Here are your Leeds United morning headlines for Thursday, April 23.
Whelan wants EFL to follow Italy’s example
Noel Whelan has urged the EFL to consider putting the Whites and other Championship sides into isolation in order to complete the 2019/20 season.
Speaking to Football Insider , the former Leeds striker said: “If you can isolate players and have them tested, you can play games behind closed doors and get these games rattled off. Italy are now doing that.
“It’s probably something that the Premier League and the Football League will be thinking about – can we test the players now, can we keep them together, isolated in one area and get them travelled to the games and get the games played?
“I think that’s the right way, Italy are doing it, I really do. Everyone’s in agreement that this season needs to be finished and it needs to be sorted as quickly as possible in the safest way possible.”
With Leeds currently top of the Championship, none of their fans are likely to disagree with Whelan on this matter.
South Stand to be named after Hunter
Leeds United legend Norman Hunter died last week at the age of 76, but his legacy will live long in the memory.
Hunter made 726 appearances for the Whites, going on a journey with them from the lower reaches of Division Two to becoming one of the best teams in Europe.
As a tribute to his decades of service to the club, the South Stand at Elland Road is going to be renamed in his honour.
Andrea Radrizzani, owner of Leeds, said: “Naming the South Stand after Norman is the very least we could do to recognise the lifetime of hard work and dedication he gave to our football club – firstly as a hugely successful player and secondly as an ambassador for Leeds United.”
Norman’s wife, Sue, added: "As a family we are touched by the clubs decision to name the South Stand after Norman and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the supporters of the club and the game in general for the amazing messages of sympathy we have received in recent days.
"Finally, once again we would also like to thank all the doctors and nurses and everyone in the NHS who supported Norman too."
Matteo recalls San Siro singalong
Former Leeds United captain Dominic Matteo believes the relationship his team had with the club’s supporters 'will never be seen again in football'.
Speaking to the Undr the Cosh podcast , Matteo reminisced about a boozy singalong on the pitch at AC Milan’s San Siro stadium, after his goal had helped Leeds qualify from the first group stage of the Champions League in 2000/01.
"The Leeds fans on that night... I've seen a lot of things in football but I've never seen a relationship between players and fans,” Matteo said.
"We were on the pitch for an hour after the game having a sing song. They'd sing a song, select a player, we'd sing a song or whatever and it was just back and forth. Mainly it was Gary Kelly singing songs with the fans.
"I don't think you'll ever see that again in football.
"It was a crazy night. We were drinking beer on the pitch. Imagine that now, Champions League, we've got cans of lager on the pitch having a bit of a sing song. It was nice to do that.
"An iconic night for the club."
