Leeds’ underwhelmnig 2014-15 season in England’s Second Division aka The Championship sank to new depths over the weekend, as no fewer than 6 members of Neil Redfern’s first team squad declared themselves unable to perform the night prior to Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Charlton. Taking the fitness of Mirco Antenucci, Giuseppe Bellusci, Dario del Fabro. Marco Silvestri, Souleymane Doukara and Edgar Cani into account, former captain Trevor Cherry believes the entire bunch oughta be sent packing. From The Independent :


“I would sack them and take the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) on,” he said on BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek. “I don’t think players can do that, it’s scandalous and it’s just another story for Leeds United that is disgraceful.

He added: “I don’t know exactly the players and it might be one or two of them have got a good excuse, but it sounds too stupid to be true.”

Striker Antenucci used Twitter to defend himself, as did goalkeeper Silvestri who posted a picture of a cut on his back suffered against Norwich on Tuesday night.

However, Cherry questioned if they were legitimate reasons to withdraw.

“In the old days you used to play with anything, cuts or one thing or another,” he said. “The managers had a big say in whether you were fit or not. You didn’t just come in and say ‘I’ve got a headache, I’m going home’. I’m sure with George Graham or Don Revie, I can’t imagine what would have happened if you’d have done that.”