‘It killed me’… Former England international suggests he never actually wanted to join Leeds United

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Robbie Fowler has admitted he never wanted to leave Liverpool ahead of his move to Leeds United.

After just over eight years in the first team at his boyhood club Liverpool, Fowler joined Leeds in a deal worth around £11 million in December 2001, going onto score 14 goals in 32 appearances.

Fowler was at Leeds for just over two years before joining Manchester City for a fee significantly lower than what was paid to bring him from Anfield, with the Whites stuck in a financial crisis.

Leeds finished fifth in his first half season at the club, but the following year was a struggle for both him and the club, which therefore saw him move to City without even completing a full campaign.

But peaking on the Up Front with Simon Jordan Podcast, former England international Fowler has now revealed that he never wanted to leave Liverpool for Leeds, but felt down by the Reds’ lack of loyalty.

Fowler an example of a signing Leeds didn’t need

Fowler said: “I left Liverpool because I wasn’t playing and it killed me to leave Liverpool. That’s not being disrespectful to Leeds. That’s not being disrespectful to Man City. I wanted to stay at Liverpool.

“Now, looking back, I know you are a commodity and that’s probably what annoys me with the game now. If you are looking at it from the outside, players get a lot of stick about loyalty, but loyalty is a two way street and it works from a club side as well.

“The minute you are deemed not good enough the club will get rid. The players are the ones who get all the stick.”

With Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and Robbie Keane as options for Leeds in attack, Fowler is yet another example of a signing that wasn’t needed at the time, which caused such a financial collapse.

On his own podcast last week, Rio Ferdinand referenced Seth Johnson’s incredible contract offer as an example of Leeds’ financial mismanagement at the time.

Aaron Lennon also shared the monstrous professional deal he got offered as a teenager at Leeds, and these decisions are what led to the club’s fall down the leagues.

Thankfully Leeds are in a position now with owners who can provide significant investment, while also living within the rules.