THE VITALS:

Team: Leeds United

Brand: Adidas

Era: 2020-21 (Used for the 2020-21 Premier League season)

Name/Number: -

CONDITION: VERY GOOD

This shirt does unfortunately bear some staining and the JD Sports sponsor on the sleeve has also been damaged over time, the shirt however is still in very good condition in spite of these aberrations.

DIMENSIONS:

Size: Small

Pit to Pit Measurement: 18.5 inches

Shirt Length: 28.0 inches 

Made by Adidas in their ‘AeroReady’ series of shirts that they introduced in 2020; the dimensions lend themselves to a fins size small fitting shirt.  

DESCRIPTION:

Adidas became Leeds United’s ninth kit supplier in their history and the timing of this union could not have been better as ‘The Whites’ ended a long sixteen year wait to play Premier League football again to take their place amongst the twenty teams in the 2020-21 Premier League season! Adidas took over the reins from Kappa and their first home shirt was a tidy affair as blue returned as the club’s second colour – used for the tiny bands around the sleeves and Adidas crest and three stripes and also used to colour the SBO TOP main shirt sponsor which took over from 32Red. The summer of 2020 would also see the likes of: Illan Meslier, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Crysencio Summerville, Diego Llorente and Raphina arrive at Elland Road as the club passed their return season test in the top-flight of English football with flying colours when they finished in 9^th place – wearing their classic home colours when they held Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United to draws at home, while claiming wins over – Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United! This would sadly be the last home shirt to be worn by Pablo Hernandez, Gaetano Berardi and Ezgjan Alioski as they left the club in the summer of 2021.

THE SEASON:

After the heartbreak of seeing their promotion challenge crumble at the end of the 2018-19 season in the Play-Off after looking almost certain to achieve automatic promotion; Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United did not feel sorry for themselves in 2019-20; instead, they racked up ten more points than they did in 2018-19 to win the Championship by a ten point margin and take their place in the Premier League for the first time since the 2003-04 season!

While Jean-Kevin Augustin’s loan move was not made permanent; Leeds made their statement of intent in 2020-21 known when they signed – Helder Costa, Illan Meslier, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Crysencio Summerville, Diego Llorente and Raphina were all signed on a permanent basis.

Leeds would have the privilege of taking part in the first game of the 2020-21 season when they welcomed the champions – Liverpool to Elland Road on 12^th September 2020. The first Premier League game at Elland Road since 2004 would be one of the games of the season as they were beaten 4-3 in a see-saw game that displayed their enigmatic style under Bielsa to the Premier League audience. In their next outing versus fellow promoted side – Fulham, they would be on the winning end of a 4-3 scoreline as Leeds won their first Premier League game since beating Blackburn Rovers on 10^th April 2004! Leeds’s form would change on a game by game basis where 2020 yielded draws against - Manchester City and Arsenal and wins over Sheffield United, Aston Villa, Everton, Newcastle United, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion amidst defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United by large margins. In spite of their inconsistent form; their ability to take points from the teams in the bottom half of the table served them extremely well as they ended 2020 with a 5-0 over West Brom and in 11^th place.

‘The Whites’ form in 2021 would display a similar pattern as they won four and lost five of their first nine league games of the year, and just when their form seemed to be taking the typical spring nose dive for a promoted side; Marcelo Bielsa’s side would enjoy a thrilling final eleven games of the campaign where they were defeated just once, and collected wins over – Fulahm, Sheffield United, Manchester City, and then Tottenham, Burnley, Southampton and West Brom all in succession – marking the first time the reached this feat since April 2001! Amidst that run were also a pair of draws against – Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United as Leeds United ended the 2020-21 season in an excellent 9^th place!

Leeds United’s pair of forays in the cup competitions were less spectacular as they were knocked out in the 2^nd Round of the EFL Cup in after being beaten 9-8 on penalties against local rivals – Hull City and were then upset 3-0 by Crawley Town in the 3^rd Round of the FA Cup.

The notable players that season were:

Sam Greenwood, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts, Patrick Bamford. Raphina, Helder Costa, Ezgjan Alioski, Ian Poveda, Stuart Dallas, Pablo Hernandez, Jack Harrison, Mateusz Klich, Pablo Hernandez, Jamie Shackelton, Kalvin Phillips, Pascal Struijk, Diego Llorente, Liam Cooper, Gaetano Berardi, Robin Koch, Barry Douglas, Luke Ayling, Kiko Casila, Illan Meslier