Scott Gardner has been given the 2008-09 squad number 17 by Gary McAllister

Page Last Updated: 1 August 2008

Paul Huntington was signed by Dennis Wise on deadline day 31 August 2007. Although he had made a few appearances for Newcastle United in the Premier League and Europe he was seen as one for the future.

Paul only started fewer than twenty games last season but they did include the play-off semi-finals and the Wembley play-off final under Gary McAllister's leadership. He was also the 2007-08 runner-up in the Fans' Young Player of the Year Award.

See his 2007-08 player profile

So can Paul do better in 2008-09? Well it seems McAllister still has faith in him as he gave Paul the Leeds United captain's armband for the pre-season friendly against Shelbourne FC. A match in which Leeds didn't impress but Huntington scored Leeds' only goal in a 1-1 draw! Quite a night for Paul an an indication that McAllister sees great leadership potential in the youngster.

Further confirmation came in August when Paul was rewarded with squad number 3 for the 2008-09 League One season.

This page last updated: 1 August 2008

Signed by Kevin Blackwell he was largely ignored during Blackwell's time in charge. It was under Dennis Wise that Rui was 'discovered'. Rui Marques made a central defence starting berth his during the first half of the 2007-08 season but it fell away when he departed for the African Nations tournament for Angola and then was injured on his return. He had to watch the Wembley play-off final from the bench as Macca kept faith with young Paul Huntington.

Rui has retained the number 5 squad number for the 2008-09 League One season.

Links to previous seasons' player profile on www.leedsutd365.co.uk to:
2007-08 League One Play-Off Finalists
2006-07 relegation from Championship

This page last updated: 1 August 2008

Lubomir signed for Leeds United a couple of days after Dennis Wise left the club. He had been on loan for a month under Wise at the end of the 2006-07 season when Leeds United were relegated from the Championship. The loan should have been longer but Sam Allardyce terminated it early.

Lubomir became the first choice central defender under McAllister. However he had little chance to form a partnership with Rui Marques, Wise's first choice, due to Rui's African Nations commitments and then injury.

Lubomir also played in the Wembley Play-off final defeat against Doncaster and looks certain to start the season at the heart of the Leeds United defence with Rui.

His importance to the team is indicated by his new Leeds United squad number for the 2008-09 season - number 5, he was number 33 last season.

Links to previous seasons' player profile on www.leedsutd365.co.uk to:
2007-08 League One Play-Off Finalists
2006-07 relegation from Championship

This page last updated: 1 August 2008

Frazer received the ultimate club accolade when he was appointed team captain by Leeds United manager Gary McAllister on the morning on the first day of the 2008-09 League One season.

Although born in Rotherham, Frazer Richardson is a lifelong Leeds fan who emerged from the Leeds United Academy during its Premier League years to work his way tirelessly through its ranks eventually to become captain.

Frazer spent many of his early years as understudy to Gary Kelly and Danny Mills.

He spent three months on loan at Stoke City in two spells during 2003.

When Danny Mills left under a cloud it was Kelly who benefited and Richardson didn't really replace Kelly until Dennis Wise took over and Richardson was the beneficiary of the icy relationship that developed between Kelly and Wise.

Kelly left the club at the end of the 2006-07 relegation season and Richardson became the starting right back for 2007-08.

This continued when Macca took over in January 2008 and the rapid rise to prominence continued with the captaincy in August 2008.

Frazer's first game as captain was a 2-1 away win at Glanford park over Scunthorpe United.

Links to previous seasons' player profile on www.leedsutd365.co.uk to:
2007-08 League One Play-Off Finalists
2006-07 relegation from Championship
2005-06 Championship Play-off Finalists
2004-05 First season in Championship
2003-04 relegation from Premier League

This page last updated: 28 August 2008

Alan was signed permanently by Leeds manager Gary McAllister on 1 July 2008 from newly-relegated, League One rivals, Leicester City. As he is 21 years of age Leeds will pay Leicester a transfer fee even though he was out of contract this summer. It will be set by a tribunal if the clubs cannot agree a fee.

Alan is a known quantity to Leeds United have spent the back end of the 2007-08 season on loan at Elland Road. He played ten games for Leeds in League One but suffered a premature end to the season with a silly red card which cost him his place in the team during the play-offs and in the 2008 League One Play-Off Final at Wembley against Doncaster Rovers.

Alan was the second permanent signing at Elland Road by, relatively, new Leeds United manager Gary McAllister, after Andy Robinson from Swansea City.

Sheehan is regarded as a specialist free-kick taker.

Sheehan joined Leicester City in July 2003 from Belvedere FC. He debuted in 2004-05 against Plymouth Argyle.

He was their Academy Player of the Year in 2004-05. During this time he debuted also for the Irish Republic's U-19 team and made his first appearance for the Irish U-21 v Israel in June 2005.

However, Alan never became a regular first team player. He was loaned out to Mansfield Town for ten games in the 2006-07 season and to Leeds United in the 2007-08 season. Alan made just 21 starts and 3 sub appearances for Leicester City.

Alan's importance to the team was underlined when he was given the Leeds United squad number 11 for the 2008-09 season. He made his debut as a permanent Leeds United player in the 2-1 away victory over Scunthorpe United on the first day of the 2008-09 League One season.

This page last updated: 28 August 2008

Paul signed on as a non-contract player at the start of the 2008-09 season.

He made his first start for the club in the 4-0 defeat of Crystal Palace at Elland Road in the 2nd round of the Carling Cup on 26 August 2008.

Leeds manager Gary McAllister was so impressed with the veteran's display that two days later he gave Paul a contract until the end of the season.

Telfer has another Leeds connection in Gordon Strachan. Paul Telfer followed manager Gordon Strachan to Southampton from Coventry City on a free transfer in November 2001. Telfer followed Strachan one more time for what must be the pinnacle of his career - a stay at Celtic and the SPL. Like Strachan Paul was born in Edinburgh.

Paul won B and U21 honours for Scotland but after winning his solitary full Scotland cap he decided to opt out of international football.

This page last updated: 28 August 2008