Mirco Antenucci: A striker with a natural instinct for scoring goals

He's the Leeds United striker who had a natural instinct for scoring goals.
Mirco Antenucci celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal against Huddersfield Town at Elland Road in September 2014. The Whites won 3-0 PIC: Bruce RollinsonMirco Antenucci celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal against Huddersfield Town at Elland Road in September 2014. The Whites won 3-0 PIC: Bruce Rollinson
Mirco Antenucci celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal against Huddersfield Town at Elland Road in September 2014. The Whites won 3-0 PIC: Bruce Rollinson

Mirco Antenucci bagged 19 of them in the Championship during his two seasons with the Whites.

He arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2014 from Ternana, the Umbrian club he had helped avoid relegation from Serie B thanks a season of goals to remember with the rossoverde.

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Antenucci made his Leeds United debut against Watford at Vicarage Road in August 20014 and scored his first Leeds United goal against AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court the following month.

Mirco Antenucci throws his shirt to a fan after Leeds United's Championship clash against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City stadium in March 2016. PIC: Bruce RollinsonMirco Antenucci throws his shirt to a fan after Leeds United's Championship clash against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City stadium in March 2016. PIC: Bruce Rollinson
Mirco Antenucci throws his shirt to a fan after Leeds United's Championship clash against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City stadium in March 2016. PIC: Bruce Rollinson

Goals against Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackpool (home and away), Ipswich Town, Fulham as well as a brace against Derby County propelled him to the top of Leeds United goalscoring charts at the end of the 2014/15 season.

"It was very good as a first season,” he told Calcionews24.com at the end of the campaign.” It was a new style of football other than Italian, a new way of life. It has been a positive experience and, considering I played a little more than halfway through the season, I scored 10 goals so ended being the top scorer of the team.”

More goals followed in his second season with the club, a campaign which saw him finish as second top goal scorer with nine goals behind Chris Wood who scored 13.

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They included an opening day cracker against Burnley, a brace against Bolton Wanderers at Elland Road, and penalties on the road against Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers.

His performances earned him a nominated for the Leeds United player of the year award, alongside Charlie Taylor, Liam Bridcutt, Gaetano Berardi and Lewis Cook.

Your YEP has been asking the Elland Road faithful to share memories of a striker whose first season saw him wear the number 34 shirt and the number seven shirt in his second with the club. He joined Serie B side S.P.A.L. on a free transfer in June 1016. His goals proved to be crucial as S.P.A.L. gained promotion to Serie A for the first time in 49 years. He bagged 34 goals in 105 appearances for the club before moving onto Serie C team Bari.

Responses included:

Stuart Salvage - "Scored late goal against Cardiff away. Great celebrations that evening. Like Mirco a lot."

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Dave Pearce - "Goal against Burnley. Decent player on his day."

Nicholas Wills - "Goal against Huddersfield. I rated him to be fair."

Luciano DePlacido - "His double against Bolton. Beautiful curled finish. Was actually quite lethal in front of goal but got that cut off when he could have secured a pay rise or bonus by scoring seven in his last 10 games so didn't get on pitch."

Paul Kent - "Bristol City 2015. Penalty he scored followed by a Chris Wood goal. 0-2 in the 89th minute only for Silvestri to go all flappy and finishing 2-2!"

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Sam Goodman - "The belter v Burnley at Elland Road. Limbs everywhere and high as a kite off the fresh paint fumes."

Ian Inwood - "Always the least interested in pre match warm ups."

Stephen Flynn - "Another good player they sold!"

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