Sam Byram - Fans memories of a right back to remember

Sam Byram won the club's player of the year award in his first season as a professional.

He also bagged the the Young Player of the Year Award, Players Player of the Year Award and also the Supporters Club Player of the Year Award at the end of the same 2012/13 campaign.

He made his first team debut against Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup in August 2012 and kept his place in the first-team the following week in United's first league game of the season Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He was part of a defence that kept a clean-sheet in a 1-0 victory over one of the early favourites for promotion and his performance out-wide against the England international Matt Jarvis won praise from the fans and media.

Byram's first goal for Leeds United came in the 3-0 League Cup second-round victory over Oxford United at Elland Road in late August 2012.

He picked up the ball just outside the penalty area, beat two Oxford defenders with his first and second touches, before chipping the goalkeeper from inside the box in the 34th minute to give his team a 2-0 lead.

An impressed Neil Warnock told reporters after the game that "Sam will probably never score another goal like that in his career".

Other notable goals included a brace against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in December 2015 to seal a 3-2 win before he bagged an equaliser at the City Ground later that same month to help the Whites prove a point against Nottingham Forest.

Your YEP asked the Elland Road faithful to share memories of Byram who made 143 appearances for the Whites, scoring 10 goals, before a Premier League move to West Ham United in January 2016.

Responses included:

Andi Wager - "I always thought Sam Byram was a great player. But he left Leeds too early. Under Bielsa he would have become a great player."

Curtis Jones - "Cup game at Elland Road v Spurs. Sam had Bale in his pocket, and when he came out Sam had him on toast."

Arron McCourt - "The game with Wolves where he frustrated the life out of Matt Jarvis on his debut."

Danny Clark - "Spurs in the FA Cup against Bale. Outstanding."

Adam Brown - "Gareth Bale in his pocket so much Bale started kicking out against him."

Kevin Rothera - "Seen him make his debut in the League Cup."

Seán Condon - "Get him back, always Leeds."

Sy Potter - "THAT pre season goal that kick started his first team run."

Nick Joules - "My first trip to Elland Road, nothing spectacular it was a 1-1 draw with Peterborough. Dwight Gayle scored in front of the Kop and Byram scored from a corner. I’ll never forget it."

Tony Hawkridge - "I always rated him, great player."

David Scaling - "Remember him playing for us against Spurs in an FA Cup match, just a young lad, and he had Gareth Bale in his pocket. Had an outstanding game! Like a lot more, if he'd stayed he'd have been a legend! Grass isn't always greener!"

Tom Denton - "One of the many young players who left Leeds and their career stalled."

James Wood - "Shame for the lad. Good player at Leeds."

****************************

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United. With a digital subscription, you'll see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe