Your Leeds United views: Whites should reimburse fans who went to Newport

Having eagerly awaited the third round FA Cup results last weekend, I was extremely disappointed to say the least, to discover that Leeds United, the team I have supported for 55 years, were beaten yet again in this competition by a team from a lowly division [Newport County].
Newport County's Shawn McCoulsky (centre) celebrates his winning goal against Leeds United.Newport County's Shawn McCoulsky (centre) celebrates his winning goal against Leeds United.
Newport County's Shawn McCoulsky (centre) celebrates his winning goal against Leeds United.

Perhaps it is time that the Football Association charged Leeds United with bringing the game into disrepute.

I feel particularly sorry for the 1,000 or so United fans who spent their hard-earned money and travelled down to South Wales.

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They were humiliated and ridiculed by the United management, who obviously don’t give a damn about their loyal supporters.

Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.
Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.

I suggest that the club reimburse those fans who did make the journey. In future, I think it would be a good idea for United to issue a press release before all future FA Cup matches against lowly opposition, to the effect that Leeds United have no intention of trying to win the match, so don’t bother coming.

Reading between the lines, it’s obvious that Leeds would rather concentrate on gaining promotion to the Premier League, but consider this – last year, in a similar position, Leeds played non league Sutton Utd....and lost.

The strategy backfired and Leeds embarked on a losing streak which saw them miss out on a play-off place. Contrast that with Huddersfield Town, who played Rochdale (a club from a lower division) and won 4-0. Huddersfield then went on to secure a place in the play-offs, and subsequently gain promotion!

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I’m afraid here is one long time Leeds United supporter who has become disillusioned with the modern game. It’s played with a plastic ball, the players wear designer fashion boots, wear gloves when it gets a bit cold, and wear their hair in a ponytail or headband.

Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.
Shawn McCoulsky scores Newport County's winning goal against Leeds United.

I remember Leeds United in the 1960s and 1970s when we never finished lower than fourth in the then first division. We used to dread playing Spanish or Italian teams in the European competitions because the likes of Billy Bremner, Terry Cooper, Jack Charlton, and Norman Hunter, only had to touch them and they would fall to the ground writhing in agony.

Most of our players are now foreign imports, and unfortunately they have brought the ‘fall down’ culture with them.

Whilst I still watch out for the Leeds United scores (old habits die hard) I have become an avid fan of both rugby league and rugby union. At least here we get honest endeavour and usually a result rather than a boring 0-0 draw.

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To illustrate the point, as a neutral, on Sunday afternoon, I watched a fantastic game of rugby union between Wasps and Saracens..football beware!

David Schofield, Garforth

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Seriously, given the fact that we lined up a cobbled together team without a single recognised centre-half, with two questionable full-backs in Vurnon Anita and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, a midfield with the creativity stripped out and two big lads up front whose performances wouldn’t have looked out of place in the local Sunday league how can we really call this a shock?

Add to that we were away to lower league opposition on a terrible pitch in front of the cameras any deliberate weakening of the Leeds United first XI could only be seen as a sign of lack of intent and deliberate self harm.

It is about time clubs were honest with the fans and declared that they were not going to take the cup competitions seriously and classed them as reserve fixtures, because that is what we put out on Sunday, a reserve team. Surely we have some keen young lads with more fire in their belly than some of the wage stealers we saw at Newport? What they did is a big risk by the club, fans still care about these games even though they clearly don’t.

Andy Kaye, via website