Being one of England’s most storied football clubs, Leeds United has long been a magnet for established names and rising stars. Although the Elland Road faithful will always remember the names of world class players, as well as huge flops, there are a number of players who have quietly come and gone, with their time at the club now being almost forgotten.

Some of these names joined on short term loans, whereas others signed permanently but never quite managed to make an impact. That is why we have revisited some of the most surprising names that have pulled on a famous white Leeds kit.

Andros Townsend

Before he went on to become a Premier League regular and England international, Andros Townsend had a fleeting spell at Leeds United, arriving on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2012. This was actually the seventh loan the young winger had been out on since 2009 from his parent club, with many value betting sites still tipping him to become a leading name for England in the future. With Leeds looking to bolster their squad seeking promotion back to the English top flight, they decided to bring in the promising forward.

However, his time at Elland Road was not only brief, but also somewhat controversial. Making just six appearances under Simon Grayson and then Neil Redfearn, his loan stint would go on to be cut short amid frustration over the amount of playing time he was getting. He did not manage to get a look into the squad when veteran Neil Warnock took the helm, struggling to make a lasting impact despite scoring once in his handful of outings. Even though it didn’t work out at Leeds, Townsend’s career would blossom afterwards, enjoying successful spells at Crystal Palace and Newcastle whilst also featuring for other Premier League sides such as Everton and Luton.

Ross Barkley

Albeit very briefly, Ross Barkely once played for Leeds United. In 2013, the then Everton starlet joined the club on loan, only being 19 at the time. Despite his age, the youngster was still regarded as one of the most exciting midfielders England had to offer at the time, something which was attributed to his technical flair and overall physicality.

Unfortunately, Barkley’s opportunities were limited, only making just four appearances before being recalled by David Moyes. Despite his short stay, Bakrley would go on to be a shining star in the Everton side in coming years, going on to win over 30 England caps and even signing for Chelsea in a big money move. Seeing a resurgence later in his career at sides such as Nice over in France and the recently promoted Luton at the time, Leeds still remains a footnote in Barkley’s otherwise high profile career.

Leif Davis

Leif Davis is a name some Leeds fans may still recall, but many have lost sight of the contributions he made at the club. Joining in 2018 from the Morecambe youth system, he would go on to make a few senior appearances for Leeds under Marcelo Biesla. This was in the 2018/19 season which they were one of the leading promotion-chasing sides, however, even though he was seen as a promising talent, he struggled for any sort of consistent game time.

The young left back would then go on to move to Ipswich in which he would eventually become a key part of their squad within their rise through the Championship and into the Premier League for the 2024/25 season. Racking up over 40 goal contributions in his time at the Tractor Boys, he has been linked to a move to a number of top flight sides following Ipswich’s relegation, highlighting why he was picked up at an early age by Leeds.

Alfonso Pedraza

In the second half of the 2016/17 season, Leeds fans got a glimpse of Spaniard Alfonso Pedraza down the left flank. The versatile player who could fill in on the wing or as a full back was signed on loan from Villereal in the hope that the promising all rounder would help push Leeds into the play-offs. In his loan spell, he only managed to feature with sporadic outings, making 14 appearances in which he would go on to find the back of the net just once. As Leeds missed out on promotion, the club chose not to make the move a permanent one, sending the Spaniard back to his parent club.

Following this, Pedraza went on to establish himself in La Liga with his boyhood side Villarreal, playing in the Europa League and earning himself a Spanish national team cap in 2023. Considering the career he went on to have, it is surprising that his stint at Elland Road is rarely mentioned and hardly remembered by most.

Alex McCarthy

Goalkeeping veteran Alex McCarthy is another name who once wore a Leeds United shirt, something which was due to a 2011 emergency loan spell from Reading. He featured in a short run of six matches following injuries to both Andy Lonergan and Paul Rachubka, he performed solidly and showcased his shot stopping ability. Despite this, the loan was cut short by Simon Grayson, seeing him return to Reading. As many now know, McCarthy would later enjoy a successful top flight career with Southampton after joining them back in 2016, even earning himself his first and only England cap in 2018, making his Leeds spell one easy to overlook now.

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