Leeds United playing squad:
Championship 2005-06 season

Danny Pugh   Danny Pugh Position: Left-Back/Left-Wing Squad Number: 12 International: none Kevin Blackwell's first signing as Leeds United manager. Danny signed on a two-year contract at Elland Road. He arrives in Yorkshire as part of the deal that took Alan Smith to Old Trafford. Being part of any deal that took Alan Smith away from Elland Road would, up to last week, be to effectively end your Leeds career before it started as far as the fans were concerned. However, since Smith's hypocritical move to the Scum, Pugh will now be seen in a very positive light as he chose to leave the Reds and come to Elland Road. The 21-year-old made seven first team appearances for Manchester United, including three in the Champions League. Kevin Blackwell said Danny offers him a lot of options: "Danny is a young up and coming player who I was aware of and he has the hunger to do well that I want to bring to this club. "He hasn't had a lot of first team experience but he knows that if he does well then he will get the chance to play regularly. "He can play in a number of positions and that could prove very useful to us. I have already mentioned that bringing him in allows us to fill that left hand side and move James Milner, a right-footed player, to the right wing or even upfront." Reading what Danny has to say in response, he could certainly make a living as a diplomat. In the following interview with the official Leeds web-site he pushes all the right buttons: "I've had a look around the place today and got a good feeling about it. I'm just looking forward to getting started here now. I got to a stage at Manchester where I needed a change and I think this is the perfect place for that change. "Obviously when you are at a club you want to play as many first team games as you can, that's what you are judged on, I would have liked to have played more games but it didn't happen and I believe I can do that here now. "High standards have always been expected of me at Manchester United since I've been there, and hopefully that's what I can bring here and carry it on."   Danny Nets vs Terriers   "I met Kevin today and I was very impressed with him, he's very enthusiastic and you can tell he wants to take the club forward and that's what I am looking forward to as well." Danny follows some illustrious footsteps in making the short trip from Manchester to Leeds, such as, Johnny Giles, Brian Greenhoff, Gordon Strachan and Lee Sharpe. All those players were taken to by supporters at Elland Road, and he's hoping to follow suit and with his attitude we have no doubt that he will. "I don't know how the fans will take to me, but if I am performing well on the pitch then I am sure they won't have a problem with me. It won't matter then who I played for before - as long as I am doing a job for Leeds United it will all go well. "If I have half the impact of someone like Gordon Strachan then I will have had a great start. "It's definitely a challenge, but I'm looking forward to that challenge and hope I can succeed here. If I can play as many games as possible and establish myself as a regular then I will be happy. I know it's not going to be easy to get into the side but I will work as hard as I can." June 2004

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