Journalist, and Leeds United, fan Terry O’Neill has put together a few well-chosen words of reply to his former colleague Stuart Wilde.

Now that Leeds Utd have qualified for the second round of the Champions League, I think it’stime Derby Evening Telegraph photo-editor cum soccer pundit Stuart Wilde atea few chunks of humble pie.

Cast your mind back just a few weeks to when Mr Wilde’s passion for Europeanfootball prompted him to make the following comments on holdthefrontpage:

“Wednesday night’s farce in the Nou Camp proved this when Leeds, a team whoshouldn’t even be in the bleedin’ thing got a right old kicking. They arejust one of many teams who are out of their depth in this kind of companybut are allowed in to make up the numbers to give us more games.”

To read Stuart’s article again click here

Well, the Mighty Whites certainly proved they were “out of their depth inthis kind of company” by:

• Beating AC Milan 1-0 at home.
• Beating Barcelona 1-0 until the 94th minute.
• Putting six, yes, that was six, goals past Besitkas.
• Drawing 1-1 with AC Milan in the San Siro, something which was describedin similar terms to the second coming when Chelsea did it in lastseason’s competition.
• Qualifying ahead of Barcelona.
• Putting six goals past Besitkas. I know I said that already, but I reallylike that one.

All this with a team barely out of nappies and plagued with injuries.

I’m really quite disappointed that a Derby-based journalist should put theboot into an unfashionable provincial team at the earliest opportunity. It’sbad enough that ITV deemed Leeds unworthy of a national live televised game,presumably because they are not “sexy” enough. They considered Chelseaworthy of equal coverage with Man Utd and Arsenal last year, despite thefact that Chelsea couldn’t buy a fan a few years ago.

Anyway, Mr Wilde, we Leeds fans will remember your words when Derby Countyqualify for the Champions League. Now that really could be the final strawfor a once great competition.

© Terry O’Neill, November, 2000

Back to the Sound Off index

Anything that really gets YOUR goat, or just pushes your buttons? Heaven or hell, tell us about it.
E-mail us now