Leeds United Playing Squad for the
relegation 2003-04 Season

Bakke The Gormless Eirik Bakke Midfielder Squad Number: 19 International: Norway full & U-21 Brought to the club for £1 million as one for the future, Bakke quickly established himself in the team. Unfortunately his performances since O'Leary left have not been of the previous standard. More recently he has alienated fans and club with his behaviour. He was convicted of drunk driving and made a palaver out of the court case instead of just pleading guilty. After being banned he was caught driving in Norway. He explained a local policeman had said the ban didn't apply to Norway. Wrong!!! Given the club's recent bad publicity with certain Newcastle United players, and the driving ban, you'd have thought Bakke would have kept his head down and tried to appease his employers? Wrong!!! After being diagnosed with a knee injury late in the 2003-03 season, Leeds medical staff told him to rest it over the summer break. What did he do? Played three times for Norway! Result? Ten minutes on the pitch at York in a pre-season friendly, during which he scored. After the game we don't see him again pre-season because the Leeds staff diagnose he is suffering from patella tendonitous. Prognosis - out for 6 months! Irate Leeds Directors threaten to sue the Norwegian F.A. for a million pounds. As usual we hear no more and Leeds United are a player down for half a season due to FIFA's ridiculous games of power politics and a spoilt player who should try and remember who pays his wages. Peter Reid has shown with players like Mills that he'll brook no idiots at Leeds and Bakke could find himself on a long loan-out once he is recovered from his self-inflicted injury. www.leedsutd365.co.uk rating: Gormless 3rd Sept, 2003

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