'It was so toxic' - Former Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough man lifts lid on his Leeds United struggles

Former Leeds United defender Lee Peltier has opened up on his struggles at Elland Road.

Peltier spent two years in LS11, racking up 75 appearances for the Whites between 2012 and 2014 and even serving as captain.

A well-respected figure in the game, Peltier is fondly remembered by fans of various clubs but the Elland Road faithful rarely saw the best of him.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking on The Football Historian Podcast, the 38-year-old said: “The time when I was at Leeds, it just wasn’t a good time. It wasn’t a good place to be.

Lee Peltier made 75 appearances in Leeds United colours.Lee Peltier made 75 appearances in Leeds United colours.
Lee Peltier made 75 appearances in Leeds United colours. | Jonathan Gawthorpe

“It was so toxic. I was captain at the time, I was playing left-back a lot and stuff like that, probably didn’t perform to the best of what I had at that time.

“It just didn’t go well. Listen, I understand it happens. It just didn’t go well for me there. I think there was a lot of pressure on me being captain there as well.”

Peltier has enjoyed success elsewhere in West Yorkshire, having been a key figure for Huddersfield Town across two seasons in League One.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also counts the likes of Middlesbrough, Hull City and Rotherham United among his former employers. While he has not officially hung up his boots, he has spoken of being “more or less” retired.

Lee Peltier has been a free agent since his Rotherham United exit in the summer of 2024.Lee Peltier has been a free agent since his Rotherham United exit in the summer of 2024.
Lee Peltier has been a free agent since his Rotherham United exit in the summer of 2024. | Paul Harding/Getty Images

Although his time at Leeds did not work out, Peltier did have warm words regarding the stature of the Championship club.

He said: “What I will say is, it’s a massive, giant club, and I did love it. It built me for my next challenge because of the experience that I had there. I found it difficult in terms of the pressure of the fans, because the fans are unbelievable there, they go in their numbers all over the place.

“It is what it is - I don’t not fall asleep at night because of it or anything like that, it’s just one of those things.”

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1754
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice