2000–01 Leeds United A.F.C. season

Having qualified for the champions league in his first full season as manager David O'Leary begun to spend big, French mid fielder Olivier Dacourt was signed for a club record of 7 million along with striker Mark Viduka from Celtic and defender Dominic Matteo from Liverpool despite this Leeds were hampered with huge injury problems before the season had even begun, after back wins over Everton and Middlesbrough it was soon clear that playing in the champions league and Premiership with such a young squad hampered with injuries would take it's toll, Leeds form suffered at home quickly falling out of any title race despite this Utd won memorial games against AC Milan and Besitktas soon progressing to the second round of the champions league against all odds, in the run up to Xmas manager David O'Leary finally landed defender Rio Ferdinand from West Ham for a world record of 18 million for a defender. A win at Lazio in the champions league then gave Leeds hope of qualifying for the quarter finals but at home Leeds form was becoming poor, after straight losses to Aston Villa and Newcastle Leeds were falling worryingly close to the relegation zone, striker Robbie Keane was then signed on-lone from Inter Milan this with a 4-0 win over Manchester City marked a turning point for Leeds and with key players including David Batty and Harry Kewell returning from injury Leeds begun charging up the table with Robbie Keane in great scoring form, against all odds Leeds then qualified for the quarter final of the champions league with yet more impressive wins over European greats including Belgian side Anderlect, after a 2-0 win over Sunderland Leeds were back in the top 3, days later a superb win over Deportivo saw Leeds reach the semi final of the champions league but it all finally came to an end against Spanish giants Valencia who beat Leeds 3-0, meanwhile Leeds were ending the season in red hot form but a 2-1 loss to Arsenal would mean Leeds ended the season finishing 4th, despite a disappointing finish Leeds had enjoyed a season beyond they're wildest dreams and with a fully fit squad now one of the most feared in Europe next season Leeds would be expected to mount a full assault on the title.

Results summary

Results by round

Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Nigel Martyn 2 DF Gary Kelly 3 DF Ian Harte 4 MF Olivier Dacourt 5 DF Lucas Radebe (captain) 6 DF Jonathan Woodgate 7 FW Robbie Keane (on loan from Inter Milan) 8 FW Michael Bridges 9 FW Mark Viduka 10 FW Harry Kewell 11 MF Lee Bowyer 13 GK Paul Robinson 14 MF Stephen McPhail 16 MF Jason Wilcox

No. Position Player 17 FW Alan Smith 18 DF Danny Mills 19 MF Eirik Bakke 21 DF Dominic Matteo 22 DF Michael Duberry 23 MF David Batty 24 DF Danny Hay 25 MF Jacob Burns 27 DF Alan Maybury 28 MF Jamie McMaster 29 DF Rio Ferdinand 31 DF Gareth Evans 38 FW Tony Hackworth

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 12 FW Darren Huckerby (to Manchester City) 20 MF Matt Jones (to Leicester City) 29 MF Kevin Aherne-Evans (to Cardiff City) 30 DF Robert Molenaar (to Bradford City)

No. Position Player 35 FW Lee Matthews (to Bristol City) 40 MF Alan Cawley (to Sheffield Wednesday) 41 DF Jason Lanns (to Rochdale)

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 26 GK Danny Milosevic 32 MF Simon Watson 33 MF Wesley Boyle 34 MF Kevin Dixon 36 FW Warren Feeney 37 DF Damian Lynch

No. Position Player 39 DF Alan Martin 42 FW Tony Lennon 43 FW Harpal Singh GK Shaun Allaway DF Shane Cansdell-Sherriff FW Simon Johnson

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Chad Harpur DF Christopher Kamara DF Matthew Kilgallon DF Tom Newey DF Frazer Richardson

No. Position Player MF Paul Keegan MF Jamie McMaster FW Craig Farrell FW Caleb Folan FW Craig Steins

(Starting appearances + substitute appearances)[2][3]

No.	Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Champions League		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Nigel Martyn	23	0	1	0	0	0	12	0	36	0	1	0
2	DF	Gary Kelly	22+2	0	1	0	1	0	11+1	0	35+3	0	1	0
3	DF	Ian Harte	29	7	1	0	1	0	17	4	48	11	3	0
4	MF	Olivier Dacourt	33	3	1	0	0	0	14	1	48	3	16	1
5	DF	Lucas Radebe	19+1	0	1	0	0+1	0	10	0	30+2	0	7	1
6	DF	Jonathan Woodgate	14	1	1	0	1	0	5	0	21	1	4	0
7	FW	Robbie Keane	12+6	9	2	0	0	0	0	0	14+6	9	1	0
8	FW	Michael Bridges	6+1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	10+1	0	0	0
9	FW	Mark Viduka	34	17	2	1	1	0	16	4	53	22	7	0
10	FW	Harry Kewell	12+5	2	0	0	0	0	6	3	18+8	2	3	0
11	MF	Lee Bowyer	38	9	1	0	0	0	15	6	54	15	12	0
12	FW	Darren Huckerby	2+5	0	0	0	1	2	0+3	1	3+8	3	0	0
13	GK	Paul Robinson	15+1	0	1	0	1	0	6	0	23+1	0	0	0
14	MF	Stephen McPhail	3+4	0	0	0	0	0	1+2	0	4+6	0	0	0
16	MF	Jason Wilcox	7+10	0	0+1	0	1	0	2+3	1	9+14	1	0	0
17	FW	Alan Smith	26+7	11	1+1	0	0+1	0	16	7	43+9	18	11	2
18	DF	Danny Mills	20+3	1	1	0	0	0	15+1	0	36+4	0	11	0
19	MF	Eirik Bakke	24+5	2	2	0	1	0	10+2	1	37+7	3	12	1
20	MF	Matt Jones	3+1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	5+1	0	0	0
21	DF	Dominic Matteo	30	0	2	0	1	0	15	2	48	2	3	0
22	DF	Michael Duberry	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	9	0	1	0
23	MF	David Batty	13	3	2	0	0	0	7+1	0	22+4	0	4	1
24	DF	Danny Hay	2+2	0	0	0	1	0	0+1	0	3+3	0	0	0
25	MF	Jacob Burns	3+1	0	0	0	1	0	3+1	0	7+2	0	0	0
27	DF	Alan Maybury	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
29	DF	Rio Ferdinand	23	2	2	0	0	0	7	1	32	3	1	0
31	MF	Gareth Evans	0+1	0	0	0	1	0	0+1	0	0+2	0	0	0
38	FW	Tony Hackworth	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0+2	0	0+3	0	0	0