How Far Could Have the 2001/02 LUFC Generation Gone?

By the start of the 2001/02 FA Premier League season, Leeds United were an established Premier League side with significant experience from playing in the Champions League. And, for much of the first half of the 2001/02 season, the team was topping the table and on its way to a first Premier League title in the clubs history. But, as things fell apart midway through the season, it was clear that this would be the last run this LUFC generation will have together. Today, we’ll take a look at the most talented team Leeds has had in decades, to see just how far it could have gone if the core players stayed at the club in the years to follow.


The 2001/02 LUFC Season Summarized

Leeds United kicked off the 2001/02 Premier League campaign better than anyone could have expected. Until the beginning of November, at eleven PL games played, Leeds held an undefeated record, with six wins and five draws. What’s more, Leeds recorded wins over Arsenal and Tottenham and managed to get out with an away point from both Anfield and Old Trafford. The team looked like it could outperform the historic title-winning LUFC squad.

But, this fantastic form suddenly and unexpectedly came to a stop with a 2-1 loss to Cardiff in the Third Round of the FA Cup on January 6th. After the loss, the team went on a winless slump that lasted exactly for two months, until March 6th. The team did manage to regain form and win seven out of the last ten games and secure the fifth position and the UEFA Cup for next season. But, although the season was still a great one, it was clear that the turbulent locker room and looming financial troubles couldn’t wait any longer.




The 2001/02 LUFC First Team Squad

Young LUFC fans and casual Premier League fans might not realize just how talented and full of potential this Leeds squad was. Almost every position on the field was occupied by either proven players or future stars of the league. The forward line was led by reliable footballers like Mark Viduka and Robbie Fowler, and a young and promising Robbie Keane. The midfield was probably the deepest and best-covered part of the squad. With eight top midfielders in total, five of whom recorded over 30 appearances that season, the midfield was led by Premier League stars like Harry Kewell and Lee Bowyer.

The defensive line consisted of a star-studded cast of Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Danny Mills and Ian Harte. The goalie position was firmly held by Nigel Martyn, arguably one of the ten best Leeds United players of all time and without a doubt the best goalkeeper the club has ever had. Playing for LUFC from 1996 to 2003, Nigel Martyn was on top of his game and played an irreplaceable role in the team’s 2001/02 campaign and especially in the season prior, when the team reached the Champions League semi finals.




The Club’s Financial Trouble

By midway of the 2002/03 campaign, Leeds was in deep financial trouble and had to sell some of its players to stay afloat. Failure to meet the very high expectations set by the board, the club wasn’t unable to cover all of its bank loans and had to resort to other ways of making money. Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Keane were sold at the beginning of the season to Man Utd and Tottenham respectively. The winter transfer period saw Lee Bowyer, Jonathan Woodgate and Robbie Fowler leave the club.


New Sponsorships and Stabilization

While the club looks like it is on the right track now, it was a long and arduous road to recovery from the fall that occurred after the 2001/02 season. After several years trying to stabilize its finances, the club slowly managed to recover and pay out the majority of its debts by the start of the new decade. After LUFC returned to the Championship for the 2010/11 season, the club’s sponsorships grew even further.

Today, LUFC is sponsored by some of the most reputable businesses in their line of work. Kappa became the club’s official kit sponsor in 2015, and soon after, the club partnered up with several more companies. LUFC’s current main kit sponsor is the renowned online casino 32Bet. Also, the club is sponsored by Ladbrokes, one of the leading gaming companies in the world. Both of these gaming sponsors maintain a strong reputation in the online gambling world. They are known for having some of the best casino bonuses, great games, and are just some of the handful sites known to offer online casino PayPal deposit options.




The Team That Could Have Been

It’s hard not to let your mind wonder about how far could have this squad reached if it stayed together for a couple of more years. We can only reminisce about one of the greatest and most talented teams LUFC has had in its history. As fans of the club, we can proudly look back at the period when the team was a force to be reckoned with, not only in the Premier League but in entire Europe. With LUFC performing the best it has in almost two decades, there’s also a spark of hope that we could potentially see old glory come back to Elland Road.