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Sunday 15 December 2013

McDermott Repeating his Reading Trick as Leeds United's Promotion Push Gathers Steam

Many mocked when I labelled Friar Brian's promotion push as the Leeds United McFeel Good Factor Sleeper Express to the Premiership, Europe, Infinity and Beyond, but now the metaphor is acquiring a certain resonance.

It's only December 15, and Leeds are already in the top 6, well ahead of schedule if we look back to McDermott's crazy promotion season at Reading. Then, the season only really kicked off on December 10, with the 3-0 thumping of West Ham. Until that game, Reading had been ordinary in the extreme and looked destined for a middle table position at best. But once McDermott's promotion train got up a head of steam, there was no stopping it!

And that Reading side wasn't very good. Dear God, Simon Church scored twice in the victory over West Ham after replacing the goal less Total Hunt. The sixteen on duty that day were Federici, Pearce, Gorkss, Harte, Cummings, Karacan, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Kebe, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Total Hunt, Church, Andersen, Tabb & Antonio; and not one of them would be guaranteed a start in the present Leeds side.

And crucially, all the momentum is now with McDermott's boys. Yes QPR look a safe bet to go up, but Leicester and Burnley have been stuttering recently and neither team is very good. And as for the play off pack, well Derby apart, no other team is in a mauve, never mind a purple patch!

And just as at Reading, this is not a team heavily dependent on individuals, if we set aside McCormack for one moment. The injury to the Serial Killer looked a cruel blow, but young Smith has stepped up to the plate and suddenly nobody remembers that Blackstock was at the club. Byram is supposed to be the best full back since Cooper but he can't get in the team and even England international Warnock is sat on the subs bench at the moment. Get injured and you lose your place, such is the hunger in the squad!

And better still, the squad should get stronger in January. There's actually talk of spending money and no talk of selling players to raise finance for new signings. Of course, McDermott will have to be careful here because he doesn't want to disturb the harmony at Elland Road; if we go back to 2011-12, the Reading team that thumped West Ham 4-2 on March 31st showed only one change from the team that triumphed on December 10, with January signing Jason Roberts added to the mix. But Roberts was added, and to brilliant effect, showing that Friar Brian has the ability to swell his flock without upsetting the apple cart.

Whites fans really do have good reason to dream.  The Leeds United McFeel Good Factor Sleeper Express to the Premiership, Europe, Infinity and Beyond has picked up a head of steam and is tooting gleefully as it thunders through the backwaters of the Championship. Only a fool would bet against a top six finish now - unless talisman McCormack were to pick up a serious injury - and as McDermott proved at Reading, a tilt at the title is not beyond the realms of possibility.

But McCormack's fitness is the one big concern because if you take out his goals, Leeds would be nowhere. And just think, there was a body of Leeds fans who argued that the £2m not quite offered for the Scot by Miserablebrough would have represented good business.Thank God the Smoggies Board baulked at that figure, because GFH Capital may just have been tempted. And how bloody stupid would that have been?



47 comments:

  1. Been a while HF. Leeds been doing to well for you to bash on them lately, that you have actually had to wright a positive artical. I do enjoy your ramblings at times.

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  2. Hope to see you at the crossover station in May When the Sam Allardicci Feelcrap Express to the Championship, League 1, League 2, Barking & District Sunday League and Beyond. I'll wave (goodbye) to you through the window

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    1. Hope you can afford to pay your olympic rent when your in league 1. HF. sooner or later the cream always rises to the top….and you would have made your self look a bitter prize cock in the process of the mighty leeds rising from the depths once again….now write about your own shi££y team you loser

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  3. Spend a few million on a couple of quality players, a striker and a winger and you are looking at automatic promotion

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  4. Have u been in jail.havent heard from u for a while...like all strikers mcormack will hit a barren spell soon,and its up to the other players to start to contribute.we were luck yesterday if u compare the stats,but we are more resolute now.buy gradel back in january,and watch the white machine roar.

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  5. Fair points, hey how come you have gone quiet on old big Gob? What is he doing now?

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  6. If you took McCormacks goals out Leeds would be nowhere...how's your main 'striker' getting on?!! See you next season muppet

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  7. oh I bet it hurt to write this? still, takes your mind off the troubles at west ham I guess? but im not getting carried away just yet as you did say a few times that we will only finish 8th ( usually when we were 8th) I wonder what you would give for your shower of shite to be 8th at this moment in time? without your very good keeper? you would be bottom of the league and that's obvious. your chairman saying on t.v that buying Andy Carroll was a mistake just goes to show the size of the problems at West Ham. im sure big Andy will be full of confidence and fight for the club when he comes back after hearing he was a "mistake" oh happy happy days!

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  8. Welcome back HF,I think all objective Leeds fans miss your prose.

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    1. Good article hf, and not only cos it's a positive one about LUFC, the lack of smarmy sarcasm which usually lets your articles down is non existant, well done. Or is this a sign that you're just feeling all festive?

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    2. How can I be sarcastic at the moment? Leeds are doing very well.

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  9. your lot needs a good striker we can swop mac for sick note carroll you wish its begining to look a lot like christmas you be on yr way ball bag stick yr comments so far up yr arse they see it in the converence league

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  10. Lol oh how lovely It would be If the mighty long ball tactics of the hammers took them down this year and we went up... they'd be absolutely screwed with the new stadium not even getting half full, meanwhile we'll be getting huge investment and crowds of 40k a week a long with the best away support In the country which we've arguably already got, you're words and language are starting to change a bit now mate, panic setting In... when you go round slating a team, that lets face It Is way bigger than yours and merely waiting to roar again, even If It's not this season It'll happen eventually and when It does we'll get more investment through sponsorship that a shitty club with dreams and aspirations of a mid table finish (every year) will ever get.

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    1. Best not get ahead of yourself yet Brent. Offer any club a choice between 4th from bottom of the Prem or 6th from top of the Championship and EVERY club would opt for West Ham are now. It is true that we have ballsed up yet again, but at West Ham we are used to that - as you are at Leeds. I'm not enjoying the season as a West Ham fan, and I'm hating what's happening Down Under as an England cricket fan, but I am enjoying the Leeds ride. Will the LUMcFGFSEttPEI&B get derailed or rattle its way through to the Prem? Let's wait and see. My money is still on an 8th placed finish but Friar Brian and his band of merry men may yet prove me wrong. What's good - and I give McDermott his due - is that Leeds are playing the game the right way.

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    2. I'm realistic I still don't expect us to go up this season, I think we're over achieving with the squad we have... but who knows If we can stay where we are and invest, think that they are impressing and surprising most of us- all It needs Is a few decent signings and who knows.

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    3. Good to see you keeping a lid on the erupting enthusiasm. Maybe you could put a cap on the West Ham invective next time Brent. But maybe not!

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  11. Where you been? Let me guess you've been somewhere exotic doing something amazing

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    1. Sadly not this time. Just been very, very, very busy with work and purchasing another house (in the UK in case you think it's in Bucharest!).

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    2. how many houses is that now? 15?

      CLASSIC BIT OF LYING.couldnt afford to pay your internet bill i reckon

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    3. I wish! No this is only number six (and no, that's not the number on the bloody door!) And none of them are oop North where you can buy a mansion for a fiver!

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    4. 6 houses and only one brain cell

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    5. good dont buy anything up here we dont want you.stick to bucharest and the east end,i wonder which has the most gypsies

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    6. if you own 6 houses why do you live in bucharest?ive been its a dump

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    7. Work commitments. Somebody has to pave the way for all these Romanians to come over to the UK to take your jobs!

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    8. all the money in the world couldnt get me to live in that shithole.dont you miss your friends and family back home? obviously your a bit of a massive loser

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    9. No, I don't miss family at all, as I fly back regularly and have this wonderful thing called Skype. As for friends, I have friends out here as well as in the UK.

      You are being very unfair to Bucharest by the way. The climate is wonderful, with temperatures above 70 from late March through to late October and a delicious cold snap when winter sets in. The women are beautiful, the people have a sense of pride and resilience, the parks are delightful, the beer is incredibly cheap, the casinos are fantastic, the public transport puts the UK to shame, the Christmas lights outshine Regent Street and Blackpool and Lipscan has a wonderful party atmosphere. Chuck in the frisson of the possibility of an earthquake and it is an exciting place to live for a couple of years. I return to the UK in the summer to live off of rental income whilst travelling extensively for fun. It's a tough life!

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    10. you forgot to mention the high levels of homelessness and child beggers. id rather live oop north pal

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  12. Only a fool would bet against a top six finish.......my money is still on an 8th placed finish.............do you even know the rubbish you write? Best start reading your articles back before commenting contradictory statements. MOT

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    1. You missed out the crucial word "now"; I made my prediction 2 months ago! But I'm sticking with it to avoid criticism of being a changeling.

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    2. why would it bother you if people on here call you a "changeling"? apart from Jack, we all think there is much more to you? nob, tosser, liar, racist etc etc etc.when we do have our bad spell (as all teams do) you will be on here slagging us off like you have in the past. oh, I forgot to mention earlier another of your qualities. two faced.

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  13. Hello Hammer,

    Invest that fiver in Florida its still a good return 😉

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  14. how are things at the academy of hoof-ball, those necks getting strained watching the ball in orbit ? love what big daft sam is doing to you

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    1. Things are pretty damned desperate mate! So bad that even Total Hunt would get a start!

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  15. It was only a few weeks ago Hammersfan was gloating about Leeds being in 8th place which is where he predicted they will finish the season...Now this article.
    Why doesn't he write, 'looks like I got it wrong' if that's what he believes?
    I believe Leeds will be promoted and West Ham relegated. This was my prediction a Month back and I'm sticking to it, unlike Hammersfan,who changes his tune more often than his underpants.

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    1. Let's see who is right come the end of the season. I am sticking with 8th place but I must confess that I am having doubts! All to the good, it will be fun watching how things unfold and I am sure we will cross a few verbal swords before the curtain comes down on the season, be that after 46 games for Leeds or 49!

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  16. How does that humble pie taste? LOL

    He who laughs last, laughs longest.

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    1. Let's see who is laughing come the end of the season then! I remember Leeds fans laughing back in 1971. Then Suggett received the ball five yards offside, ran forward and crossed for an offside Tony Brown to net, thereby killing off Revie's title challenge. Laugh? I shat myself for a week!

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    2. Uuuurgh, did u!?

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    3. Told he needs to change his underpants more often!

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  17. its not like some of your predictions from the past is it?gems like leeds will either win or lose,they will finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th,they may or may not sign some players,a player might get injured at some point.
    fuck me can you tell me the lottery numbers next week mystic meg?

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  18. I love this bloke , always talks sense even if he is having a dig sometimes. Great read !

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  19. I don't know which site you have hacked but you certainly haven't hacked this one. Here's a challenge. If you've hacked it, reveal the password. I'll publish it on the site if you know it!

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  20. password=Trevor brooking has a beautiful bottom

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