Sam Byram says the togetherness of the city and atmosphere at matches have really taken him by surprise since returning to Leeds United.
Byram was speaking in an interview with iNews, where he was asked about what is different between Leeds now, and in his first spell at Elland Road.
The 30-year-old progressed through the academy at Leeds and was handed his first team debut by Neil Warnock in 2012, with the club considerably different to what it is now.
Crowds were poor, Leeds were no where near being capable of pushing for the Premier League and ownership was uncertain, with Massimo Cellino of particular controversy during Byram’s initial three-and-a-half-years at the club.
Having had injury ravaged spells at West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Norwich City since his Leeds exit in January 2016, Byram made his return to West Yorkshire in the summer on a free transfer.
Byram shares what has shocked him about Leeds
With Byram having known nothing but negativity from his first spell, it came as a real surprise to him just how ‘together’ the city of Leeds now is, compared to before.
He said: “One of the guys asked me ‘What’s different to the last time you were here?’ The club had been through a bit of a tough patch when I was previously here.
“To come back and see how together the city is, to see the atmosphere at home games and the travelling fans, it’s something that’s really taken me by surprise.”
Byram must feel like he is at a completely new club, with almost everything considerably better than what it used to be.
Elland Road is now sold out every week, the level of the playing squad is miles ahead of what it was, and the Thorp Arch facilities are also vastly improved.
It is clear by the way he is playing that Byram is very much enjoying his football back at Leeds, and signing him on a free is looking like a top piece of business.
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