On this day: Fabian Delph comes back home to Leeds United

LEEDS United have seen many supremely gifted young footballers pass through their Academy ranks.
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Fabian Delph is considered by many to be arguably the best of them and the midfielder re-joined the Whites on this day in February 2012.

Bradford-born Delph joined Leeds United's Academy as an 11-year-old in 2001 and made his first team debut six years later as a 17-year-old in the 2-0 loss at Derby County in May 2007.

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The midfielder's talent was obvious and United's fans knew it.

BACK AGAIN: Fabian Delph, left, challenges Brighton's Vicente as a Leeds United loanee from Aston Villa upon his Whites return in February 2012 in the 2-1 Championship defeat at Elland Road. Picture by PA Wire.BACK AGAIN: Fabian Delph, left, challenges Brighton's Vicente as a Leeds United loanee from Aston Villa upon his Whites return in February 2012 in the 2-1 Championship defeat at Elland Road. Picture by PA Wire.
BACK AGAIN: Fabian Delph, left, challenges Brighton's Vicente as a Leeds United loanee from Aston Villa upon his Whites return in February 2012 in the 2-1 Championship defeat at Elland Road. Picture by PA Wire.

"Fabian Delph is not for sale" was always the chant booming from the terraces.

Yet with Leeds down in League One and Delph clearly destined for the top, the Whites Academy graduate and England under-21 international moved to Aston Villa in August 2009 for an initial £6m plus add ons having quickly amassed 54 appearances for the Whites, scoring six times.

Delph went on to make over 110 league appearances for Villa and later became the club's captain but injury disrupted his initial progress and it meant a temporary switch back to Leeds on January 20, 2012.

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At that point, a 22-year-old Delph had been restricted to making just 39 appearances for Villa and the midfielder had not featured for Alex McLeish's side since the middle of December.

In need of game time, Delph joined Leeds on loan - initially until February 25 - and his second Whites 'debut' came in a 3-1 win at home to Ipswich Town.

Four more starts followed but Delph then picked up an ankle injury in United's defeat at Coventry City and returned to Villa.

The midfielder missed the rest of the season but from the start of the 2013-14 campaign the only was up, to regular football, England, the Villa captaincy, a new deal and then, in July 2015, the £8m switch to Manchester City.

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Fifty seven league appearances followed as City won back-to-back titles before Delph then joined Everton for £8.5m in July 2019 but the midfielder will always remember where it all began.

"My time here was fantastic," said Delph in the summer of 2018.

"I came here at 10, 11 years old and the club gave me the opportunity to play. If it was not for Leeds United I would not be where I am today.”

“I still follow (Leeds’) results and I still keep in touch with people I grew up with.

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“Lucy Ward (United’s former education and welfare officer) was fantastic for me, she helped shape my future.

"There were a lot of people and I would be here all night if I gave them all a mention but I owe a lot to Leeds United.

“I always will be grateful and thankful and, hopefully, (I will) get back here one day.”

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Thank you Laura Collins

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