The seven toughest players to bless the Elland Road faithful, according to a Leeds United fan commentator.
Over the years, Leeds United have been known for their hardworking and determined battlers.
Leeds have seen it all, from administration fears and mass point deductions to returning to the promised land in 2020 – they have seen it all and demonstrated a test of strength and character to regain their status.
While their three-year Premier League run ended in 2023, they must be eager to rebound under Daniel Farke.
To do this, both quality and character will be equally crucial. They will require flashes of brilliance and magic to make promotion a reality. But there are also enforcers, those who are willing to go all in for the challenge ahead.
Having said that, Leeds fan pundit Kris Smith lists his seven toughest players to play for the club in the last two decades.
While Hughes was well-versed in Football League battles, having made over 200 appearances for Reading and Norwich City, the task at hand when joining Leeds in 2007 was quite different.
Hughes replied with his determined attitude and fighter spirit to deliver fans with devoted performances, wearing his emotions on his sleeve, despite the club being issued a 15-point deduction coming into the season.
Hughes, a midfielder by trade, was deployed in many positions throughout his four-year spell at the club, earning praise from fans for his positive attitude and duty to best serve the squad.
After falling short in the play-off final two years earlier, the now 45-year-old helped the Yorkshire club gain promotion to the Championship in 2010. He made 116 league games for the Whites.
6. Shaun Derry
Derry joined the club in 2005 after an outstanding three-year tenure at Crystal Palace, where he played 83 league games and helped the Eagles achieve the promised land of the Premier League.
Due to his devoted displays, the former Sheffield United man rapidly became a fan favorite, helping the Whites reach the Championship play-off final in the 2005/06 season, making 41 appearances.
Injuries limited his game time in his final year at Elland Road as Leeds were relegated from the second division, prompting him to return to his old haunts at Selhurst Park.
Derry went on to play another 115 times for the club before making the short trip to Queens Park Rangers before his final appearance with Millwall.
Richard Naylor No. 5
In 2009, Naylor was a welcome addition to the Leeds squad. The boyhood fan is a passionate and loyal figure who wears his emotions on his sleeve at all times.
The defender had a plethora of experience before arriving at Elland Road, having made over 300 games for Ipswich Town after graduating from the academy and eventually captaining his side over a 15-year period.
Naylor helped the Tractor Boys achieve the Premier League via the play-offs in 2000, only to finish a staggering fifth in the top level after appearing 13 times.
However, he spent the majority of the next season on loan with Barnsley and Millwall as Ipswich was relegated after only two years in the Premier League.
The now 46-year-old stayed with the club for seven more seasons in search of promotion but was unsuccessful, ultimately dropping to League One with Leeds in the 2008/09 season.
Following debilitating financial and administrative issues, the veteran figure was a key asset in their promotion bid, finishing fourth in his first six months at the club, playing 22 times.
However, the club captain led the squad to victory in the second round, with a second-place result moving the Whites back up to the Championship. To capitalize on the momentum, the Yorkshire club came within three points of achieving back-to-back promotions, with Simon Grayson’s side finishing seventh, only three points outside the play-offs.
It happened to be his last year at the club. Naylor made almost 60 league games for the club before deciding to conclude his career in Yorkshire, with short stints at Doncaster Rovers and Rotherham United.
Michael Brown 4
Brown, another seasoned player, played consistently at the highest level for multiple Premier League clubs, initially assisting Manchester City in gaining promotion in 1999 after graduating from the academy.
At the beginning of the 2000, the midfielder made the permanent move to Yorkshire, helping Sheffield United push for promotion, coming close in 2003, with Brown scoring 16 times as United finished third in the First Division.
Impressive second-tier performances won him a move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2004, which revived his Premier League career, totaling more than 200 top-flight matches for Spurs, Fulham, Wigan Athletic, and Portsmouth, which helped the latter win the FA Cup in 2010.
The 34-year-old was quickly signed by Leeds United, where he played 24 times in his first season, earning a red card for “a stomach-high challenge” on Derby’s Theo Robinson.
He moved to Staffordshire for a last stint with League One club Port Vale after making over 60 appearances in three seasons.
Paddy Kisnorbo 3
Kisnorbo made over 120 games for Leicester City in the English Football League, assisting the Foxes to promotion from League One in 2009, following stints in his home country of Australia and with Scottish club Hearts.
Kisnorbo made his Elland Road debut in 2009, suffering a nasty head wound against Exeter City and requiring stitches before returning to the pitch with a head bandage – something he would routinely wear as Leeds supporters reveled in his fearlessness.
David Batty No. 2
Gaetano Berardi No. 1
Berardi, the most recent name on this list, gained popular among fans for his regular performances, despite his fondness for a daring challenge.
The Swiss international earned his reputation in Italy, playing in the top two divisions with Brescia and Sampdoria before joining the club in 2014 ahead of another competitive Championship campaign.
Berardi was sent off for a “mid-air sliding tackle” on his League Cup debut against Accrington Stanley.
Despite this, he was routinely deployed in full-back and center-back duties, earning 120 league appearances before to their title-winning campaign in 2020, in which he appeared 22 times.
Meanwhile, Berardi’s 2017/18 season was the most hectic from his perspective, as he received four red cards during the season and missed a big chunk of games as a result.
Back in the Premier League, the now 35-year-old saw limited action, appearing only twice before returning to Switzerland with Sion.
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