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Leeds United have agreed personal terms with Andy Robinson and the Swansea City midfielder will join the Elland Road club on 1st July, 2008. The announcement was expected following the release of a statement earlier today from Swansea City regarding Andy Robinson’s future away from Swansea City.

Andy Robinson is quite a catch for Leeds United, leaving aside the fact that he may be dropping down a division to join Leeds United, the Swansea statement makes it clear that Robinson turned down an offer that would have made him the highest paid player at the League One Champions.

To turn your back on Championship football and your victorious fellow-team members to join Leeds shows a real desire to play for Leeds United and for Gary McAllister, an attitude that will go down well with the Leeds fans - and go some way to make-up for the fact that he scored Swansea’s opening goal in their 3-2 home win over Leeds earlier this season! Robinson was virtually an ever-present in the Swansea City team this season and contributed a healthy ten goals from midfield.

Leeds United’s newest player Andy Robinson is quoted on the official Leeds United website (leedsunited.com) as saying,

“I’m delighted to be joining Leeds. It’s a massive name in football and a massive club, and it’s great that I’m going to be a part of that.

“The Play-Off final on Sunday is obviously a big, big game, but Leeds have done terrific this season, particularly with the 15 points.

“Even without those points it’s a great achievement that Leeds can still be promoted.”

OK Andy, you can have a ticket for Wembley on Sunday! Hmmph, that’s one less for the rest of us!

Central defender Rui Marques has committed his future to Leeds United by signing a two year contract.

Rui was out of contract this summer and it was rumoured that Premier League and Championship clubs, such as Neil Warnock’s Crystal Palace, were chasing his signature. Leeds appeared to have lost out on retaining the Angolan centre-back when contract talks were suspended by Rui and his agent until the end of the regular season.

Rui was signed by Kevin Blackwell, in 2005, but Blackwell failed to give Rui his chance (just as he did with Marlon King). Dennis Wise must take the credit for giving Rui his break this season and Rui has not looked back, putting in sterling performances and capturing the admiration of the Leeds United faithful. Injury and the African Nations Cup interfered with his form in the second half of the season but his is fit again and in line for a starting place at Wembley, with Paul Huntington the unfortunate victim of Rui’s recovery.

The Football League have chosen second-rate Andy D’Urso as the referee for the League One Play-Off Final at Wembley between Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers.

D’Urso, once a FIFA and a Premier League referee is now on the lower League lists.

At least he is used to high profile games but he will be forever remembered for back-pedalling from a snarling pack of Man Utd players (Stam, Butt, Beckham, and Gary Neville), led by an out of control Roy Keane, after awarding a penalty against the Man Utd without realising that Sir Alex had forbidden such practices against his team at Old Trafford

However, his indellible memory for Leeds Utd fans will be of being in charge of the travesty of an FA Cup tie at Ninian Park, where Alan Smith was dismissed on the pitch, Cardiff chairman Sam Hamman paraded around the pitch inciting the Cardiff fans during the game, protected by a convicted football hooligan, and where Leeds fans were attacked off the pitch by Cardiff fans and outside the ground by South Wales police dogs.

(Did the South Wales police ever discipline an officer for their behaviour that day - including the assault on the president of a Leeds United Supporters Club as he was boarding a coach? Thought not).

D’Urso played a major role in the 2-1 defeat at Cardiff. He allowed Gavin Gordon to stay on the pitch after disabling Rio Ferdinand, the Leeds captain. “He nearly broke his ankle,” said then Leeds manager David O’Leary.

Dopey D’Urso then dismissed Alan Smith for a foul on Cardiff’s Legg, who admitted, “I was holding him and he was trying to shake me off, and caught me in the mouth. I got a cut lip.” In an attempt to seem less like a wimp he then alleged that Smith had “…kicked me earlier on off the ball but I ignored it.” There’s a hero, boyo!

David O’Leary was incensed by Andy D’Urso’s red card against Smith, “It was a disgraceful decision,” said the Leeds manager.

Presciently, O’Leary added. “I am wondering whether there is an agenda against Smith; referees are very quick to jump on him.”

O’Leary’s words were later proved correct when the comments of a referee’s conference were leaked which, indeed, confirmed that Smith was a pre-determined target. (Of course, once Smith moved to the Theatre of Queens he came under the protection of the Red Knight, Sir Alex Fergybum and none of the evil black dwarfs dare approach the “blond one” and he was saved from further persecution).

Back to this season and Andy D’Urso has refereed Leeds United twice already. Firstly; in the 3-0 League Cup defeat to Portsmouth in August and secondly; in the 2-0 home win over Walsall in March 2008.

In these games D’Urso only issued a total of four yellow cards, two against Leeds and two against their opposition, so hopefully he will continue this even-handed restraint in Sunday’s final.

The fact that there were no cards at all issued in the Carlisle Utd v Leeds Utd semi-final tie gives every hope for an exciting final not ruined by the inequality that a red card brings to a game.

This Leeds United website has been innudated with searches today for information about the League One play off final tickets. So here goes:

Each club will receive 35,000 tickets at least - if needed.

Prices for the League One Play-off Final tickets are:

Right-click to download a PDF plan of Wembley seating here.

Hopes this helps the financial planning!