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Leeds United’s last opening day post-relegation Championship XI – where are they now?
Leeds United will be back in the Championship come August, after a three season stay in the Premier League came to an end last month. They will be looking to bounce back to England’s top flight at the first time of asking next season, something quite the opposite of the last Whites side to be relegated from the Premier League.
In 2004 the Whites were in financial turmoil, and following their relegation from the Premier League it was expected to be a task to stop the club going down again.
Leeds hosted Derby County at Elland Road on the opening day of the season, with Frazer Richardson netting the only goal in a 1-0 victory for manager Kevin Blackwell’s side.
Here is a look at the Leeds team from that day, and where they are now.
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Neil Sullivan
Neil Sullivan was in goal for Blackwell’s men, making his Leeds United debut after replacing Paul Robinson that summer. Sullivan would go on to be Leeds’ player of the year in 04/05 and make 110 appearances for the Whites.
Sullivan eventually left to rejoin Doncaster Rovers in 2007, retiring there in 2013 and becoming a coach back at Elland Road. Since leaving Leeds, Sullivan is now head of academy goalkeeping for Hull City under 18s.
Gary Kelly
Leeds United legend Gary Kelly was at right back for the Whites, entering his fourteenth season at the club. The Irishman would go on to retire at Leeds after playing over 500 times and spending his whole career at Elland Road.
Kelly was given a crystal cut vase on his final appearance at Elland Road by fellow Leeds United legends and now runs a gym with members of his family back in their home-town of Drogheda, whilst also running a cancer support centre there too.
Paul Butler
Another debutant was Paul Butler, the centre half had signed from Wolves that summer after also suffering relegation the prior season. Butler was made captain not long into the reign of Kevin Blackwell, but later in his Leeds career he was stripped of the armband by Dennis Wise after a fall-out.
Butler left United on a free and struggled to make an impact elsewhere before retiring from playing at Chester.
Michael Duberry
It was the start Michael Duberry’s final season at Elland Road, he had signed for £4.5 million but failed to make an impact, with players like Rio Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate keeping him out the side. Duberry’s finest Leeds moment came when he played the full 90 minutes of the Whites’ famous 1-0 over AC Milan in 1999.
Since retiring from football in 2013, Duberry set up Made Leaders, a mentoring, coaching and leadership business.
Matthew Kilgallon
Kilgallon came up through the academy at Elland Road, after joining the club when he was just 12. The defender made 95 appearances for Leeds, before joining Sheffield United in 2007.
He went on to play in the Premier League for various clubs before retiring in 2021 and becoming a football agent.
Frazer Richardson
Richardson scored the winner in the first game of the 2004/5 season and would go on to play over 150 times for the Whites.
Despite never wanting to leave the club, Richardson left Elland Road in 2009. After spells with Charlton and Southampton, he joined his home-town club Rotherham before leaving the game in 2016 after playing for Doncaster.
Jermaine Wright
Wright had a brief spell with Leeds and made his debut in the game against Derby, after signing from Ipswich Town. He had 11 assists in the league in the 04/05 season, Wright went on to make 40 appearances for Leeds.
Cousin of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, Jermaine has a son, Drey, who plays for St.Johnstone FC.
Simon Walton
Walton was making his senior debut on the opening day of the season, despite being just 16 years old. He went on to score three goals in 38 games for the club before moving on in July 2006.
Having retired after playing for 17 clubs over his career, Walton is now an academy scout for Chelsea.
Danny Pugh
Pugh joined Leeds after their relegation to the Championship in the prior season, in his first season at the club, the midfielder scored five goals, his highest return in his career. He returned to the Whites in 2011 after leaving in 2006, making 63 Championship appearances for the club.
He currently plays for Hanley town in non-league football after a coaching role for Port Vale.
Michael Ricketts
The striker failed to impress Leeds, failing to score in 25 league games, his only goal coming from a league cup match against Swindon Town. After securing his first and only England cap in 2002, the forward never lived up to his full potential. He retired in 2010 with Tranmere Rovers.
Julian Joachim
Joachim enjoyed the best years of his career prior to joining the Whites, with successful spells at Leicester City and Aston Villa. He scored only twice in the Championship that season for Leeds and ended up playing for a massive number of non-league sides for the rest of his career.
In 2021 he founded an app where football fans could interact with their favourite players.
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Scott Carson
Carson has had probably the most unbelievable time of anyone on the list after leaving Elland Road. He came through the Leeds United academy but opted against signing a new deal at the end of the 04/05 season. He joined Liverpool and was part of the squad that won the famous Istanbul Champions League final in 2005.
Now he plays for Manchester City as a back-up goalkeeper, he may well be on the way to being part of a famous treble-winning side.
Lucas Radebe
The South African played 251 times for the Whites in what was a stellar stint at Elland Road.
Radebe is a Leeds United legend who still watches games at Elland Road when he can as well as appearing in the media representing the club. Away from football, he looks after projects and runs the Lucas Radebe Management Company.
Brian Deane
Deane has had three stints at the Whites, two as a player, and one as a coach. He first played for Leeds from 1993 until 1997, before returning for one season in 2004.
He now surprisingly is part of an investment group that owns a 50% stake in Kosovan side Ferizaj.
Stephen Crainey
The Scottish international played for Leeds between 2004 and 2007. He made 12 appearances for Scotland’s national side in his career.
After his retirement in 2016 he now is a youth coach at Wigan Athletic.
Steve Guppy
Guppy had a short spell with Leeds, making only three appearances in the Championship.
After retiring from the game in 2008 in the USA, Guppy now coaches for MLS side, Nashville SC.
