Leeds United, Sheffield United and Hull City's up and down start - The YP FootballTalk Podcast

Name: Leeds United, Sheffield United and Hull City's up and down start - The YP FootballTalk Podcast
Uploaded: 2025-10-01T14:48:09+00:00
Duration: 1 h 2 min 38 s
Channel: Yorkshire Post

00:00:00Hello and welcome to Football Talk from the Yorkshire Post. I'm your host Phil Harrison

00:00:19and as ever I'll be joined by the Yorkshire Post football writing team of Stuart Rayner

00:00:22and Liam Wabshaw. On this week's show we consider another valuable point towards survival

00:00:27game by Leeds United but wonder whether it was another opportunity missed having Cairns

00:00:31seeded so late at home to Bournemouth. In the Championship Sheffield United enjoyed a brief

00:00:36glimmer of hope with a narrow victory at Chris Wilder's former club box for United

00:00:39and to be brought crashing back down to earth with a 2-1 defeat to Southampton at Bramall Lane

00:00:44on Tuesday night. The off-field issues which have dogged Sheffield Wednesday all summer continue

00:00:49with the latest stories suggesting Owls players are considered refusing to train after not being

00:00:53paid once again by owner Deshvon Chancery. Hull City once again show their Jekyll and Hyde

00:00:59trait when coming from 2-0 down at home to Preston North End to secure a valuable point.

00:01:04In League One Bradford City who head to second bottom Rotherham United on Thursday night

00:01:08continue to set the pace their cause aided by a shot 1-0 defeat for Cardiff against struggling

00:01:12Burton Albion on Tuesday but is there cause for concern at two of the Bantams Yorkshire rivals

00:01:17in League One. Doncaster Rovers are in the midst of a mini slump having suffered three straight

00:01:21league defeats while Barnsley are in a similar position losing twice on the trot and dropping

00:01:24out of the play-off spots along with Grant McCann's team. You're listening to Football Talk

00:01:28from the Yorkshire Post.

00:01:30Yorkshirepost.co.uk

00:01:32As ever we're joined by the YP's football writing duo Stuart Rayner and Liam Womshaw and

00:01:36we're going to start at the top of the tree this week and Leeds United. It's fair to say

00:01:40it's been a promising return to the Premier League so far for Daniel Farkside. Eight points

00:01:43from six games isn't a bad return and with a home game against Tottenham at Spur on the horizon

00:01:48this Saturday. Probably one of their toughest tests yet. Last weekend saw them denied a third

00:01:53win of the season when Bournemouth snatched a late late equaliser at Ellen Road. Leon, you

00:01:58were the man there for us on Saturday. Just with a late defeat at Fulham a couple of weeks

00:02:03previously, is there any sort of concern that Leeds are missing out on fairly big opportunities

00:02:08to enhance their survival chances with extra points etc or is it a bit harsh and we should

00:02:13just look at it saying so far so good for Fark and his players. Yeah, I'd say I'd say that

00:02:19Phil. I mean you look at it a newly promoted side eight points in in six games if they manage this

00:02:25sort of continue this ratio they'll be fine. It's I think it's definitely glasses

00:02:31glasses half full full time. I don't know what Stuart thinks. I mean it's a good thing for me I think we spoke

00:02:37about it last week. Obviously it's been great if Leeds are the one and they certainly deserve to win on

00:02:42on the on the day but getting a performance as well I think that was important for the

00:02:48psychologically and for the supporters. Everything you know a good sort of old-fashioned time-honoured

00:02:54Leeds United home performance at Ellen Road where you know the fans are right behind them and you see

00:02:59that intensity and that goal threat as well there were I think there were 19 attempts on on goal

00:03:08I think eight or nine on target which is a pretty good ratio it was yeah there was there was lots to

00:03:14admire about about Leeds and don't forget who they were playing I mean I think you look at the two home

00:03:19games it seems to think well you know Tottenham the big the big club they're in the Champions League

00:03:24this that and the other but you know let's not underestimate what Bournemouth have done this

00:03:27season they they were excellent at Liverpool they they gave them a real fright they won at Tottenham

00:03:34as well and they were flying and I think their joint best start to a Premier League season so

00:03:41pretty pretty strong opponents and Leeds really really took it to them a little bit of bad luck for

00:03:48the for the first Bournemouth goal as well which I mean that was impressive in the way that Leeds turned

00:03:54that round as well it could have been they could have sort of felt sorry for themselves I thought it

00:03:58was a pretty harsh free kick awarded against against that by Michael Oliver a good finish all the same

00:04:06from Semenya with one or two issues with the Leeds wall jumping this that and the other but you know it

00:04:14could have been one of those where sort of Bournemouth really got control of the game and took the lead and

00:04:19dominated but you know the reverse happened you know Leeds dust themselves down really well scored a

00:04:25scored a cracking goal should have been in front before Bournemouth scored in fairness that Calvert-Lewin

00:04:31had a few chances certainly should have put one away but I thought Leeds were terrific after

00:04:37after the blow up going behind managed the game they managed to get a lead managed the game very well

00:04:43and it was just one just one moment there's sort of small details it was you know free kick they

00:04:49they sort of lost the lost the first header and I don't know who it was at marking there was a

00:04:55miscommunication or whatever really it was it was a good finish from the from the Bournemouth lab but it

00:04:59was a it was a preventable goal but yeah I think it was in it very you know disappointing obviously we

00:05:05mentioned the the Fulham game and the and the OG there see two real punches in the stomach in in

00:05:12in their opening six games but you know I think that you've got to look at the perspective in the

00:05:16in the bigger picture eight points from six games Leeds have finally produced that sort of performance

00:05:22that I know Stuart was talking about last week finally got that and you know when they dusted

00:05:28the cells down and went back in on Monday they had plenty to uh to look to look forward to for the

00:05:34for the Tottenham game and uh yeah it the impression I got afterwards there was the disappointment but

00:05:40I thought the fans were terrific afterwards they really sort of lifted them when they were

00:05:45heading off the pitch because they were understandably flat after what happened um

00:05:50fans really lifted them and if Leeds can sort of maintain that level of performance particularly at home

00:05:58it's you know I'm putting my head on the chopping block here a little bit but I think they'll be

00:06:02they'll be okay if they they carry on performing like that they looked a good

00:06:06it's a relatively you look at the players have come in they brought a lot of players in um

00:06:12and it looks to me like they've become a decent fighting unit in in a pretty short space of time

00:06:17the spine looks good road on Ampadu I thought uh long long staff alongside his goal

00:06:24he was tremendous anyway you know he covered the ground he was he looks a player full of

00:06:28premier league now he gets around the park you know he looks looks a really good signing for me

00:06:36lots to uh lots to admire from that Leeds performance even though they've got a bit of a

00:06:41a punch in the stomach yeah I think Leon's absolutely spot on with regards to the bigger picture I think

00:06:47I think if this had happened and they got three points this season so far you might look at it and say

00:06:53this is a worry you know this is twice now it's happened blah blah blah but with that cushion of

00:06:59those extra points in the bag you know I said this before I said this on last week so I'm not I'm not

00:07:03speaking with hindsight you could put a bit more store on the performance than the than the than

00:07:09the actual results and again it's something Leon and I both mentioned in previous weeks we did feel

00:07:14they needed that performance at Ellen Road to just keep keep leads believing but having having delivered that

00:07:21and I I think there's I think there's nothing to panic about I think I say I think I think you can look

00:07:27at it and say well you know we played we played well twice in against Fulham and against Bournemouth yes

00:07:33we've you know ultimately one little thing has undone us but if we keep doing that we will get those points

00:07:40back later in the season um and they're decent wise Stuart as well those two everyone's everyone's

00:07:47exactly they're good size well that's it I mean you you know you said about you said about Bournemouth

00:07:52Fulham fall into the same category I mean you look at what they've done over the last three years

00:07:56they've outperformed bigger clubs like you know they're better than an Everton or a Man United or

00:08:02someone where the name is there um they're they're there to be respected at home you know I think

00:08:08again I think I think what not not not to sort of be defeatist about it they should go out to try and beat

00:08:15Spurs but I think whatever they get on Saturday are almost bonus points they'll go into the

00:08:20international break with more points than games which as I said last week is a big thing certainly

00:08:24in my head and then they've got Burnley and West Ham and those are the games where the results are

00:08:29really matter and they've got they've got to cash in but I think I think these two home games were always

00:08:36more about performance more about you know getting the attacking combinations right and there's still

00:08:42more to do obviously Dominic Calvert-Loon missed a few good chances didn't he on Saturday Lynn so

00:08:47you know it's not that everything in the garden is rosy but let's be honest this isn't like when

00:08:53Leeds went up under Howard Wilkinson that this isn't like when Newcastle went up under Keegan or

00:08:58Blackburn under Kenny Daglish you know much as it pains me to say it in my increasing ages not the 90s

00:09:04anymore you know you can't just make that step up you do have to sort of grind it through and do it

00:09:10step by step and Leeds have made a really good first couple of steps um so that that that to me

00:09:16is that is the way that we all should be looking at that I think even with just touching on Calvert-Loon

00:09:22I mean he did miss three chances in the one in the first I think it was 15 20 seconds three in the

00:09:29sort of first 20 minutes he probably should have scored look looking about certainly scored one of

00:09:35them probably having the first or the third the second was in it was an excellent save to be fair

00:09:40from the from the keeper but even though he missed the challenge the story for me with him

00:09:45was just the way he led the line his appetite and his leadership I thought he was brilliant without

00:09:51scoring a goal he was really good and he gives Leeds a dimension they didn't have last season

00:09:55doesn't he yeah yeah I just yeah it's obviously nice to see him it would have been nice to see him

00:10:02score but he just really showed what he brings to the table as well that leadership up front and

00:10:08it looks like if you can keep him fit as a player that Leeds will be able to to rely on and he you know

00:10:13he got a really good ovation when he when he came off most most of pity that about 30 seconds later

00:10:19at the bottom of score unfortunately but uh that was good to see and it um you know it showed to me

00:10:25why Farker brought him and he spoke well before in his press conference about his about him being at

00:10:30a good stage of his career and and had become a leader and a really good professional really impressed

00:10:36with his with his with his daily habits in in training and um yeah he looked a really good senior

00:10:42pro was he 28 29 now settled down with a young wife and family um yeah he looked he looked he

00:10:49looked someone who's in a in a in a good place we just have to accept this is the real world i mean

00:10:55nowadays you have to pay 50 60 million to have a a striker you can really hang your hat on with goals

00:11:00Leeds Leeds got him on a free transfer i wouldn't say you get what you pay for they got they're getting

00:11:05more than they paid for but um yeah you know you have to accept the the limitations when you when

00:11:11you're not of the same budgets of uh of even you know even clubs like Bournemouth who you know had

00:11:16premier league money consistently for for a few years now and have been able to build themselves

00:11:21up but i i think all things considered you know with the task facing them i say i think Leeds have

00:11:26Leeds have made a really a really good and a really encouraging start yeah i think i think the

00:11:31schedule's probably suing them as well isn't it they saw them it's you know it's mainly saturday to

00:11:35saturday or i don't know sunday or sunday or saturday yeah they've got one in a few weeks it is it

00:11:40something like a saturday to friday don't they play west ham don't they on a friday that's right yeah yeah

00:11:45i think that's that's suing Leeds you know that sort of preparation time and just going from one

00:11:50week to the next not having the the sort of midweek distractions almost and possibly helping as well

00:11:57i mean one or two one or two other the bigger teams have obviously well the ones that were sort

00:12:04of in the european competitions have to have to sort of factor that in and Leeds are getting a

00:12:10more of a clear run in terms of preparation so yeah i think that's sort of another thing that's

00:12:16reasonably handy i don't i mean i don't think when's the first time Leeds play three in a week is it

00:12:20it'd probably be december won't it christmas time yes i would think off the top of my head and

00:12:24another thing that's helped i think is the fact that they they played everton before arsenal you

00:12:29know they played wolves before tott and something so they've been able to get ahead of the game

00:12:33um rather than you know if they've started with the arsenal game and and and what have you it then

00:12:39puts pressure on um you know everton and newcastle games and things like that but uh yeah that said

00:12:47you know the fixture list is what it is it ultimately everyone plays everyone you you've got to make the

00:12:51most of it but they're they're they're using their they're using the advantages they have as leon says

00:12:57yeah to good to good effect yeah they're looking at looking at team aren't they quietly yeah well

00:13:02of course you could pay 60 million for a striker as you mentioned stuart and then just get called

00:13:06an idiot by car lines rooming for doing that as eddie howe was this week so exactly well you know as

00:13:12i was saying that i'm thinking well uh liverpool played paid nearly double that and they've still

00:13:16not got alexander yet so there's there's no guarantees no matter what you pay but uh yeah that that

00:13:23that is the reality now for teams stepping up uh you've just got to make make the most of things

00:13:28and uh and say leaves right now are doing that talking to stepping up and sheffield united will

00:13:34move into the championship they look a long way from doing so uh you had a good good result obviously

00:13:41on saturday uh you got the first win of the season and chris wilde's former club oxford

00:13:45but then came crashing back down to earth at home uh to southampton on tuesday uh losing 2-1

00:13:51three points from safety stuart you were there on tuesday um i mean despite that result um stan

00:13:57chris wilder may have lost his temper at one point um and uh something happened with the ball boy which

00:14:04you can probably explain but are we starting to see the signs of improvement that we want under

00:14:08wilder and therefore you know sort of cause for some overdue optimism good question um i think we are

00:14:16starting to see signs of improvement are we starting to see enough that we want probably not

00:14:22they still i mean ruben sayers was in charge for a very short period of time but there was a lot of

00:14:29damage done in that time not just by ruben sayers i would i would stress but we talk time and again

00:14:37because it's true pre-season is so important and they made such a mess of it in terms of mainly in terms

00:14:45of recruitment you know not get not getting players in in time um you know they've got they've got so

00:14:50many players at the moment who should be are when they're on the field so important to them but they've

00:14:55just got to be so careful with them at the moment because ben me had a summer training on his own

00:15:00danny inges had had a summer training on his own and surprise surprise i think it was his hamstring that

00:15:06went in his first appearance for the shefford united and tom davis who just looks a class apart

00:15:11gets himself injured early in pre-season and he doesn't have a proper lead in so that all of those

00:15:18three big players whose experience they really need at the moment and quality by the way um they

00:15:24have to be really careful about how they you know reintroduce them to the team so that they frankly

00:15:30they don't get them injured again straight away and and that's difficult and and you know at the same

00:15:36time with all these other you know less experienced players coming in late they're still trying to

00:15:42find their cohesion and that you know gustavo hamer a couple of flickers on tuesday night but he's

00:15:49he's not at his level yet you know michael cooper who lee and i were praising to the hilt last season

00:15:56you know some ropey moments on tuesday night there's a between between lack of confidence you know lack of

00:16:02proper preparation and and and all the changes that have taken place they just don't look there at the

00:16:09moment i mean you know the hope that i think the hope for those who you know um think well of them

00:16:17was that while they would come in and the chart and the chart and game would basically be lift off of

00:16:22it and it wasn't the case and then and then you know they get the win at oxford right this will be

00:16:28this will be yeah yeah you know and they ran into a very good southampton side as well that that's got

00:16:33to be pointed out but you know the fact that wilder changed to a back three last week which kind of

00:16:40seemed like how the squad was set up but again it's it's another change it's another thing to get the

00:16:45head around i'm not saying it's the wrong thing to do but they they need to settle on something and and

00:16:51and just plow ahead with it and all the time as i've mentioned before it in my head anyway you just think

00:16:57that the clock is ticking and you know from where they are realistically you probably look at it

00:17:03and think well this season's just about getting safe maybe pushing for the playoffs at at the

00:17:09outside but the whole parachute payments thing the whole thing about them having that money taken

00:17:14away from the next season to me adds adds an urgency which which means they probably have to cut corners

00:17:21somewhere and do things you don't want to do i mean the the good news for them is that with no

00:17:26no leads and no burnley in this division as i think you said before i don't think i don't have to get

00:17:33to is as high but i already think you know seven games into the season we're looking at playoffs at

00:17:40last and players don't tend to work well for sheffield united so yeah it was frustrating and you know it's

00:17:46a funny game on well not that many sheffield united fans were laughing but it's a funny game on on tuesday

00:17:52night it felt like the right result for sad they were they were the best team but um i say chris wilder

00:18:00chris wilder got sent off uh booting a ball in anger at their the referee's performance and you know when

00:18:07you sort of look at it in isolation sheffield united should have had a penalty in the 80th minute

00:18:13when ogbeni was fouled city peck had a goal disallowed which was really a bit bizarre in terms of

00:18:20exactly what the referee saw it seemed very picky i couldn't see anything there no i couldn't and i've

00:18:26looked at it quite a few times i could i could see a southampton defender fouling but not not anything the

00:18:31other way so you know you look at that and you could say well actually sheffield united could

00:18:36easily have won but i think i think a win or even a draw would kind of have papered over some of the

00:18:42cracks of the of the performance so you know you can take you can take it either way saying they were

00:18:47lucky to lose or they would or they would have been lucky to get something but fundamentally they're a

00:18:54shadow of what they were in may um and then say in a very very short space of time a lot of good work

00:19:02has been done yeah i'd echo everything what stuart said i mean it it it's sort of small steps at the

00:19:09minute isn't it really i mean you look at them it's a relatively new side they look at the three lads

00:19:13at the back tanganga me and uh mcguinness it's it's difficult to establish relations it's isn't it really

00:19:21instantly it's so important in that position as well yeah yeah i mean they're all good they're

00:19:26good pros and they're very good players at this level but it just takes time doesn't it it's like

00:19:31any you know a back four is about understanding communication and learning to trust each other

00:19:36and that doesn't doesn't happen um overnight i mean i even think a draw would have been a decent

00:19:42result for me stuart i mean looking at southampton that yeah they have started off a little bit slowly but

00:19:47by all accounts they played very well at liverpool in the cup they were they were decent against

00:19:52butter on on saturdays they're in a little bit of a false position you've got some real quality on

00:19:59on show there i just think looking at jeffy united and whether wilder will say it or not you know

00:20:05they've got these games before this international break then the next block again before before the

00:20:09next one um you see players go away this that and the other book i think the time to really

00:20:16get them bedded in the relationship by the time it sort of starts a game for the sort of late

00:20:21autumn and winter ground that's going to be so important isn't it and i think at the minute they

00:20:24just have to chip away and try and maybe get what what they can while the sort of these relationships are

00:20:29uh a building in the team and um yeah i mean but yeah in terms of the playoffs yeah the clock clock

00:20:37certainly ticking isn't it what 38 games got now they've got three points you need what 70 something

00:20:43points so they're gonna have to win 20 odd i don't know 23 24 games out of 38 which is uh yeah it's a

00:20:51massive massively tall order no they don't need to sort of bother with that at the minute at the minute you

00:20:55know it's it's first things first getting the first sort of clean sheet at home getting the

00:21:01first point at home getting the win and you know this the ticked off a couple at um at oxford last

00:21:07last week with um you know clean sheet and and a win but uh yeah it's uh it is tough going at the

00:21:14minute for them yeah you know this isn't just a sheffield united thing this applies really to the

00:21:20the top three divisions full stop it's so bitty at this time of year with the international breaks and

00:21:25you know yeah as leon says you kind of look at the international break and your first instinct is

00:21:30to think well i've got a fortnight on the training ground to work on this and that but then you you

00:21:34sort of look into it in a bit more and you're like well most of the players they need to work with

00:21:38won't won't be there sort of thing so it really does take tills till that that block of fixtures at

00:21:45christmas time i think so yeah you know to to really hit your stride but they they just can't give

00:21:51the rest too big too big a head start you know and and there is the potential i don't want to be too

00:21:57alarmist about this but the way the footballing ecosystem is with the parachutes there is the

00:22:04potential if they mess up this season that it has a sort of longer term effect and you end up

00:22:09you know it being in the sort of position of west brom and norwich or stoker um yeah which is why

00:22:15i you kind of say it's a bit more difficult to take the sort of bigger picture view and and just

00:22:22look at it realistically like leon says one step at a time just just get your way out but you know

00:22:28whether you like it or not that is the position they're in and that that's what they've got to do

00:22:32uh we'll stick in the steel city uh for now and uh sheffield wednesday who continue to make more

00:22:37headlines uh for events off the pitch um this week saw stories emerging with plat house players

00:22:42looking at the option of refusing to train by way of a protest over the latest failure of owner d

00:22:47dis from can siri uh to not pay wages or to pay wages sorry um again leading to the possibility of

00:22:53yet another transfer embargo to the club uh again a really big point at birmingham city on tuesday

00:22:58um it could have been a lot better if birmingham had equalized in the ninth minute of stoppage time it

00:23:04could have been a very very uh impressive win and stuart you wrote the story you sort of covered the

00:23:09story earlier in the week i think about the latest issue surrounding unpaid wages i mean you know

00:23:14how much longer can it actually be allowed to go on i mean what powers do the the efl have i mean

00:23:20chance here he just he's not a fit a proper person to be running a football club is he

00:23:25no no that's being obvious sorry well it is it is stating the obvious but it it does need stating

00:23:31i mean it's been you know even by sheffield wednesday standards it's been a bizarre week because

00:23:35he's been a really really good week on the field and a really really bad week off it but yeah i mean

00:23:43in terms of in terms of sort of forcing him out which let's be honest is what everybody wants i think

00:23:49even even the football league want that um we saw how long it took them with with um running zone and

00:23:56die young you know it's quite a long process using their rules which of course the clubs vote for

00:24:03to extricate him from the club and really they they're just trying to back him into a corner

00:24:09where he sort of realizes that it's time not just to sell but to sell at a reasonable price but the

00:24:15the problem is applying logic to the fantasy world of dejean transeer anyone else would realize it's

00:24:22it's time to cut and run but he he just hasn't yet so i think i think realistically we're all kind of

00:24:28waiting for the football regulator to appear over the horizon and and come to the rescue but that's

00:24:35you know they're still waiting for laws and powers and things to get signed off how much damage is going

00:24:41to get done in the meantime and i'd say that the the really tragic side of it is that the the lads on

00:24:49the field are giving absolutely everything i mean i was there on saturday when they got the first goal at

00:24:55home they got the first point at home this season they got you know even though they um went one

00:25:02and up and didn't win the game they were warmly applauded off by the fans you could really see

00:25:07they've given everything you know birmingham undone by an equalizer in there was it six added minutes

00:25:13very late on anyway birmingham haven't lost that at home for ages so that that would have been a huge win

00:25:18but still a still a really big point under the circumstances they're doing everything they can

00:25:24the fans are sort of doing everything they can and to to try to force the issue i mean even

00:25:30you know even ridiculous things i remember leon writing about uh the stoke game about the the

00:25:36guy on the uh pa and this his choice of record all these little things you know he's still doing it

00:25:41there was um emergency was played the other day born of the owl joined in this week didn't he

00:25:47barney the owl joined in even the even the club mascot was waving his his black and gold scarf

00:25:53so nobody nobody everyone's past the point of trying to you know keep the owner on side you know the

00:26:00the bloke that sometimes pays their wages on side um you know that it's it's all out in the open

00:26:07everyone wants everyone wants rid of him you know and and and the players talking about not training is

00:26:13really a a massive a massive step to take and my kind of worry from their perspective is that talked

00:26:21earlier about how important the proper pre-season was they didn't get one you know if they're then

00:26:25missing training sessions for whatever reason that's only going to hurt them on the field and then

00:26:33they're doing such a good job for their own personal pride and for sheffield wednesday's pride in

00:26:38themselves that you wouldn't like to see that on the mind but i guess they're kind of looking at it

00:26:43thinking well we need to do something what else can we do because they really really don't want to

00:26:51boycott matches then you're sort of talking about points deductions and things i don't think they can

00:26:56i don't think they can go there but you do feel for them you know barry bannon's sort of being a

00:27:03spokesperson for it in the public um but but beyond sort of talking about it what what else can they

00:27:10do um i say it's just it's just sad situation for them i mean it's two stories isn't it i mean there's

00:27:18this absolutely disgraceful way that chance here is uh running running the club down and um you know

00:27:25real you know unfortunately we see these see these stories from time to time but it's difficult to think of

00:27:31one that's been as as chaotic as the one at sheffield wednesday but then you know the the sort of good

00:27:36story for the soul is what these lads are doing isn't it i mean yeah threadbare squad a lot of the

00:27:42young players have been thrown in and you know it could easily just go south but you know to actually

00:27:48be be competitive i think that have they got something like i think almost in the top 10 for away

00:27:53forming the division which is which is staggering crazy yeah i think some some some teams who who's

00:28:01you know who've had the mojo going to birmingham they used to win in wrexham as well they go in

00:28:05there getting something going to pratton park a difficult place getting a win there they did very

00:28:11well at uh at uh leicester and you know it's just it's just remarkable isn't it and i you know they're

00:28:17getting a lot of you sort of look on on social media supporters of other clubs there they're getting

00:28:24a lot of cue that's aren't their supporters and and what those players are doing on on the um on

00:28:29the pitch used to say where it's going to end up next next spring but you know if sheffield wednesday

00:28:34make a as it's you know there's things behind the scenes the way it's going if they make a fair

00:28:38fist of even challenging to stay up it's it's been a staggering achievement isn't it and you know that's

00:28:44that's what they're doing and all all power to those who were who were you know wearing the

00:28:50blue and white jersey with all the things behind the scenes not getting paid on time and just having

00:28:55this sort of um and the coaching staff as well you've got to give them plenty of credit as well

00:28:59you know they've been they've been thrown into it and you know it's almost a feeling like it's

00:29:03us against the world really isn't it and um they're doing them themselves and the supporters

00:29:09you know uh really really proud in in the way they're going about about the work and it's just a

00:29:16total contrast between what's just going on you know behind the scenes with with chancery and um

00:29:22the ways uh running we're in the club down so yeah two very contrasting stories but all credit to

00:29:28those who are representing sheffield wednesday in really hard times they're really showing their their

00:29:34medal yeah i'd say it even goes beyond that you know you say it's the players in the blue and white

00:29:39shirts it's the coach and stuff it's even the fans in the black and gold and you can look at

00:29:45sheffield wednesday and in the same breath think wow you know you look at those players you look at

00:29:49the coaches you look at the fans you think wow that is a proper football club and then you look at

00:29:54the other side of it and you think that is an absolute joke of a football club you know and

00:29:59you know we've seen it this week you know tragically so with the the story of the of the the guy who uh

00:30:05who died the west brom fan you know that there's so many there's so many levels where you just think

00:30:12this great institution has just been absolutely ruined and yet there's so much cause for hope

00:30:18because the actual human beings involved at ground level are putting so much credit on themselves in in

00:30:25in the way that they're performing so that is the thing for you know whenever then whenever the next

00:30:30owner comes in he's got he's got a stadium that's rotting he's got a training ground that's not fit for

00:30:38purpose he's got a squad that's been absolutely you know um ripped there but there's that spirit and that

00:30:47you know professionalism and love of the club that can that will eventually take them out of it

00:30:55we're just all waiting for the day to come and it really cannot come soon enough

00:30:59yeah it's just it's the it's the best of football and the worst of football isn't it it is yeah

00:31:04definitely definitely and like you say that the only the fear is is that by withdrawing their labor

00:31:09in terms of you know practice session training sessions they're only going to damage that i suppose

00:31:14it's like we're on about something else earlier in the podcast it's about looking at the bigger picture

00:31:19and thinking about where they'll be three months down the road when hopefully they do have a new owner

00:31:23because you know like you say damage themselves well well they will but they're they're probably

00:31:28also looking at the bigger picture in that we need to force you know you know we need to put extra

00:31:34pressure on chance series so i i really wouldn't like to say which way they should go just that i don't

00:31:39envy them having to having to make these decisions right now no no uh just uh one last thing in the

00:31:46championship before uh we drop down another level hall city um a second uh half fight back on tuesday

00:31:53uh to get share of the points at home to preston um they're sort of comfortably mid table leon you

00:31:58were there at the mkm stadium um sounds as if it was i think you made a reference somewhere to

00:32:03jekyll and jekyll and jekyll and hyde nature of city this season and they had a cracking win

00:32:09out against southampton uh followed by a second half collapse at watford collapse maybe over egging

00:32:14it slightly but uh the second half was lost and they got nothing from the game um and then there was

00:32:20a sort of uh need for a comeback against preston is it fair to say they could or maybe should be

00:32:24sitting higher up the table at the moment in some ways they're probably it's probably where they

00:32:31deserve to be in it in a funny sort of way you know they they're entertaining they score plenty

00:32:35of goals but they've got the worst defensive record in the in the division so you you sort

00:32:40of guess they'd be around around that mark it was uh yeah it was it was it was a bit of a daft game

00:32:46really phil they were i've done a few games this season that was probably the worst first half

00:32:51performance i've seen from any team this season they would they were really did stink the place

00:32:56out and um you know they just looked they looked a team of individuals they were just there's no

00:33:02cohesion there there were players just doing their own thing um he'd spoken the manager spoke beforehand

00:33:08about the susceptibility from set plays that was in evidence two awful awful goals that they that

00:33:14they conceded and um there was probably an argument for making more changes at um at half time than he

00:33:21then you know that then he did and anyone could have probably gone off really in terms of their

00:33:26outfield players but uh yeah it was it was the the good and the bad side of of whole city stewart

00:33:32seen a fair bit more of them than than i have but they've certainly got talented players and um

00:33:38and match winners and people capable of sort of turning the game gildard came on i thought he

00:33:44changed he changed it he was he was like a bottle of pot a real catalyst they got a goal early in the

00:33:49second half and um you know they've got a striker who's who's running hot one of the

00:33:55you know the informed forwards in the division on him at bernie he's got he's got seven now five in

00:34:00four games and uh two proper strikers goals and i think if if one player summed up whole he probably

00:34:09sums up whole decision it's probably ryan giles i think he uh he really does struggle defensively when

00:34:15when when players are going at him but going forward he's um you know he he's a real weapon

00:34:21down that left hand side and he and he uh he sets up both goals for for mcburnie so they're probably

00:34:27where they given the fact that they've got the constant the most goals in the division they're

00:34:31scoring quite a lot of goals there's only sort of two or three sides who've scored more they probably

00:34:36probably suspect that they'd sort of be where they're where they are in the table but you just think for

00:34:41their development they could just do with it i know it'd be boring and uh you know but you know

00:34:47a dog-eared one nil really just especially at home a couple of those that you know the manager in um

00:34:54you care of it you know he must be hankering for something like that you know a clean sheet

00:35:00try and get some sort of defensive order

00:35:02have you got a clean sheet um i think they've got one in 25 at home

00:35:09which sort of says it all they got they actually got a clean sheet on the first day didn't they at

00:35:14coventry um so they you know that was that was a good result but it's um you know one swallow doesn't

00:35:21doesn't certainly make a summer there but uh it's just the balance i think and to be fair he addressed it

00:35:26at half time he brought slater on as well i thought that made a bit of a difference he he sort of added a bit

00:35:31more um protection in there with with uh with lundstrom but uh yeah they they look a team who

00:35:38you know they're an entertaining side when they were when they've got the zip and the tempo but it's

00:35:43doing the sort of other stuff the sort of ugly stuff some of the offensive players i don't know how

00:35:49how well-minded they are sort of doing that whether it's a concentration thing some of the goals

00:35:54yeah you know yeah they were dreadful yeah really poor i mean picking on um coney drama but you know

00:36:01he's defending for the first goal was it's something you'd see in a in a cup scouts game really you know

00:36:07turning his back on the ball and giving his giving his winger a yard and just being being too soft really

00:36:14to be to be brutally fair it was a really sort of um poor goal and you know i say giles had his issues

00:36:21as well but going the other way when a team are getting a bit of a head of steam you know he's as

00:36:26good as anyone down that left isn't he but uh unfortunately games aren't just won by uh

00:36:32you know just uh just having a go at the whole whole aren't that good to just have a go at teams and

00:36:37beat teams on pure ability even though they've got some they've got to sort of get the balance right going the

00:36:42other way else they'll probably be the probably end of season where they are really yeah i mean

00:36:48it's the eternal whole problem isn't it you know at the very very top of that club there isn't enough

00:36:54respect for the defensive side of the game you know and you just you just have to have it leon's

00:37:00right balance you know you you can't you can't win games by only concentrating on the attacking

00:37:05side of the game you can't win games by only concentrating on the defensive side of the games but

00:37:10you know the two coaches and religiously who've tried to do something about it

00:37:14we're seeing your room and sayers have both been sacked for it you know i mean i spoke to

00:37:18yukirovic before the game and i was saying about the the chairman's famous comment about i'd rather

00:37:23i'd rather win fourth uh sorry lose four three than draw nil nil and he sort of looked at me and laughed

00:37:28and said so you say we're on the right way then after losing at watson and that's kind of it you know

00:37:33you kind of look at a coach and you think it's obvious what you need to do as leon says you need to

00:37:38just grind out a couple of results and and just grit your teeth and there's no way yukirovic doesn't

00:37:43know that but at the same time you think that's probably a sacking offence at home which is just

00:37:49just bonkers but you know reality's got to dawn at some point you know the whole point of football is

00:37:57yes you need players like holly mcburnie who can score goals yes you need players who can take people

00:38:01on and and all have been really good at finding those players but you'll always need players to win the

00:38:07ball for them as well you know it's it's it's a game of balance and until until illajali really

00:38:13gets his head around that or just defers to someone who does um they're always going to be having this

00:38:19struggle and yeah it could be worse i mean you know um i'd rather they went this way than the other

00:38:25speaking as someone who watches them time to time at least it's entertaining but um but they want to

00:38:31progress you know they've um illajali and jared dublin were talking last week about you know top

00:38:3810 top 8 with the the money we've spent you know that in terms of wages the players we've brought in

00:38:43and all this sort of stuff but you can have all the players in the world if you don't get that chemistry

00:38:49and you don't get that balance you know it's about shefford united as well you don't get that cohesion

00:38:54that balance that that that team ethic you're never going to be anything more than more than a

00:38:59flash in the pan team and and there is the potential there for so much more but i don't think it's i

00:39:06don't think it's bad coaching that's holding them no no the people the person um above that it's hard to

00:39:14say that's it i mean they say they're going forward they've got some really good weapons haven't they

00:39:19but they just need to be treated as a serious championship team they've got to just get the

00:39:24get the balance better and and frankly respect the division a bit more haven't they yeah yeah

00:39:30respect the game full stop yeah yeah i mean you know we i think we're all we're all glad we're not

00:39:35sort of watching burnley of last season but now you've got to you've got you've got to get the balance

00:39:41right and and you know no no burnley fan was complaining at the end of the season i shouldn't have thought

00:39:47definitely uh interleague one uh we've got another big derby coming up thursday night which uh when

00:39:53bradford uh the leaders uh get to second bottom rotherham um we'll have a chat about that in a

00:40:00short while but um for now i'm just going to look at the current form two of our other clubs in the

00:40:03third tier doncaster and barnsley they've both enjoyed positive starts overall to the campaigns

00:40:09but the past couple of weeks of both sort of a bit of a wobble doncaster losing three straight in

00:40:13the league and barsley the last two uh it's left both of them outside the playoff spots uh stuart um

00:40:20there isn't too much cause for alarm here though is there don't think that these dips

00:40:23are going to sort of be expected for for both teams particularly doncaster having i've been uh

00:40:28got promotion last year and i'm playing at the high level i guess well yeah it's you know it's kind

00:40:33of like what i was saying before um about leeds it's it's a little depressing at times but it's reality

00:40:38you know doncaster playing in a new division huddersfield with it with a brand new manager

00:40:43someone who's never never managed the first team before of course there's going to be of course

00:40:48there's going to be bumps and it's it's it's about not overreacting to it but at least you know at

00:40:54least in both cases they've given themselves a good start you know if this had been the first few games

00:40:59of the season you'd be you'd be a lot more panicky but yeah um grant mccann won't stand for

00:41:05anything less than absolutely high standards so i'm sure i'm sure there's a few players trying to

00:41:11avoid his uh his uh gaze at cantley park at the moment and uh and and lee grant has been very vocal

00:41:18in how ambitious he is so he he won't be happy either with with uh with standards at his place but

00:41:26you know for both of them it it was there was always going to be a spell like this and and you know it

00:41:32might it might not end on on saturday and there might be another another to come but uh those

00:41:39players that manager or those managers will i believe i've got what i've got what it takes to

00:41:47learn from this and to come out a bit stronger so so long as it doesn't become a really prolonged run

00:41:53of bad form i don't i agree with you phil i don't think there's any reason to to to panic too much there's

00:41:59certainly things to address leon talked about you know the set pieces at doncaster you don't want to

00:42:04be you don't want to be uh letting things like that slip but you know we've just seen liverpool

00:42:09lose a couple of games on the balance it happens to everyone you make mistakes in football the key

00:42:15is that you learn from those mistakes and you come back stronger and i i think there's the potential

00:42:20within both of those groups to do that yeah of course leon barnsley's um barnsley's another one

00:42:25obviously to lose the two game lose the last two games and and drop out of them playoff spots as

00:42:29well yeah yeah i mean i suppose there's an argument to say if you're gonna have this little bit of a

00:42:33wobble it's not the worst period in in the time yeah to have it almost isn't it they both had the good

00:42:38starts they've sort of you know there's a fair but there's some some decent optimism around the place

00:42:43and um you know probably surprising you know both doncaster and bars they probably surprised a few

00:42:50people as as well probably you know less so hundreds feel they were expected to be up there

00:42:55so so a little bit of a wobble now um yeah i don't think it's the it's the worst time i i i think barnsley

00:43:02um yeah they've had a bad a bad week or so haven't they they um she lost it uh lost at home to to

00:43:09portvale that was that was a little bit disappointing given that the home form had been uh been pretty

00:43:15strong in in the league i just sort of looking at um barnes being a little bit picky just wonder if

00:43:23they might be starting to to sort of you know the fact that didn't bring in a forward right at the

00:43:29end of the window you know when you're in a little bit of a sticky run as they are having that extra

00:43:34extra body extra extra sort of forward forward option to maybe nick a goal or two could probably

00:43:40do with him at the minute couldn't they really and uh there's obviously a fair bit of pressure on

00:43:45on keeler done and um and mcgoldic as well you know he's not been playing in the um

00:43:50in the in the sort of cup games but yeah i just think it would have been looking at it nice if it

00:43:57could have had another another forward option to uh to bring on and they went fairly strong in the

00:44:02week as well they lost the cup game at the trophy game at knots county and um he went fairly strong

00:44:09and they lost in the last minute there so that's that's another defeat but uh yeah i think in the

00:44:15round they're doing they're doing pretty well you know doncaster as well i mean mccann you know he's

00:44:20spoken early in the season when i previewing the cup games especially saying look i haven't got 11

00:44:26players i've got 22 players i consider them all you know first team squad members sort of competing for

00:44:33the for the first team so he's spoken about his squad strength so maybe one or two of those

00:44:39but you know might get a go in the league on on saturday big game against against burton for them

00:44:44um i did a piece i spoke to him last week about about ben close he'd done very well

00:44:49in the cup game i did the one at middles but he was he was really good and maybe it's time for him to

00:44:54get a get a nod i know he came on off the bench and did and he was one of the uh the better players

00:45:01by all accounts maybe bringing a close in one or two others just to get give themselves a chance and

00:45:07i think probably yeah i think i think in the round it's been it's mccann always wants more but it's been

00:45:13you know it's been okay from doncaster um i just think the forwards they could do with i just worry

00:45:19about about them a little bit up front if billy sharp sort of gets injured hanlon's he struggled

00:45:26a little bit for goals early on and uh or solano he's he i think as well so just worry a little bit

00:45:34for them for them forward wise but um yeah no no time for panic i mean i can't remember the last time

00:45:41they probably lost three or four games in in the league doncaster it must be it must be 18 months or so

00:45:47and um yeah they've shown they can handle a bit of adversity before and and come back so but it

00:45:53would be nice if they could obviously got burden on on saturday got a good results it's uh at cardiff

00:45:59if they if doncaster can uh can uh you know get a get a win to to sort of get back on a bit of an

00:46:06even keel there that would be that would be nice yeah and just sorry just on barnsley phil um talk about

00:46:13lee grant being a new manager well connor hurran's only what 10 games ahead and and a few a few weeks

00:46:19more experience than the grant is as well i think i think the thing about barnsley's striker options

00:46:26leon said right you know you could do with the third one keelah dunn and mcgoldrick are both a

00:46:30very similar type of striker and it's just it's just nice to have different weapons instead about leads

00:46:36you know they've got the option of playing a slightly different way with calvert lewin barnsley could just

00:46:41do could just have done with that that plan b striker but you know i guess that's the reality

00:46:46of life at barnsley every football club but particularly at barnsley you don't always get

00:46:50everything that you hope for in the uh in the transfer market because they just don't have the

00:46:54money to uh you know to lavish you with uh with with everything on your shopping list um so it's just

00:47:01a matter of finding a way through i think it's probably uh we've spoken quite a bit about the the young

00:47:07players at barnsley they've got they've had a few raps in the early parts of the season um john o'bland

00:47:12and and vimal yoga nathan they look you know they look really talented young players but there's a

00:47:17flip side as well you know i think you know it's learning how to handle bits of adversity of young

00:47:22footballers as well and learning a few lessons that's no bad thing i mean bland was sent off in

00:47:27the game at um in the trophy game at knots county he was on the booking by all accounts he was there was a

00:47:33little bit of petulance and he got a second yellow card and it's learning those little lessons isn't

00:47:38it as a young player when things aren't going necessarily well as a team at the minute and

00:47:43handling your emotions a little bit and and then you know as a young player coming out on on the other

00:47:49side of a bad run and um and getting a winner too to steady things so i think there's an educational

00:47:55element um in terms of the young players at barnesley which i don't think is necessarily a bad thing

00:48:00which brings us on nicely to our next topic stewart something you alluded to in your piece

00:48:06with matt amshaw this morning i think that rotherham about youngsters and the fact that he's doing it

00:48:12tough with you know there's a lot of a lot of responsibility being thrust onto some of the

00:48:15youngsters in his team yeah and they're doing it they're doing it tough at the minute obviously

00:48:19they've got uh bradford coming on thursday just a quick word about both those teams i mean

00:48:24perhaps there's obviously a bit more pressure uh on rotherham uh well a lot more pressure on

00:48:29rather much to go in i think leon mentioned the result for burton uh down at cardiff which

00:48:33was a fantastic result but obviously it pushed rotherham down to second bottom ahead of the game

00:48:39against bradford um there's no cause for panic obviously but there is a sort of growing concern

00:48:45at rotherham um that they need to turn things around pretty quickly uh before it becomes a major

00:48:51issue i guess really yeah you know another another new manager who's having a bumpy ride and you know i

00:48:58think i think the thing with hamshaw is he's basically trying to go from last season's squad

00:49:04where steve evans bought a lot of players who've been around the block got that experience but

00:49:11maybe weren't as physically robust as that as they needed to to this young squad which you know as

00:49:17leon's outlined with barnsley the the issues that come with that and they're still suffering injuries

00:49:22as well you know they've still not got to got to grips with that um you know you could you i was

00:49:29looking this morning at graham alexander's record so matt hamshaw's played 20 with rotherham and uh won

00:49:36six three of them straight away his interim and three since graham alexander won nine of his first 24

00:49:44and i think they and i both remember that that three game run that ended with defeat at harrogate

00:49:49when it was kind of the end of the world and you you know you worried he was going to go but

00:49:53turning point for them it was a massive turning point but they only got to that turning point because

00:49:58they showed in the patience didn't they leon and that's that's what you really hope for for

00:50:03my hamshaw but you know everyone listening to this knows as well as we do the reality of football

00:50:08you do have to you do have to show something to get there and you just hope you know i'm not talking

00:50:16about the bradford game specifically because obviously that would have upset all the bradford

00:50:20fans but you just hope that they can they can find those moments to buy matt hamshaw the time

00:50:26so that the players learn those like you know learn those lessons and and that he gets the reward of

00:50:31the of the groundwork he he's laying um because history has shown us with grant mccann with grant

00:50:38graham alexander with others that if you've got the right manager and you and you stay patient with him

00:50:44the rewards will be there the thing is hamshaw's just got to fill everyone with the belief that he

00:50:50is he is the right manager and you know he he talks a lot and i think he's probably as con even

00:50:58consciousness within himself that he probably talks too much about the injury situation but it is the

00:51:04reality he's face face with he he just he just has to find a way and those those young players you know

00:51:11know the likes of a bear and baptize at center back the likes of gore the likes of sharif and ete if

00:51:16we're just about to see them get fit in key positions who are inexperienced they've got to

00:51:21step up a level and go beyond themselves and show themselves to be real leaders you know when

00:51:26actually they should be sort of learning their ropes alongside a a richard wood style center back a

00:51:32billy sharp style center forward sort of playing the junior role they've got to play senior roles and

00:51:36they've got to and they've got to really step up but yeah it's it's a difficult time for them no

00:51:41no doubt about it and and there is no question that if if he continues to not get results it is

00:51:48going to end badly but you say you just hope he can find enough that he can reach that point graham

00:51:53alexander did reach that that learning point and and there'll be better times ahead because

00:51:58i think what he's trying to do is for the long-term health of rother and why the last season was very

00:52:03short term and still didn't achieve its aim so i really hope he does succeed but the next couple

00:52:10of weeks and and and and the results that come are going to be a big factor yeah he's just got to try

00:52:16stewart said he's got to buy himself a bit of time i think we all know about the mitigating factors that

00:52:21not just had one or two injuries they've had you know considerably more hasn't haven't they yeah you

00:52:26know key parts of of the pitch you know there's an argument to say he's he's not been able to feel this

00:52:32is sort of best his best side yet but for all that you know you look at rotherham they haven't

00:52:38produced a 90 minute performance all all season have they really yeah you look at them they've

00:52:43lost five out of six and i sort of jotted a few a few numbers down they're actually not too bad in

00:52:48the first half they've scored five and conceded four then in the second half they've scored two and

00:52:53conceded conceded nine which you know they've obviously got an issue with with second halves of

00:52:58games i think they've been i think they're in the top 10 for the first half table and they're near

00:53:02the bottom for the second half table and you know you look around all the divisions and it's probably

00:53:06the same the ones who were near the bottom in the second half table the ones at the or at the bottom

00:53:10of the overall table and that's that's the case with with uh with rotherham they're just really

00:53:15struggling to put i mean i did i've only done one i think i've done one rotherham game this season and

00:53:20they were actually it was in the cup of barnsley they were actually very good in the first half they

00:53:25looked really you know they there was you know a real cause for optimism in that performance but

00:53:29they just fell away after the break and you know you look at i think it's been a bit of a of a common

00:53:34theme for them and you know sticking sticking two halves of football together yes they've got injuries

00:53:40and and the bedding players in but and um yeah everything that that hamshaw says you're sort of

00:53:47nodding your head in agreement almost you know he gets the sort of the medium and the long term with

00:53:53rotherham but you've got to you've got to buy yourself a little bit of time as well haven't

00:53:56you in the meantime he's he's lost lost five out of six and they've got some they've got some big

00:54:01games coming up and they've got to go to northampton they've got a home game against um against orient

00:54:07they've still a little bit early season obviously got the derby with um bradford they've got another

00:54:12derby at uh barnsley and i think they've got burton as well at home down the track so you're looking at

00:54:18some of those games stewart said you know desperately hoping that hamshaw can buy himself

00:54:25some time because he's he's a good guy and he's a capable operator as well and all the people around

00:54:31him dale tong richard wood they get rotherham and they're rotherham people almost you desperately want

00:54:36them to to come through this difficult time but you do think they're gonna have to they're gonna have

00:54:42to chip away and get a get a winner too you're thinking this so the next block of games in in

00:54:47mid-autumn to sort of keep keep the fans on side definitely definitely okay um time for team of the

00:54:55week and player of the week uh last week leon i think you did team of the week so for that yeah

00:55:01we'll come to you stewart uh this week this time around who are your team of the week well i was several

00:55:08i was i it was very close to being sheffield wednesday because as i said earlier they've had

00:55:13a really good week of the week or owner of the week yeah i think you might i think you might

00:55:20think of another word of the week but i won't go there of our 11 chairman i think you might just

00:55:25miss the top 10 um but um yeah two two tremendous results in a week where they've had three more

00:55:32embargoes slapped on them and and the players not paid but um with you know with some some of their

00:55:39praises plenty in this in this podcast and uh and rightly so um big win for huddersfield getting that

00:55:46win at exeter city but i think the one to highlight really is um harrogate tam went to gillingham who were

00:55:5321 games unbeaten went to gillingham and won um you know and then harrogate have had a

00:56:02had a tricky spell recently you know had a good start didn't they had a good start um they had a hit

00:56:09it's a bit it's a wobble and they have really you know come out of it i mean uh it's uh what we're

00:56:17talking it's three three three wins on the trot now you know they went they went to huddersfield and

00:56:22they won in the efl trophy group stage i mean nobody in their right mind will get over excited

00:56:27about winning the group stage of the of the of the trophy against you know weakened opposition but

00:56:33to be the club that simon weaver wants them to be it's about winning games regardless of whether

00:56:37they're big games small games it's about backing things up relentless is the word is the word he used

00:56:43and yeah um just a a really good week for for a team that you know not surprisingly given their

00:56:50attendances given they're in league two don't get the same attention as some of our other clubs but

00:56:56um i think when i think when they have an achievement like that i think it's it's it's important to

00:57:01highlight it and now obviously weaver's hope is that this three match run turns into six seven eight

00:57:08nine and something consistent that that will always be the big challenge for harrogate until they can

00:57:14until they can get over this hurdle but as a as a one-off game that that chilling and win was pretty

00:57:20special really yeah yeah i'm just just echoing stewart's thoughts there that you sort of look at

00:57:30harrogate's relatively short history in the football league and it's full of little spells like this isn't

00:57:34it they're beating some big clubs at um yeah bradford the doncaster you know swindon various various

00:57:46others as well it's just piecing together that sort of seven or eight match and beating run to really

00:57:51sort of get serious if they're you know they're spoken at the start of season about being in the

00:57:55playoff mix they're starting the other but uh yeah you want my vote now for the player don't you let's

00:58:01have a look uh quite a few yeah exactly yeah quite a few i mean i i did i did the team in the

00:58:08way this week nine clubs out that i put it put in really so they shared it around really um yeah a few

00:58:14other candidates ian lawler his first um league start since christmas 2023 he he had a date apart

00:58:23from the first goal at tottenham in the cup game he had he had a pretty good night he had some good

00:58:27saves and uh yeah doncaster didn't play so well at at loom by all accounts but i think he can be

00:58:33absolved from from blame really made a good penalty save and um you know a competent performance from

00:58:39him after getting the nod against low to wireless so that that's good for him he's you know he's had a

00:58:45decent run in the cup competitions now he's now it's his shirt to lose presumably isn't it um i went to

00:58:51a game at leeds joe rodon thought he was excellent physically strong won his jewels scored a scored a

00:58:57great header um and he's spoken about um stuart's spoken about harrogate harrogate town a player who

00:59:05invariably you know he pops up in the in the team of the week probably you know at least once a month

00:59:11anthony o'connor a real seasoned operator in the heart of the back four experienced good age signed a new

00:59:17contract in the summer um to stay stay at harrogate and that was did a lot of business but that was

00:59:22that was a particularly good piece of business i thought he was he was excellent at gillingham by

00:59:27all accounts uh you know ollie mcburnie as well i don't pick him again stuart picked him last week

00:59:36yes indeed again yeah yeah he's got uh he's got seven goals this season he's got five and four

00:59:43you know real center forwards goals as well he's i saw his goal against watford hit the post as well

00:59:49two real sort of poaches goals against against preston so you've you've sort of got a mention

00:59:54in barry barn as well you know he's tremendous what he's doing is uh you know he's leading he's

01:00:00leading that group of players off off the pitch and he's leading them on the pitch as well and really

01:00:04showing his his class and his experience and you know and and showing he's a terrific pro who cares

01:00:12so much about that football club younger amas as well apparently had a good game on the side

01:00:17this very good yeah yeah and i'll and i'll get and i'll stop i'll stop rabbiting on i'll get i'll

01:00:21get to the one i picked now uh i'm gonna i'm gonna pick uh sean longstaffy i thought he was tremendous

01:00:28against um against bournemouth on saturday he looked a really senior proper premier league

01:00:35player with with now so he knows his position on the pitch he was you say he was great winning it

01:00:41winning his jewels he was tenacious he was energetic um he set the first goal up for road on and and his

01:00:48and his second goal was it was a you know it was a terrific way to to get off the mark for his club

01:00:52uh you know a fine shot with the outside of his foot went in off the post and uh man of the match

01:00:57performance from him and he looks i'd say i'm not teeing too much of him but he looks a really

01:01:03shrewd signing so i'll i'll go for go for go for longstaff i think i think the biggest compliment you

01:01:08could paid longstaff and anton stack is that eo tanaka can't get in this team at the moment yeah

01:01:14and and i think i think he'll ever have his time but if you anyone who's keeping a player of that

01:01:18quality out the side is is a proper player and as leon says it's it's it's it's the all-round

01:01:24midfield package with longstaff isn't it he wins the ball you know he scores goals and he gets up

01:01:29and down um yeah he looks he looks a really good signing police yeah i mean he's probably not the

01:01:34most sexy signing they made in the summer but he could well be one of the most important and uh

01:01:39he looks a real players professional to me he looks like i mean he's probably come with a point to prove

01:01:43as well hasn't he been sort of cast out or as it were you know jetson by his hometown team as well

01:01:48he he'll love nothing more than going to leeds and and showing right you made a mistake i am a player

01:01:53who deserves to be playing on a regular basis at this level yeah and i mean having seen newcastle's

01:01:59uh midfielders against bradford the other week again there's no shame in not being quite as good as

01:02:04bruno gamarish and and sandro tonali but um but he's definitely a premier league standard standard

01:02:11player and and someone really just as we're talking it thought pops into my mind that with the way

01:02:16england's midfield is you know it's not beyond the realms of possibility anyone who's performing

01:02:21like that in the premier league but let's not get beyond ourselves first first job is winning

01:02:25points for leads and it's been important to that yorkshirepost.co.uk

Leeds United, Sheffield United and Hull City's up and down start - The YP FootballTalk Podcast

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