12/21/24
May 03, 2004
Relegation spots decided in the Premiership.: Manchester City's 1-0 win against Newcastle on Saturday virtually assured them of safety. City's win meant that Leicester's 2-2 draw with Charlton condemned the Foxes to relegation. Because of their goal difference, Wolves are down as well, despite beating Everton 2-1. On Sunday, Leeds lost 4-1 at Bolton which was enough to relegate Leeds.
This completes an amazing fall for Leeds, who three years ago, played Valencia in the Champions League semifinals. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
After the final whistle, most of the Leeds players went to commiserate with their supporters, whose singing had redoubled in fervour. The last to leave was a tearful Alan Smith, Leeds born and bred and a source of unstinting effort but now surely bound for other pastures. Classy folks.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:14 AM on May 03, 2004
Alan Smith should go play in Italy. He has always seemed like a Serie A striker to me. I.e. he challenges for the ball by blatantly kicking and elbowing his opponent; conversely, if any opposition player so much as breathes on Smith, Smith drops like a sack of potatoes and goes into his acting routine.
posted by molafson at 09:28 AM on May 03, 2004
Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. This phrase is always used sarcastically. Is that how you meant it, salmacis?
posted by msacheson at 01:19 PM on May 03, 2004
*snigger*
posted by JJ at 02:34 AM on May 04, 2004
Wolves won't be back, nor Leeds, but I think Leicester might come straight back up next season, despite their money-woes. I do love the sharp-end of the season - just the 4th champions league spot to be decided now.
posted by BigCalm at 04:25 AM on May 04, 2004
This phrase is always used sarcastically. Is that how you meant it, salmacis? It's true! Americans really don't get irony! :-) Leeds will drop like a stone...assuming they don't go bankrupt along the way. I can see both Leicester and Wolves challenging for promotion next season. Neither spent huge sums in the Premiership.
posted by salmacis at 05:33 AM on May 04, 2004
c'mon sal, for any american interested in the thread but not up on any link between "leeds" and "nice guys" might suggest you were being serious. sure, with the rough recent past i wonder if all the not so nice guys are already gone and you are having a dig at the fans? i still don't fully get it and it is not because i don't "get irony" (well, I am not american) but rather because i don't know enough about leeds and their fans and perhaps any team allegiance you have that would cause you to dislike leeds and their fans. so it was meant in the ironic sense i gather but without knowing enough I was not one to assume that and msacheson raised a point i had wondered myself.
posted by gspm at 07:14 AM on May 04, 2004
A fair point, gspm - we Brits often allude to things that are "known" via tradition here in England, but abroad is a different matter. For the record, Leeds are known here as "Dirty Leeds", mainly due to their style of play when they were a decent side.
posted by BigCalm at 08:30 AM on May 04, 2004
>a nicer bunch. >raised a point i had wondered myself Robbie Fowler scuffled with a photog, John Terry was questioned by police, Woodgate and Bowyer were tried for beating a man unconscious, Micheal Dubarry said Leeds' lawyers encouraged him to lie in court, Jody Morris faced a sexual assault charge.
posted by Philfromhavelock at 08:39 AM on May 04, 2004
Do they borrow an AC/DC song as their anthem?
posted by garfield at 08:58 AM on May 04, 2004
I knew the Woodgate and Bowyer stuff but.... Fowler (Man City), Terry (Chelsea), Woodgate (Newcastle), Bowyer (Newcastle), Dubarry (never heard of 'im), Morris (recently dropped).... so essentially the bad guys aren't the ones suffering by Leeds going down. I feel for Alan Smith being one of the few shining lights on the side and a local guy and how, AFAIK, he is relatively untainted by the Leeds crap of the last few years. But he may be playing in Liverpool next year so he can mop up his tears with his millions. (garfield - unfortunately the latter part of Dirty Leeds Done Dirt Cheap hasn't applied in the last little while (hence, problem$) but now that the will be disassembling the squad I presume their dirt cheapness quotient will be on the rise)
posted by gspm at 09:11 AM on May 04, 2004
I feel so sorry for Leeds. Such a nice team. Such nice fans.