x

Healy heads up latest list of Leeds old boys after a new club!

David Healy is the latest ex big name Leeds star to be left searching for a new club this summer after he was released by Bury.

The Shakers, managed by former Whites' boss Kevin Blackwell slipped into League Two at the end of the season and Northern Ireland international Healy can find himself a new club.

Despite beginning his career at Manchester United, Healy was a popular signing during the three-years we had him following his controversial move from Preston. Indeed I recall the bizarre spectacle of him playing for Preston at Elland Road just prior to his move east and being subbed, with the away end jeering him and the Leeds fans chanting his name.

Obviously he had to go when we were relegated into League One and subsequent administration. Healy then joined Fulham before moving on loan to Sunderland then loan spells with Ipswich and Doncaster. After a short-spell at Rangers he ended up at Bury and contributed one goal for them last season.

Now 33 and looking a bit (ahem) on the portly side, surely things are not that desperate?

Healy joins Harry Kewell, Ian Harte and Stephen McPhail as ex Leeds players searching for their next move. Kewell has just completed a three match stint in Qatar with the mighty Al Gharafa and apparently has been told to return to Melbourne.

Now 34, Kewell effectively burnt his bridges at Elland Road with the underhanded way he and his agent, the wonderfully named Bernie Mandic engineered a cut-price move to Liverpool in 2003. If that wasn't enough to enrage Leeds fans, his bizarre decision to join Galatasary in 2008 surely ended any chance of him returning even though the Australian claimed he was on a "peacekeeping" mission with the Turks!

Indeed a twitter campaign calling for Kewell never to return to Leeds was doing the rounds last week! It does seem highly unlikely and would be grossly unpopular.

Two other former colleagues of Kewell from our Champions League days Ian Harte and Stephen McPhail could also be yours (or ours even). Harte has already been mentioned given his connections with us and Brian McDermott. Although many get dewy eyed over the Irishman, now 37, who admittedly could take a mean free-kick, I feel he was a bit of a divisive figure on O'Leary's team with many feeling our weak link was his lack of pace.

McPhail was a player destined for the top so it seemed, but he never quite made it and has spent his entire career post Leeds outside the top flight. At best he probably can call himself "a good pro" but having hardly kicked a ball in anger for Cardiff last season and not part of their Premiership adventure it seems unlikely there will be a queue of clubs fighting over themselves to capture the young Irish lad with the sweet left foot we all still see in our minds eye.

What to read next:

Leeds heading for the play-offs after shocker at QPR
Just when we thought we’d turned the corner with that win at Boro, we slipped back into the desperate form of the post-international break period, losing heavily to Queens Park Rangers in this critical game.
Queens Park Rangers 4 - 0 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
QPR Awaydaze
Our trip to Queens Park Rangers is at 8pm on Friday, thanks once again to our very good friends at Sky Sports. We’re not famous any more!
Crisis, what Crisis?
As Mark Twain might have said, rumours of the death of our promotion hopes have been greatly exaggerated. Last night’s win at Middlesbrough was a hard watch towards the end, but the vital three points has got our campaign back on track.
Middlesbrough 3 - 4 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Middlesbrough Awaydaze
Our visit to Middlesbrough kicks off at 8pm tomorrow night, once again thanks to our very good friends at Sky TV. We’re not famous any more!
Leeds promotion hopes damaged by first home defeat of the season
Once again the chance to go back to the top of the table was handed to us on a plate, but we dropped the plate. This week’s frustration-fest was at the hands of Blackburn Rovers.
Leeds United 0 - 1 Blackburn Rovers - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Annual accounts show that the club will have to sell players if we don't go up
The club released the annual accounts for the 2022/3 season this week, and despite the headline figure of an overall loss of £33.7 million, we’re not in danger of any points deduction for now. But the accumulated losses mean that player sales will be inevitable in the summer if we remain in the Championship.
Stuart Dallas thanks the fans as tributes pour in
Stuart Dallas battled hard for two years to return to the game after his serious injury, but has now had to accept that he can no longer get back to the level of fitness needed to play the game at the top level. Club Chairman Paraag Marathe led the tributes, and the player has sent an emotional open letter to all the Leeds United fans.