Why Tonight’s Big-Match Opponents are United by Treasured Memories of a True Premier League Legend
WHEN Leeds United and Newcastle United meet at Elland Road tonight, there will be a particularly strong Welsh thread running through one of the Premier League’s great traditional fixtures.
For supporters of both clubs, however, one name stands above most others.
The late, great Gary Speed.
The former Wales captain became a hero at Leeds, later enjoyed six memorable years at Newcastle and eventually helped lay foundations for the transformation of the Wales national team that Craig Bellamy now leads.
And, with Bellamy preparing to announce his latest Cymru squad tomorrow morning, tonight’s game puts another generation of Welsh footballers firmly in the spotlight.
Ethan Ampadu, Dan James and new Leeds No.10 Harry Wilson could all feature at Elland Road. Joe Rodon will not because of injury. And another current Wales international who knows both clubs extremely well, Karl Darlow, has now moved on to Manchester United.
So perhaps Leeds v Newcastle has rather more Welsh history than first meets the eye.
WHY IS GARY SPEED SO IMPORTANT TO BOTH LEEDS AND NEWCASTLE?
Speed began his career with Leeds and became an integral member of the side that returned to the First Division before winning the English championship in 1991-92, the final season before the creation of the Premier League.
Playing alongside Gordon Strachan, David Batty and Gary McAllister in a celebrated Leeds midfield, the Flintshire-born Welshman eventually made 317 appearances and scored 57 goals for the club.
After a spell with Everton, Speed joined Newcastle in 1998.
He would make 285 appearances and score 40 goals for the Magpies, appearing in two FA Cup finals and later playing European football under Sir Bobby Robson.
Perhaps most significantly from a Welsh perspective, one of Speed’s Newcastle team-mates was Craig Bellamy.
Speed went on to win 85 caps for Wales and became national manager in 2010. His influence on the modern Wales set-up remains widely recognised, and Bellamy has spoken about the hope and belief Speed brought to the national team.
Tonight, almost a generation later, Bellamy has another strong Leeds contingent from which to choose.
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WILL ETHAN AMPADU PLAY AGAINST NEWCASTLE?
There appears every chance.
Ethan Ampadu is Leeds captain and remains one of Bellamy’s most important Wales players.
He started last Wednesday’s extraordinary 6-3 League Cup defeat at Chelsea and, importantly, Leeds manager Daniel Farke reported no new injury problems ahead of tonight’s game apart from the already sidelined Joe Rodon.
Ampadu has also committed his long-term future to Leeds, signing through to 2030 earlier this year.
Barring a late change, he should therefore be very much in contention tonight — and surely in Bellamy’s Wales squad tomorrow.
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WHAT ABOUT DAN JAMES?
Dan James also started at Chelsea in midweek and remains available for selection.
The winger has become a familiar figure for both Leeds and Wales and gives Bellamy pace and directness that few other Welsh players can reproduce.
Whether Farke starts him tonight remains to be seen, particularly after the midweek cup game, but he should at least be in the conversation when the teams are announced.
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WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HARRY WILSON?
This may surprise a few Wales supporters who haven’t followed the summer transfer market closely.
Harry Wilson now plays for Leeds United.
The Wales attacker left Fulham when his contract expired this summer and signed a four-year deal with Leeds in July, becoming their first signing of the summer window. He has subsequently been handed the club’s famous No.10 shirt.
Wilson made his competitive Leeds debut in the opening Premier League victory at Nottingham Forest and became, coincidentally, the 900th player to represent Leeds United in a senior competitive match.
He also started against Chelsea last Wednesday.
So rather than wondering where Harry Wilson has disappeared to, Wales supporters may now find themselves watching Ampadu, James and Wilson together in Leeds colours.
And with Bellamy announcing his squad tomorrow, the timing could hardly be better.
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WHY WON’T JOE RODON PLAY?
Unfortunately, Joe Rodon provides the less positive Welsh story.
The Leeds centre-back suffered a hamstring injury against Brentford and Farke subsequently revealed that Rodon was expected to miss eight to ten weeks.
That rules him out tonight and also makes him unavailable for Wales in the immediate future.
Rodon has become one of Bellamy’s most reliable defenders, so his absence is a considerable blow to both club and country.
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WILL KARL DARLOW FEATURE?
No — but there is a very good reason for including him in this story.
Karl Darlow has played for both Newcastle United and Leeds United, just like Gary Speed.
The Wales goalkeeper spent nine years with Newcastle and made 100 appearances for the club before eventually joining Leeds.
Last season he established himself as Leeds’ first-choice goalkeeper, but his contract expired this summer and he turned down a new Elland Road deal.
On July 14, Darlow signed for Manchester United, where he now provides experienced competition in their goalkeeping department.
So there won’t be another Darlow reunion with Newcastle tonight.
But his career provides another unexpected Welsh link between these two famous clubs.
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WHICH OTHER GREAT WELSH PLAYERS HAVE REPRESENTED LEEDS?
Long before Speed, Leeds had arguably the greatest Welsh footballer of them all.
John Charles began his senior career at Elland Road and became known as the Gentle Giant, equally capable of playing centre-forward or centre-half.
He scored an extraordinary 154 goals in 317 appearances for Leeds before moving to Juventus in 1957 and becoming one of the most celebrated British players ever to play abroad.
Speed followed decades later.
Now Ampadu, Rodon, James and Wilson continue that Welsh connection.
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WHICH WELSH GREATS PLAYED FOR NEWCASTLE?
Newcastle’s Welsh history is equally impressive.
Ivor Allchurch, the Golden Boy of Welsh football and one of the stars of Wales’ 1958 World Cup team, joined Newcastle shortly after that tournament. He scored 46 league goals in 143 appearances for the Magpies.
Wyn Davies, affectionately known as Wyn the Leap, joined Newcastle in 1966 and scored 53 goals in 216 appearances. He was part of the side that won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969.
Then came Speed.
And alongside him during Sir Bobby Robson’s exciting Newcastle era was Craig Bellamy, who made 128 appearances and scored 42 goals for the club while helping Newcastle challenge near the top of the Premier League and compete in the Champions League.
Tonight’s fixture therefore connects rather neatly with tomorrow’s Wales squad announcement, assuming everyone comes through unscathed.
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WHAT TIME DOES LEEDS v NEWCASTLE KICK OFF?
Leeds United face Newcastle United at Elland Road tonight, Monday September 14, with kick-off at 8pm BST.
That is 3pm Eastern Time and 12 noon Pacific Time for supporters in the United States.
Both clubs go into the match with five points from their opening three Premier League games, having each recorded one victory and two draws.
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WHERE CAN I WATCH LEEDS v NEWCASTLE?
In the UK, the game is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage beginning at 6.30pm.
US viewers can watch on USA Network.
There is also live UK radio commentary on talkSPORT.
And then attention in Wales will turn almost immediately from Elland Road to Craig Bellamy.
The Cymru manager names his squad at 10.30am tomorrow, Tuesday September 15, ahead of Wales’ opening Nations League fixtures.
Ampadu, James and Wilson will hope their names are called.
Rodon knows injury will almost certainly prevent his.
And somewhere in the history connecting Leeds, Newcastle and Wales is the man who once captained his country, starred for both clubs and later helped change the direction of Welsh football – Gary Speed.
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