The Worst Leeds United XI of All Time
The Worst Leeds United XI of All Time
Every club has its legends, but on the flip side, some names live long in memory for all the wrong reasons. Leeds United fans have endured chaotic spells of mismanagement, disastrous transfers, and players who simply never lived up to the badge. After seeing an AI-generated “Best XI,” we’ve decided to flip the script and look at the Worst Leeds United XI of all time.
Here’s a line-up that no Whites supporter would ever want to see again…
🧤 Goalkeeper: Felix Wiedwald
Signed from Werder Bremen in 2017, Wiedwald was brought in as a Championship-ready shot-stopper. Instead, he quickly became known for his shaky confidence, dreadful handling of crosses, and poor positioning. A keeper is supposed to inspire trust in the backline, but with Wiedwald, every corner or high ball turned into panic stations. His Leeds spell lasted just one season before he was shipped back to Germany.
🛡 Right-Back: Habibou Traoré
A forgotten figure of the early 2000s chaos at Leeds. Traoré made only a handful of appearances, but his lack of quality was glaring. Often caught out defensively and ineffective going forward, he has since become a cult name among fans when discussing the club’s weakest-ever players. His inclusion here is less about numbers and more about symbolising a dark period of scattergun recruitment.
🛡 Centre-Back: Roque Júnior
On paper, Leeds looked to have pulled off a coup in 2003—signing a World Cup-winning Brazilian defender on loan from AC Milan. The reality? A complete disaster. In just 7 appearances, Leeds conceded an eye-watering 25 goals. He looked slow, disorganised, and out of his depth in the Premier League. His spell has gone down as one of the most infamous in Leeds history.
🛡 Centre-Back (Honourary): Jean-Kévin Augustin
Yes, he was a striker. But his contribution—or lack thereof—was so catastrophic that we had to find him a place. Signed on loan in January 2020 with a view to a permanent deal, Augustin managed just 48 minutes of football across 3 games. Due to legal disputes with RB Leipzig, Leeds were ordered to pay £18 million for him despite his non-existent impact. Widely regarded as the club’s worst-ever signing.
🛡 Left-Back: Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
Arriving on loan from Manchester United in 2016, Borthwick-Jackson came with a Premier League pedigree but left no impression whatsoever. He looked uninterested, short of effort, and lacking any real quality. Fans criticised his work rate heavily, and his loan spell ended with Leeds supporters wondering why he was even brought in the first place.
⚡ Right Midfield: Federico Macheda
(Incorrectly remembered by some as “Kiko” in Leeds circles.) Best known for his dramatic debut goals at Manchester United, Macheda’s career fizzled out quickly. At Leeds, during a brief loan in 2013, he looked a shadow of his younger self—struggling for fitness, impact, and consistency. His stint summed up the era of short-term, low-quality loan deals that added nothing to the team.
⚙️ Central Midfield: Michael Brown
Signed in 2011 as an experienced veteran, Brown offered Leeds plenty of “bite” in midfield—unfortunately, not much else. At 34 years old, he was a step behind the pace of the Championship. Known for rash tackles and ill-discipline, he became a liability rather than a leader. His red-card tendencies made him a frustrating figure for fans.
⚙️ Central Midfield: Tomas Brolin
One of the most infamous names in Leeds United history. Brolin was once a star at Parma and a World Cup semi-finalist with Sweden, but by the time he joined Leeds in 1995, he was overweight, unfit, and uninterested. Meant to be a creative force, he became a symbol of failure instead. To this day, he is remembered across English football as one of the worst signings in Premier League history.
⚡ Left Midfield: Seth Johnson
Not the absolute worst footballer, but his name is forever tied to Leeds’ financial collapse in the early 2000s. Signed from Derby County for a hefty fee and reportedly offered a staggering £30,000 a week (though Johnson later denied this exact figure), he became the poster boy for reckless overspending. His average performances never justified the wages, and injuries further curtailed his career. Fans remember him more as a financial blunder than a footballer.
🎯 Striker: Jimmy Kébé
Once a bright winger at Reading, Kébé arrived at Leeds in 2014 during the chaotic Massimo Cellino takeover era. Injuries and a lack of interest meant he barely featured, and when he did, he was anonymous. His Leeds career fizzled out almost as soon as it began, leaving fans with the impression he was just there to pick up wages.
🎯 Striker: Noel Hunt
A hardworking striker under Brian McDermott at Reading, Hunt was expected to bring goals and leadership to Leeds in 2013. Instead, he went 23 games without scoring. His barren run and lack of cutting edge turned him into a symbol of the club’s malaise at the time. His determination couldn’t make up for his inability to find the net.
🪦 Manager: David Hockaday
In 2014, Massimo Cellino shocked everyone by appointing David Hockaday, plucked from non-league Forest Green Rovers, to manage Leeds United. Fans were baffled, and Hockaday lasted just 70 days. With poor results and little authority, his reign remains one of the most bizarre chapters in the club’s managerial history.
⚠️ Final Whistle
This “Worst XI” isn’t just about ability—it’s about context. Some of these players were victims of chaotic ownership, poor scouting, or financial meltdown, but together they paint a picture of Leeds United’s darker days. Thankfully, with the club now striving for stability, these names remain cautionary tales of what happens when things go very, very wrong.