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Chris Kamara On Taking Leeds Back To The Big Time
Now famous for being one of Britain's most loved football pundits, Chris Kamara casts his mind back to the day he won promotion with Leeds United...
We are Leeds United. Unbelievable Jeff
Sky Sports Presenter, Commentator, Analyst, Saturday-morning-Entertainer, and serial tweeter Chris ‘Unbelievable Jeff’ ‘Kammy’ ‘Must have missed that’ Kamara shared some great memories of the final day of the season in 89/90 as Leeds travel to Bournemouth needing a victory to get them back to the topflight of English football.
I have had some great times in my career, one of the times I do remember well was the season 1989/90 at Leeds United when we secured promotion on the very final day of the season at Bournemouth. What an occasion that was.
Howard Wilkinson left no stone unturned in terms of preparation. The team travelled down to Bournemouth 2 days before the game and I roomed with Bobby Davison. I was one of the very few players, along with Gordon Strachan and I think Mervyn Day, who roomed with Gordon, who knew that Bobby wasn’t fit.
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Howard Wilkinson couldn’t tell Carl Shutt that Bobby was injured, as Carl was a nervous guy. So only we knew that Bobby was going to start what was the most important game in Leeds’ recent history but only play for five minutes at the most at which point Carl Shutt was going to come on as a sub.
What a gamble that was. When people look at Howard Wilkinson and they say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, he certainly knew his tactics and how to get the best out of Carl.
Carl came on after 5 minutes and played an absolute blinder and we won the game 1-0. I was fortunate enough to cross the ball in to the box and Lee Chapman scored with a magnificent header, which he put past Gerry Payton in the Bournemouth goal.
Leeds were back in the big time and I always remember after the game, the celebrations in the dressing room, myself, Billy jones, Gary Speed (God rest his soul) David Batty and Mel Sterland, peter Haddock, Mervyn Day, Chris Fairclough, all players who had really really enjoyed that season and the way it went.
We were back in the big time! Leeds United were back in the big time and along with Howard Wilkinson went on to even bigger and better things.
What a great day that was.
Chris Kamara shared this memory in support of the project in Care Homes across Leeds being run by the Sporting Memories Network
www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com
Follow on Twitter @sportsmemnet
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COMMENTS
Chris Kamara a hard under rated footballer of his time, its a shame footballers of today arn't made of the same stuff.
A great day? It may have been good for the leeds team but it was disastrous for the city. it was one of the most disgusting riots ever seen - leeds fans went insane and smashed up the city. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRByjrFW-Po
I think he is talking about the football though don't you?
if you aint a leeds fan then that game will be more remembered for the nonsense afterwards - they still cant understand why they're generally regarded as a gang of twats
Chris kamara was and is a top bloke, he gave everything one of those players who was loved by his own fans and hated by the opposition. In terms of the game vs bfc I was there and it wasn't pretty but it was predictable. Games should have been moved much earlier in the season. In terms of other fans views of us, I don't really care the past is gone and can't be changed most of us are ok but don't let that spoil your generalisation. I expect tomorrow to mirror bfc by the way unfortunately too many of the once a year brigade out
I absolutely love CK. He is a fucking legend and brings the fun back into football. A LEGEND.
SABOTAGE
