Paul Huntington's candid admission over 'rushed' move from Newcastle United to Leeds United
Paul Huntington has conceded he should have perhaps left Newcastle United on loan rather than sealing a permanent switch to Leeds United.
The retired defender made the switch from the Magpies to the Whites as a 19-year-old who had already tasted Premier League football.
He had represented Newcastle on 16 occasions but a sale was sanctioned in the dying embers of the 2007 summer transfer window.
Huntington dropped two divisions to play for Leeds in League One, going on to spend an injury-plagued three years in West Yorkshire.
‘Rushed’ move from Newcastle United to Leeds United
During his recent appearance on popular podcast Undr The Cosh, the 38-year-old said: “I got wind that a few teams had bid. I spoke to him (his agent) and he said 'we've got Leeds, Dennis Wise was the manager, Brian Laws at Sheffield Wednesday, Phil Brown at Hull, and there was Tony Pulis [at Stoke City]’.
“I was driving down the A1 and it all just felt so rushed. I was a bit excited but not really sure. I'm driving down the A1 not knowing - agent's ringing, [I’m] talking to my dad.
“Leeds came up with the best offer but it just all felt a bit rushed. I met Wisey, met Gus Poyet (Wise’s assistant), got a good feeling - big club. But Leeds had just come out of administration, had the minus 15 points. They were flying to be fair, they were coming from the bottom and being on those points to being right at the top.
“It all just felt a bit rushed. I signed a good deal. I should have probably just went on loan to a team in the Championship. It's hindsight, isn't it?”
Ups and downs at Leeds United
Huntington managed just 32 appearances across his three years at Leeds and was part of the side that suffered League One play-off final heartbreak in 2008.
He said: "You got to Leeds and it's 20-odd thousand [fans]. They weren't a League One club, they'd just come down because of the administration and mess they were in. You thought 'they'll get up'.
“The first year was good at Leeds. Back end of the season, I had groin and hernia issues. We got in the play-offs, [I was] just managing it, I was just training the day before.
"Gary McAllister came in [to succeed Wise], liked him. Steve Staunton assistant, he was good with me as well. [I] played a lot under them. Next year, groins, just didn't feel right. I felt like I was a starter, was getting regular games, felt as though they rated me. I was enjoying it. Just groin and hernia issues, had operations, struggled to get back, and sort of wrote off the rest of that season.
"[Simon] Grayson came in - boyhood Leeds fan, fans loved him. I wasn't going to feature. It quickly became apparent he wanted experience.”
Post-Leeds United path
A short spell with League One strugglers Stockport County followed his Leeds exit and Huntington has admitted he was left questioning his future in football after his time with the Hatters.
He said: "That summer, anxiety on holiday, struggling sleeping, just a bit depressed. My wife would probably tell you I was horrendous. I was questioning whether I wanted to do it.”
The centre-back did manage to bounce back, spending two productive years at Yeovil Town before enjoying a decade at Preston North End.
Stints at Carlisle United and Bradford City followed before he decided to hang up his boots in November last year.