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Former Leeds United striker, Michael ‘Sicknote’ Bridges will not be appearing in the blue shirt of Carlisle United on Saturday, when the Cumbrians take on Leeds United at Brunton Park, …because he’s injured.

Bridges, who has just celebrated his thirtieth birthday in August, managed just 82 games (including subs) for Leeds United in an injury-blighted five years at Elland Road.

Bridges left Leeds at the end of a contract which coincided with our relegation from the Premier League. Though Bridges wasn’t there to witness the relegation as the North Shields-born striker asked permission to join Newcastle United on loan in an attempt to get a permanent deal for the next season - a sort of, “so long and thanks for all the medical bills” departure.

Ironically, not only did the Newcastle-supporting Bridges fail at the Barcodes but he signed for Bolton who then loaned him to Newcastle’s bitter rivals Sunderland for the following season! The irony continued as Sunderland, (the club from which Leeds had originally signed Bridges), were then a Championship side and Bridges’ first game for the Black Cats was at Elland Road against relegated-Leeds! Bridges was an 81st minute substitute in a 1-0 win over Leeds.

The last time Bridges played against Leeds United was in Hull’s 2-1 Championship home defeat to Leeds in January 2007, when again he was a substitute.

Now Bridges is on loan to Carlisle United from Premier League Hull City and has suffered a hamstring injury in a Carlisle United reserve match recently. So the travelling Leeds fans will not see the player whose career they saved by paying for four years of the finest medical treatment available in the world. Let’s hope he remembers to give them a wave at least.

See Leeds United v Rotherham United on Sky Sports - will Beckford get another hat-trick?

Former Leeds United striker Rob Hulse has completed his move from Championship side Sheffield United to recently relegated Derby County.

Twenty-nine year old Hulse signed a three-year contract today.

The fee is £1.75 million representing a loss on the £2.2 million that the Blades paid Leeds United two years ago in July 2006.

Derby manager Paul Jewell believes the 29-year-old will be valuable addition to the squad.

“This is a terrific capture for us and I am really excited to have added a player of Rob Hulse’s calibre to our squad,” Jewell said on Derby’s official website.

“Rob is a player I’ve admired for a very long time and tried to sign on more than one occasion in the past.

“He has tremendous attributes as a forward; strong, brave, athletic and an eye for goal.

“His attitude is also first-class and he is hungry to return to the highest level and to do it with Derby County.

“It barely took any persuading to get Rob to join Derby County. He knows this is a huge club with great ambition and his ambition and desire matches ours.”

In a disasterous Premier League campaign last season (2007-08), Derby County netted just 20 times and ended up with a humiliating -69 goal difference.

Hulse score 8 goals in 41 league and FA Cup outings for Sheffield United.

If you are too young to remember it, or even if you lived and sweated through every moment of Leeds United’s last title winning season, this detailed, retrospective article is well worth a look. And just for a change it doesn’t say that Manchester United threw away the title - even Sir Alex Ferguson said that Howard Wilkinson and Leeds United deserved to win the 1991-92 First Division championship.

“There were many reasons for our failure to … win the First Division in 1992, and the most important of them was the excellent campaign waged by Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds United, who persevered resolutely and held their nerve well on the run-in.” - Sir Alex Ferguson in his 1999 autobiography.

Enjoy the article here: On Second Thoughts: Leeds United’s 1991-92 title

Former Leeds keeper Scott Carson

West Bromwich Albion have signed former Leeds United goalkeeper Scott Carson, from Liverpool for £3.25 million.

The fee rises to £3.75 million depending on appearances.

Scott had been widely expected to sign for Aston Villa, where he had spent last season on loan. However, the £10 million fee, agreed at the time of the loan with Liverpool, proved too costly.

Stoke City were reported to have bid £4m for Scott earlier this week.