The Athletic)
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wilkinson 'extremely grateful' for statue
Former Leeds manager and club legend Howard Wilkinson says he is extremely grateful for the statue that is being erected outside Elland Road. Wilkinson's legacy with Leeds is defined by leading the club to its last top-flight league title in 1991–92, making him the last English manager to win the First Division before it became the Premier League. Appointed in 1988, he also secured promotion from the Second Division in 1990 and laid the foundations for a modernised club structure, including investment in youth development."I think early it was over the telephone, and I just went, 'what, why? Statue?" Wilkinson said to BBC Sport West Yorkshire."All I can say is, I'm extremely grateful and very aware of what it means."Well, I will only be asked my opinion, and my wife will support that I am not the best in what is good and not good art. I do believe that creating a sculpture will require a great deal of artistic talent."Listen on BBC Sounds
Irish Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leeds United legends set to line out in sun-soaked Bray this afternoon
Former Leeds United and England internationals Mel Sterland and Paul Reaney will manage a Leeds Legends XI against a Bray/Borough XI at the Carlisle Grounds was a member of Howard Wilkinson's 1991/92 First Division winning side alongside players such as Garry McAllister, Lee Chapman, Gordon Strachan, Gary Speed, David Batty and, a mid-season signing, Eric won the title on the second last weekend of the season with a 3-2 win at Sheffield Utd, Manchester United finished runners up, and it was the last First Division title win as the competition became the Premier League the 1992/ was Leeds first top flight win since the Don Revie era, coincidentally the manager that signed Reaney as a 17 year-old, a player George Best said he rated as one of the two best defenders he ever played 63, was born in Sheffield and made 114 appearances for Leeds (1989-94), scoring 16 goals. A right-back, he was a First Division (1991/92) and Second Division (1989/90) winner with the club.A colourful character, his autobiography Boozing, Betting & Brawling (Green Umbrella 2008) is quite a read while he had an acting role as the Sheffield United captain in the Sean Bean/Emily Lloyd film When Saturday Comes (1996)."I've watched Leeds all season and didn't doubt them for a minute, " says Sterland. "I think they were confident going in that they were going up because they had learned so from last season (2023/24). "They couldn't get a win towards the end and finished in the playoffs and were not as good as Southampton."This year they've realised that they are a good side with quality footballers and for me, personally, I think the manager Daniel Farke was absolutely superb."He knew what players he wanted, who he wanted to bring in, whether they could handle the pressure, because wearing that shirt anywhere comes with pressure and if that's not you, you shouldn't be playing for Leeds United."There was no stumble at the close like last season."The players that Daniel got in could handle pressure, 100 points shows we are a good, well organised side while the manager knew when to fetch the subs on."He believed in the players and if you've got a good dressing room you win things and it was similar when I was there with Howard Wilkinson, you fetch in good players who you could trust, who can handle the shirt and be honest because if you have a good changing room, you can win anything."Leeds have shown that, proved themselves, won the Championship to get their promotion to the big boys now."Aside from the manager, it was hard to pick out stars in the collective."They've all been magnificent, they all get medals to pick up, they've all shined."When we had injuries, other players have come in and they've done really well so it's difficult for me to separate them, every one of them would be in my 'three'.""But obviously there have been Joel Pirou's goals (19 of them) and the goalkeeper, Illan Meslier, is a young kid (25 years-of-age, France U21 international) and I know he dropped a few clangers and Karl Darlow came in for a few games but Illan came back better each time. "Ethan Ampadu, the captain, had some injuries but I'm looking forward to seeing him in the 80, was in the news earlier this week winning a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Elland Road his family moved to Yorkshire as a child and, having left school at 15 and working a car mechanic, was first signed at 17 by Don Revie Given his debut shortly before his 18th birthday - in a time before substitutes - Reaney was an instant hit with the manager and the fans as the club took the 1963/64 Second Division just short of 750 appearances for the club he was a double First Division, FA Cup, League Cup, Charity Shield, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups and a 1975 European Cup runner-up. He remains part of the 'Legends' matchday hospitality team at Elland and Reaney's squad for today's game will include Carlton Palmer, Jermaine Beckford, Matt Kilgannon, Ian Harte, Ben Parker, Bradley Johnson, Ross McCormack and Andy the Bray/Borough squad, to be managed by Ian Morris (ex-Leeds and Shels) and Gary Zambra features a host of former League of Ireland stars including Robbie Doyle, Richie Parsons, Darren Power, Dax Kealy and PJ O' XI v Leeds Legends, Carlisle Grounds, Bray (kick-off 3pm) Adults €20, Children €10. There is a Meet & Greet Rochestown Lodge Hotel, 12noon-1.30pm Adults €20, Children € match will be played for the Tony Guirk Cup, a fundraiser for the ex-Bray Wanderers coach, Glenmore, Ballybrack player, former FAI under-age assistant to Brian Kerr who recently suffered a stroke.
