Leeds United’s 1-1 Premier League Cup draw at Sunderland today, in the first of three Round One group matches, was mustered with a totally changed line-up from the team that, playing as Leeds Carnegie, lifted the trophy last season.
All 11 of the players that started February’s final against Everton, plus the three substitutes that were used during the 3-1 victory, departed in the summer after the team had been abandoned by its patrons, Leeds Metropolitan University, who earlier in the year had withdrawn the club’s bid to become founder members of the Super League which kicks off next spring.
The mass exodus of players, the vast majority of whom have signed for Super League teams, was a near inevitability as Leeds went desperately close to folding before being taken back under the wing of the Elland Road Football League club.
“We had a nightmare few weeks trying to keep the club afloat,” said the secretary, Sue Walton. “Leeds United were interested in taking us under the umbrella of their Football in the Community scheme but they needed assurances that we wouldn’t fall apart again and cause them embarrassment. With the help of our new chairman, Steve Russell, we put together a long-term business plan and we are confident that we can be self-sustaining and push for a place in the Super League in a couple of years.”
Along with the reduction of the playing squad the manager, Rick Passmoor, departed to be replaced by the reserve team manager, Gemma Grainger. “I had to use the contacts I’ve got to put a new squad together,” said Grainger. “The team’s very young but we’ve got some real quality and I’m very optimistic about the season.”
Other group games saw Blackburn and Barnet record 4-0 victories, against Rochdale and Colchester respectively, while Nottingham Forest beat Derby County 4-1 and Reading won 2-0 at Yeovil.
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