Leeds Legends continues....

David O'Leary

Born on May 5 in 1958, less than a mile from Highbury in Stoke Newington, David O'Leary joins Arsenal as an apprentice after two week trial with Manchester United in 1973. In 1995, David O'Leary was given a free transfer by Arsenal effectively after completing his 20th year at the club. Leeds United's then manager, Howard Wilkinson, signed O'Leary to bring experience to the defence of the young Whites side. However after featuring only in 12 matches for Leeds, O'Leary announces his retirement after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury. After Wilkinson was sacked as Leeds manager and was replaced by George Graham the following year, O'Leary was brought back to Elland Road by Graham as his assistant.

He was installed as Leeds manager in 1998 when Graham resigned to manage Tottenham Hotspurs. Although David O'Leary took Leeds to the semi-finals of UEFA Cup and European Champions' League, and led the Whites to be permanent top-5 finishers in the English Premier League in within the 4 seasons of management, his over-spending of money (close to £100 million!) with no silverware in return, saw him getting the sack well-deservedly. Currently left with no club, but whichever club the Irishman goes to next, may he not make the same mistake again to save the blushes. Good luck Mr. O'Leary!

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand has been living with the tag as one of England's 'most skilful defenders' since making his senior debut for West Ham at the age of 17 against Sheffield Wednesday on May 5, 1996. Since then, Rio has blossomed into one of the most sought after defenders in Europe and it was with some reluctance that Harry Redknapp accepted Leeds' staggering bid. In November 2000, he became the then most expensive defender at all levels, eclipsing the existing record of £13 million that took Walter Samuel from Argentinian club Boca Juniors to AS Roma. It was the end of a long chase by Leeds, who made an initial approach for the player back in March 2000. They were eventually forced to up their initial £15 million offer to £18 million to land their man.

However, after 18 months spell at Leeds, that included sterling performances for Sven-Goran Eriksson's England team, Ferdinand again becomes the world's most expensive defender July 2002 when Manchester United spent £30 million just to sign him. It was the biggest yet the most foolish transfer ever made .... immagine the price paid for one player, who is not really the best even in English football and worldwide, just to play for a club ??!! It's way too irrediculous! Anyway, no matter where he plays, a special plea to all Leeds United fans out there to leave Rio Ferdinand alone. Afterall, he has done very well during the time when he was playing for Leeds and should be well-appreciated for that. Like what Ferdinand has said, "let bygones be bygones"!

Ian Rush

One of the greatest goalscorers to come out of the British Isles. Unfortunately, his great days were long since gone when he came to Leeds - although many Leeds fans do remember him fondly for the goal he scored at Anfield on 26 April 1992, when he bagged the first of Liverpool's two goals that condemned Manchester United to defeat and sent the title to Elland Road. He scored just 3 times for Leeds in the season he was at Elland Road - not what you'd have hoped for from the man who set scoring records through the late 80s and early 90s, but in a side that was struggling, a 35-year-old striker can only do so much to help.

Bobby Collins

Probably Don Revie's most inspired signing. At the age of 31, many thought he was past his best, but he proved to be a vital part of the team that won promotion back to Division 1, and came so close to winning the FA Cup and League. He was made captain in succession to Freddie Goodwin, and played a major role in bringing on the crop of youngsters that was emerging from United's youth team at the time. He was voted Footballer of the Year in the 1964-65 season, but the following season a terrible challenge from a Torino player broke his leg, and although he came back to play in the final game of that season, his time at Leeds was effectively over. After leaving Leeds, he was player-coach or coach for a variety of clubs, including a couple in Australia and Ireland. He had brief spells in management at Huddersfield, Hull and Barnsley, and spent a year in charge of the youth team at Elland Road in the mid-70s.

Norman Hunter

If ever a player had an apt nickname, it was 'Bites Yer Legs' Hunter. A tough competitor and a skilled defender, Hunter spent 16 years at Elland Road and his defensive partnership with Jack Charlton was the foundation for much of Leeds' success in that era. His England career was limited by the presence of players like Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore, but he had a good run at an international level, winning 28 caps - although he's probably best remembered for failing to win the ball in a straightforward tackle in the move that lead to Poland's goal in their infamous 1973 draw at Wembley that blocked England's path to the World Cup Finals. In the same year he was voted the first PFA Player of the Year, so it's clear that he enjoyed the respect and admiration of his fellow professionals, despite his reputation as a hard man. He left Leeds in 1976 to spend 3 years at Bristol City, before returning to Yorkshire as a player and player-manager at Barnsley. He also managed Rotherham and was coaching at Leeds before the arrival of Howard Wilkinson. He remains a regular at Elland Road, these days as a summariser for match day commentary on local and national radio.

Peter Lorimer

"Hot-shot" Lorimer holds the all-time goal-scoring record for Leeds with 238 goals. Making his debut at less than 16 years old, and playing his final game at the age of 39, he'd have probably managed to beat the all-time appearances record as well if he'd stayed at Elland Road all that time - but he spent 5 years away from Elland Road in his 30s, enjoying varying degrees of success with Toronto Blizzard and as player-coach with Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada, as well as a brief stopover at York City.

Lorimer's rocket shots left many a goalie quivering, but he was also an excellent crosser of the ball, and many of the goals scored by Allan Clarke and Mick Jones were set up from Lorimer's well-placed crosses. In his second spell at Leeds, he played more of a midfield role, but still had the skill to outwit many of the 2nd division defences that Leeds found themselves facing in the 1980s. After a brief spell with Whitby and in Israel with Hapoel Haifa, he finally hung up his boots and retired to run the Commercial - a pub close to the ground which is, naturally enough, very popular with Leeds fans on match days.