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Our popular AWAY FANS feature this week features two excellent unofficial Leicester City websites, fellow Total Football affiliate For Fox Sake and Norway's The Crafty Fox. Both seem remarkably upbeat considering their side's horrendous run of form - and perhaps surprisingly are both supportive of Peter Taylor.
AWAY FANS: Site 1
Do you think you've had a good season?
Yes we have had a great season. We got to safety earlier than we ever have done before, we've been to the top of the Premiership, beaten West Ham at Upton Park and apart from a little hiccup at the end of the season, have done well. We have had a new manager who has settled in nicely.
What was the best moment of your campaign?
Some people would say going top of the Premiership while others would say beating West Ham at Upton Park for the first time in over 30 years. Obviously seeing Coventry get relegated would also come high up their as well. Sorry is that cheating?
Who do you think are your best players?
Out of the players available for the game against Leeds on Saturday, it would have to be either Andy Impey who has progressed so far under new manager Peter Taylor that it's hard to belive that he's the same player - or Robbie Savage, who everyone outside of Leicester hates, but you have to understand that the way he deals with all the abuse he gets is with humour, which in turn makes the away fans hate him more....
Your worst player?
Ade Akinbiyi. Although he's scored 11 goals now we really expected more from him and although I know that this season has really got him down in terms of goalscoring, he needs to do a lot better next season. He's missing goals where Tony Cottee would have got them. There again we used to give Heskey alot of stick as well and he was a "fans favorite"
Your players to watch (youngsters or underrated players)?
Damian Delaney. Has a super shot and if he gets the right chance he could belt one in.
Your preferred formation and likely line-up for Saturday's game?
Probably 4-4-2 even though we haven't done so well with it this season - and many blame it for our 9 in a row losing streak. Saturday's team will probably consist of Flowers, Rowett, Sinclair, Impey, Guppy, Davidson, Lewis, Savage, Jones, Sturridge, Akinbiyi.
Your best chant?
"When you're smiling" or the one about yer mam being on the game.
Do you think your end of season position is a fair reflection?
No. If we hadn't had lost it towards the end then we'd definitely be in UEFA contention, if not a guarranteed place. But we shot it and that cannot be forgiven.
What's your view of Peter Taylor?
Peter Taylor is a man in a very tough position. He's taken over from Martin O'Neill who was a god down here. He's done well, has proved that he can do the job and has made some good buys. He's also made some bad buys and proved that he can do the job as badly as the next bloke. But I believe that next seaso Peter Taylor will do even better without the obvious losing streak and maybe even get us that elusive automatic European place.
What are your general views/ perceptions of Leeds' season so far?
You want me to be contraversial? I hate Leeds... you're all scum. Nah not really. Leeds proved that they can run with the big boys in the Champions League and if it wasn't for the fact that you can only achieve a CL place by beating us I would wish you all the luck in the world. Oh and didn't we beat you 3-1 down here?
Prediction for Saturday and Leicester scorers (if applicable)?
Sorry but I never predict the score. It's bad luck. Besides there are probably already hundreds of Leeds fans calling me a tosser after reading this so I won't embarrass myself further by trying to predict the score.
AWAY FANS: Site 2
Do you think you've had a good season?
Yes, I believed we could end on a place between 4 and 17. The start of the season was magnificant and the run in the FA Cup could have ended on Wembley, but Wycombe surprsingly kept us away from that one.
What was the best moment of your campaign?
The game against Leeds at Filbert Street, the Liverpool home game (which a was present), my evening out with Robbie Savage and Darren Eadie after the match (wasn't planned) but a fantastic evening it was. And of course the 4-2 win against Spurs all games at home.
Who do you think are your best players?
Muzzt Izzet is probably the best of them all, but Robbie Savage and Matt Elliott is also very important.
Your worst players?
Ada Akinbiyi haven't been the best of buys and with a price tag of £ 5 million you should expect more, but again it wasn't easy for him when both Stan Collymore and Tony Cottee left, and they could have helped him and taken the pressure of him at times. And again Peter Taylor didn't push out Cottee and Collymore. They both decided to leave on their own free will, so don't blame Taylor.
Your players to watch (youngsters or underrated players)?
I would say Matthew Jones (you know him, don't you !!!!). He hasn't really settled as well as we had hoped but injuries and a player from Gillingham named Junior Lewis have kept him out of the team. But Matthew has a great potential and he will be a great asset for Leicester. Martin Reeves, Jordan Stewart and Stefhan Oakes are others and of course Damien Delaney who has been a great new signing this season from Cork. They are all young and a bright future lays in front of them.
Your preferred formation and likely line-up for Saturday's game?
3-5-2 - Flowers - Rowett, Davidson, Delaney - Lewis, Savage, Marshall, Guppy, Impey - Akinbiyi, Sturridge
Your best chant?
There aren't many to brag about
Do you think your end of season position is a fair reflection?
To end among the 10 best is a target and would be a good start for Taylor. Anything under that will be a disappointment since O'Neill kept Leicester in the top 10 for all seasons, but Taylor has managed to collect 48 points so far, O'Neill ended with 47 in his first season
What's your view of Peter Taylor?
Sometimes you disagree with his decisions, but you can't always be in favour of everything, but he is a good manager and he has a great track record with his teams. Everyone says he is so young but he was born in 1953 and has been around for a while .O'Leary, Hoddle, Burley, Curbishley, Coppell, Robson and several other managers are younger but been around so long that you feel they are old men, but Taylor isn't a youngster. When people were calling for his head, I said stop talking about that because you must always come up with another alternative and that is what I feel about Taylor. There isn't anyone else for the job at the moment and his months with Leicester haven't been easy, since O'Neill didn't actually leave with a clean table and everything sorted out. It has been a lot for Taylor both with new signings, getting important players to stay and at the same time living up to the standard of O'Neill. But I feel that PT has done well and that he will lift Leicester further in 2001/2002.
What are your general views/ perceptions of Leeds' season so far?
Leeds have done well, but at the end of the day no silverware has been collected and that is what counts. I must say that I miss Leeds as a team fighting for the titles like they did with Don Revie. I could talk about that team for hours and I have the great video of Super Leeds period which was fantastic.
Prediction for Saturday and Leicester scorers (if applicable)?
I hope Leicester can manage to beat Leeds and hope for a 2-1 win, which is a little bit optimistic but then again that's whats needed if we shall climb back to the 10 position. Savage and Akinbiyi is my favourite to score the goals if Savage play the game, if he is not then Sturridge will be my suggestion.
It's not easy watching a game live and also listening to another 2 matches on the radio at the same time, whilst juggling a balti pie and a mobile phone.
In the 1st half at The Valley, Radio 5 informed me that Charlton were battering Liverpool. The way it was going it seemed to me that Liverpool would be lucky to get even a point out of their game. Leeds needed a goal to push themselves into the gold encrusted 3rd place spot. 3rd is no longer bronze. Its all gold-gold-gold.
After 20 minutes of Leeds pressure the crucial goal arrived. Leicester's Marshall slipped, Kewell nipped in and fired low and hard to Smith at the far post. Smith, fearless as ever slid in with the defender and keeper and forced the ball home. This was the sort of challenge that could end one's own career. Smith didn't think twice. Thankfully both Smiffy and Flowers eventually got up, miraculously unscathed.
Leeds were in 3rd spot. The crowd rejoiced. It was short lived. Harte received a bang on the head and whilst he was being treated Leicester broke down our left. Kewell stood off and ushered them through like a car park attendant and the resulting deep cross was headed against the bar, and then off Rio's shin and into the net. Well I never.Leeds were back into 4th and they stayed there for the rest of the afternoon. Ipswich must have seen a glimmer of hope but they conceded at Derby and left them stranded in 5th.
Leeds continued to totally dominate the game and only the persistence of Robbie Savage held Leeds back. Hate him or despise him Robbie Savage is a bloody handful. Yes he does have stupid girlie hair and is at times a dirty, horrible man but we could do worse than signing someone like him for cover in the middle. Savage doesn't take 2 bottles into the shower - he takes about 8. Shampoo, Conditioner, Shampoo with added conditioner, Shampoo with beer, Conditioner with mint extract, Shampoo with glitter and pink shiny things, some meths and a bottle of peroxide shandy. The nancy.
"SAVAGE IS SHIT" repeated the KOP, "and so's his hairdresser" I added with a flourish. It got a few laughs around me. The truth is Savage isn't shit. He's actually quite good and was Leicester's best player by far in a team of faceless journeymen. Matty Jones was rarely noticed. Dacourt and Savage kicked lumps out of each other all day. It was fun to watch the contrasting styles. Of hair of course.
Leicester survived to the break only by a superb save from Flowers as he tipped a Viduka shot onto the post following a flowing 4 man Leeds move. As the pressure mounted Viduka was caught by a stray foot in the box (ouch!) but the referee strangely ignored it. Half time, Leeds drawing, Liverpool drawing, Ipswich losing. Still all to play for.
The 2nd half was ALL Leeds again. Kewell peppered the Kop with shots that should have made Flowers work a bit harder. Dacourt with his sleeves rolled up decided to get Leeds a goal. He twisted and turned (like a 60s bopper) and from the byline picked out Viduka at the farpost. The Big Oz rose well and nodded crisply against the bar. No luck as usual.
Liverpool were soon 2 goals up at Charlton and it was game over regarding the Champions League's licence to print money. I turned the radio off and could now enjoy some superb Leeds play. Dacourt curled a 20 yarder against the bar. Leicester fans sensing they were spoiling our party raised their voices. They even sung the Liverpool anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" to taunt us. I wanted to win this one just to shut those midland nomarks up.
Dacourt hobbled off and a rejuvenated Wilcox replaced him. Kewell switched to the right and Bowyer moved inside. Bowyer was tremendous once he'd moved into Ollie's central role. Sod Savage, we've got just the man to play in the centre if Ollie or Batty are out. All we need is some bugger on the right to take Bowyer's place (no not Alan Maybury).
Bakke had a great game for Leeds and Mills began to advance to make the extra man. The passing and movement were excellent against a very deep and negative Leicester defence. Earlier in the season we struggled to make chances against such rearguard actions.
The goal soon came. David Ellary, never a favourite at Leeds, gave Mills a free kick 28 yards out for obstruction (but instead of an indirect kick gave a direct one). As Harte lined it up a Leicester player stood a yard away behind Him (I use a capital H for Him as Harte is indeed a God when it comes to free kicks) to help Flowers line the wall. He refused to move and for once this particular referee gave Leeds a break and moved the ball forward 10 yards as a punishment to the encroaching Leicester defence.
The Leicester wall looked massive. I said the famous words "There is no way he can get it past THAT lot".
From the right hand edge of the box, Harte dabbed the ball over the wall and into the top corner. Flowers was playing his own version of "statues" but with no music. Harte celebrated wildly but the eye was drawn to a pitch invader who with physique similar to Viduka's displayed a surprising amount of pace and his swerving run eluded most of the stewards twice each. The Leeds players looked at Viduka as if to say "see ! it is possible you fat b@stard". The daft twat will now be banned from Elland Road for a good while - the pitch invader - not Viduka.
Leicester threatened briefly for the 1st time in an hour and Bakke cleared off a crowded goal line.
As the game drew to a close and Liverpool were 4 nil up the season ended on a mini-high for Leeds as Viduka played Smith through and one-on-one with Flowers, the young hero/villain/foul mouthed/ golden boy /impetuous/ committed/ thug/genius* (* - delete depending on how inappropriately the press currently regard Smiffy) tucked the ball effortlessly home. Smith's contorted face growled at the Kop and he kissed the Leeds badge on his shirt. His full lips glistening in the mid afternoon sun. The boy is a good 'un.
Not even the streaker at the end of the game could knock Smiffy from centre stage.
Well - he did actually !
Dressed only in a retro-style Leeds shirt and a smile , the streaker made a charge towards Viduka. I've never seen the Aussie Pie Monster move so quick, who not surprising, didn't want some strange bloke's tackle rubbed up against him. Last day of the season, or not ! With a feeling of rejection from his heroes the streaker swept towards the Lowfields in all his glory. The crowd roared as his bollocks bounced around the pitch and as before the stewards struggled to get to grips with him. It took a good tackle to bring his run, and season ticket, to an end.
Alan Smith ? who's he again ?
Scores
Martyn - 6 - Nowt to do, except pick the ball out of the net.
Mills - 8 - sound defending and provided good width coming forward. Most improved player by far.
Harte - 8 - What can you say about this guy ? His freekicks are second to none and cant be blamed for the goal as he was off the pitch injured at the time.
Matteo - 7 - did what little he needed to do well enough.
Rio - 7.5 As above but with a couple of body swerves to start some moves.
Bowyer - 9 - carried the ball very well in the midfield minefield. Excelled in the centre when Dacourt went off.
Bakke - 8 - superb effort from the lanky Noggie. Got stuck in and ran at the Leicester defence well.
Ollie - 9 - Give this man a 10 year contract. Has more influence than Nelson Mandella. Had the mother of all battles with Lilly Savage and won.
Kewell - 8 He IS THE Daddy. Looked very sharp. Poofy defending for their goal though.
Smith- 9 - Deserves an England call on endeavour alone. The fact he scored one of the bravest goals you could imagine and closed the final minute of the season with a peach is a bonus.
Viduka - 7 - Tried his tricks and flicks without too much luck, and his lack of pace was forgotten as he flicked the ball superbly on for Smith's last gasp 2nd.
Subs
Wilcox - had a great 15 minutes on the left, Kewell switched right, and Leeds attacked from every angle available.
Leeds finished the season in the position that their squad merited. 4th place behind 3 very, very good squads. Not teams, squads.
We'll done boys, we'll support you ever more.
Report by stotty
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