Home-grown players key for Leeds United, says Neil Redfearn

The Whites are top of the Championship, hoping for the chance to return to a division they have been out of since 2004.

Redfearn is one of 16 managers who have tried to put that right and although he was sacked after guiding them to 15th in 2014-15, he takes pride from reinforcing United’s values.

Leeds were not one of the 20 clubs he played for, but supporting them as a boy meant he understood what they were about even before working as academy coach, caretaker (twice) and in October 2014, full-time manager.

“As under-18 coach I remember putting the kit out one day and thinking: ‘It’s the Leeds United kit!’” he says. “I was in my element, trying to give young people an opportunity at the club I loved. Being caretaker gave us a chance to showcase youngsters the likes of Terry Potter and Lucy (Ward), my partner, had helped to create.

“We were able to give people like Lewis Cook, Alex Mowatt and Sam Byram an opportunity.

“As a Leeds fan I could relate to the great days when Don Revie was in charge.

“He built a team on all those good young players.

“I had this group of youngsters who were better than the players in the first team. There was this big gasp when I put them in.

“It’s important there’s still a local feel at a club. That isn’t always the case in the modern game.

“We were trying to put the club on a stable footing with a progression of players with a Leeds United identity. I think that was a big help in troubled times.”

One debutant was Kalvin Phillips, in April 2015. The holding midfielder is still at Elland Road, a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s team.

“He’s just the same person he was then, and what a talent!” says Redfearn. “Perhaps he doesn’t realise how good he can be.

“Alex Mowatt has been outstanding for Barnsley this season, and there was Charlie Taylor (now at Burnley) and Sam Byram (Norwich City). It would have been interesting to see how far we could have gone if we had kept them together.

“It’s important to look at what your club stands for, and Leeds have a great history of developing players.”

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