Robbie Fowler was the final big-money signing Leeds United made before the club’s financial collapse in 2002. An £11m deal was struck with Liverpool in November 2001.
It came after a £50m investment was made during the 2000-01 season that included signings like Mark Viduka from Celtic, Rio Ferdinand from West Ham and Olivier Dacourt from Lens. Big investments.
Leeds and then-chairman Peter Ridsdale took a risk. They gambled on Champions League qualification to pay back the amount they had spent, with Fowler the last addition after Seth Johnson’s move from Derby.
But David O’Leary failed to guide Leeds into the Champions League for the 2002-03 season, and was subsequently sacked at the end of the 2001-02 season. Ridsdale faced debts of more than £80m.
Robbie Fowler shares what he thinks of Peter Ridsdale
Almost a quarter of a century later, Leeds are still fighting to get back to where they once were. A Premier League side challenging for European competition, but as of yet, Leeds have been unable to do so.
Now Preston North End chairman, Ridsdale is a big part of The EFL’s revamp of the play-off system. The idea is to include the Championship’s seventh and eighth-placed teams in the end-of-season shootout.
It would have seen Garry Monk’s Leeds qualify for the play-offs back in 2016-17, after Chris Wood scored 27 goals. Fowler was on The Added Time podcast this week, discussing Ridsdale and the new system.
“What you’re saying here, and obviously, Peter Ridsdale. Obviously, I get on very well with him, to be fair. It’s all about revenue and bringing money into the coffers. Whether it’s the EFL, the clubs,” Fowler said.
“In that scenario, involving a Premier League team, you have two lots of money-spinning games. Whereas four teams out of seven essentially play off to play the Premier League team. That’s a money spinner.”
Nigel Martyn thinks Leeds made mistake regarding Robbie Fowler
Fowler has often been described as one of the best-ever finishers the Premier League has ever seen, and rightly so. Fowler deserved more England caps than he got, and deserves more accolades than he got.
But, by the time he joined Leeds for £11m in 2001, Fowler was not the same player. That is the view of Nigel Martyn, who has claimed in the last couple of years, that Leeds overpaid for Fowler due to his hip.
“He came to us with a hip injury and his mobility wasn’t as good as it could have been. We saw in flashes of how good he was, in a Leeds shirt. But he wasn’t as mobile as he was and Liverpool saw that.”
Daniel Farke’s Leeds currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League, as they look to fight against the drop and establish themselves in the top tier, hopefully and eventually, returning Leeds to past glory.
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