Mike Grella's Leeds United story: Davide Somma, nosebleeds and a slice of Italy in New York

Outside Mike Grella's front door stood America, but inside the four walls of the Long Island family home he grew up in was a little slice of Italy.

Conversations with his father and uncles about football dominated, while Serie A filled his television screen on Sunday mornings before the afternoon was spent recreating Roberto Baggio's best.

His parents were born in a small town just outside Naples but made New York their home and it is there where the former Leeds United man resides once again, having hung up his boots a little over a year ago.

Despite the distance, wherever he turns the 33-year-old is reminded of his stint with the Whites - who he joined in February 2009.

Every time he opens his social media feeds he is inundated with messages, but supporters aren't his only remaining tie to the club. While in West Yorkshire he struck up a lasting friendship with another Elland Road striker - Davide Somma.

Somma, who is actually with Grella as he speaks to the YEP, was his roommate during their LS11 days and now lives a stone's throw from the Grella family.

"One summer he came back to New York to hang out," said Grella.

"We introduced him to one of my wife's best friends - they ended up getting married and starting a family. It is nice to have a close friend and a guy I experienced a lot of things with around.

"He understands what life is after football because I think there is a huge mental adaptation and transition you have to go through. To be with a guy like him that has had similar experiences is important."

Grella is now a scout for MLS outfit FC Cincinnati, having turned his eye to picking out goalscorers rather than being one.

'Grelladinho', as he is affectionately known by New York Red Bulls fans, enjoyed his most successful spell on this side of the pond with Leeds, making 42 appearances and scoring five goals.

He was a part of the League One promotion-winning side under Simon Grayson and played a role in kick starting the Whites' resurgence back up the English football pyramid.

Grella, though, could have chosen a different path. He turned down a contract with Toronto FC having been drafted by the Canadian side, to chase a childhood dream in Europe.

"With my Italian background I really wanted to play in Italy but I felt that the English game suited me better," he said.

"I was sharp, quick and technical. I felt like there were a lot of young players and talent. The English culture was that if you worked and played hard then you would get a shot."

Grella had two options; a trial with Brescia or a trial at Leeds. He started with the youngsters at Thorp Arch, but after a hat-trick in his first outing for the reserves, a contract was swiftly offered and signed.

As he told BSI: The Podcast back in September, there was still an element of culture shock: "In my first professional game this big French guy came up to me.

"They put me in around the 70th minute and we're hanging out at the top. I was playing as a striker and it was a corner kick to them.

"This guy came up to me and was like 'you touch the ball today I'm going to kill you'.

"I'm thinking he's kidding around, so I go to put my arm around him like 'yo, take it easy' or whatever and giggling a little bit. He just punched me in the face.

"I was on the ground and he's like kicking me. This was like some **** place away from home. It was Walsall away or something.

"It was a cold day, my nose was bleeding after he'd stiff-armed me in the face. I was just like they are not paying me enough for this ****."

From there, his life changed - Leeds United took hold rather than nosebleeds.

"When I showed up to my first home game the amount of people who wanted to take a picture or have something signed - that's when it kind of hit me," Grella admitted.

"I knew the club and I knew the history, but I was not prepared for what Leeds United actually is.

"I think I've got a pretty good rapport with the fans. I always worked hard so I think they appreciated that. The amount of people that recognised you and wanted pictures was sort of surreal.

"I thought it might be a little like that but not to that level. Then the first game at Elland Road with the fans singing the whole time. The atmosphere was incredible and I have to say it was my favourite place to be.

"It was my first club professionally, but it was also one of my favourites."

There is, though, a tinge of regret from his time with the Whites. Grella was forced to battle for a starting place against the deadliest duo United have boasted since relegation from the top flight.

"I believed in myself and I did well in a lot of the games," he added.

"It was frustrating but you also have to understand that there was Jermaine Beckford who was absolutely on fire. A goalscoring machine. You can't deny his talent.

"Then you had Luciano Becchio, who was fantastic. Those were two guys that were tough to beat out of a spot.

"I think where the frustration comes is when one of those was out with injury or not playing well and I didn't get more of an opportunity.

"I always have that feeling I could've done more. A little bit of that is on me and a little bit of that is on circumstance.

"It just didn't happen for me but in the end I wouldn't take one day back."

Grella will always be part of United's history. Two goals in extra-time which changed the dynamic of a second round FA Cup replay with Kettering Town ensured that as Leeds secured a trip across the Pennines.

The rest, as they say, is history.

"A lot of things in football are like that," Grella said. "The opportunity just sort of fell that way. That was an awesome memory for me.

"I was the first guy off the bench in most of those games so I'm thinking when we're going to Old Trafford after that I'm 100 per cent going to get a chance here because it was going to be a tough game away from home.

"Then we end up scoring! After that I know as an attacking option I'm not going to get a run out so I was kind of torn. I was so excited for the guys.

"I went on to play for another 10 years and that was one of my favourite moments being at Old Trafford and beating Manchester United."

Grella's career took him across England and beyond, before returning to home shores, but it was always Leeds where he felt a home away from home.

"In some ways the Yorkshire people and culture is very similar to New York," he concluded.

"Hardworking, humble people who understand the game. They were an amazing fan base for me because I felt like I could relate to them.

"When I look back at my time at Leeds, I'm proud to have played for the club and to be part of that history."