Opposition Overview: Leeds U21s
Chris Millington’s Solihull Moors side are set to resume their National League Cup campaign with a fixture against Leeds United Under 21s, who are led by their manager Scott Gardner on the evening of Tuesday 8th September 2026 at Damson Park. The Moors will be hoping to secure victory after being beaten by Middlesbrough’s Under 21s side last time out.
The most recent game for Gardner’s Leeds side was in the Premier League 2, where they faced Liverpool away from home. It was a tight 2 – 1 defeat at the hands of the Reds, with Carrick Njinko scoring the only goal of the game for the away side.
In their previous game in the National League Cup, Leeds were emphatically beaten 5 – 2 by the hands of Boreham Wood at the Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park. Regan Booty, Lewis Richardson, Tarryn Allarakhia, and Farhaan Ali-Wahid were all on the scoresheet for the hosts that day. As for Leeds, they scored their goals through the likes of Sam Chambers and Josh McDonald.
As of the time of writing, the Leeds United Under 21s side currently sit in 14th place with 3 points to their name. Last season, they ended up with a 25th place finish after being able to accumulate 18 points overall with a goal difference of -12.
Leeds United are one of the oldest and most famous clubs in English football, founded in 1919. Their formation came about after the original club of the city, Leeds City, was officially disbanded by the Football League after the club had received allegations of illegal payments to players over the course of the First World War. United were formed at Salem Chapel and were voted into the Midland League.
Shortly after their founding, they were able to acquire Elland Road as their stadium, which is, of course, where their first team plays their football to this day. It was bought for as little as £250 in the early stages of the 20th century.
No name is more synonymous with Leeds United Football Club than the legendary football manager Don Revie. Revie was in charge of the Yorkshire-based club for a period of thirteen years between 1961 and 1974. During his time in charge, he led the club to two First Division titles, the FA Cup, a League Cup, the FA Charity Shield, a Second Division title, and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups.
Revie’s first trophy with Leeds was won in 1964 when the Second Division title was won, followed by his first Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and a League Cup title in 1968. In 1969, they won the First Division. In 1971, their second and final Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was won.
This was quickly followed in 1972 by the FA Cup crown after they were able to beat Arsenal 1 – 0 at Wembley thanks to a winning goal from Allan Clarke in the early stages of the second half. Another First Division League title was promptly won in 1974. He then left for the England job.
The key players for Revie’s Leeds during this period included several names who are club legends, including the likes of Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles, Norman Hunter, Jack Charlton, Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, the aforementioned Allan Clarke, Mick Jones, Paul Reaney, and Terry Cooper.
In the early 2000s, Leeds United entered a period of turmoil. In an effort to make the Champions League for its revenues and sponsorship rights, then owner Peter Ridsdale took out large loans against the club to aid this effort. However, they missed out for two seasons running, and this led to financial troubles that meant the sale of some key players, including Rio Ferdinand, who went to Manchester United. Jonathan Woodgate was also sold, with the central defender moving on to Newcastle United in the end.
Leeds were finally relegated to the Championship in 2004, reaching the playoff final in their first season in the second tier under the ownership of Ken Bates, though they did go on to lose to Watford in the end.
By May of 2007, the club was entered into administration, which incurred a ten point deduction that officially relegated them to League One, though they began season one in the third tier with a 15 point deduction.
They went on to spend three years in that league before securing their return to the Championship in 2010 as runners-up to Norwich City. During that final season in League One, they famously beat fierce rivals Manchester United, then led by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, at Old Trafford. The winning goal came from Jermaine Beckford in the early stages of the first half.
Their stay outside of the top flight lasted for another ten years, with Leeds finally gaining promotion under the management of modern day club legend Marcelo Bielsa, emphatically winning the league title in 2020.
Under Bielsa, they were able to achieve what was a credible top half finish in their first season back in the Premier League, with their points tally of 59 being the best since Ipswich Town 20 years earlier. The Tractor Boys had got a total of 66 back in the 2000/01 campaign.
Bielsa left the club in February 2022, and he was succeeded by the American Head Coach Jesse Marsch, who left in February 2023 after he also had a poor run of results towards the end of his tenure at the club. They were still relegated back to the Championship under successor Sam Allardyce.
Daniel Farke, the First Team’s current boss, was appointed back on 4th July 2023. At this time, the 49ers Enterprises completed a takeover of part of the club. Leeds United won the title in the 2024/25 English Football League Championship season, secured by a win against Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season.
The 2025/26 Premier League season, the first since they returned to the top flight, saw them avoid relegation with a 14th place finish, accumulating 47 points from their 38 games in total. Their safety was secured on 10th May 2026 after Arsenal defeated West Ham United at the London Stadium.
In the 2026/27 Premier League season, Daniel Farke and his Leeds United side will be hoping to climb up the table with the hopes of a potential top half finish in the league, with the squad being improved over the summer window.
In the opposition dugout – Scott Gardner
Scott Gardner, who is the current Head Coach of the Leeds United Under 21s side, has been in charge of the side, at first temporarily in November 2023 after Michael Skubala, now Bristol City boss, left for the managerial post at Lincoln City. Gardner then became Leeds United Under 21s manager full time in November 2024, with Stewart Downing joining the club as his assistant manager.
Gardner had a short career as a player that spanned four years between 2006 and 2010. During this period, he represented the likes of the aforementioned Leeds United (2006 - 2009), Farsley Celtic (Loan, 2008), Mansfield Town (2009 - 2010), and finally Eastwood Town (Loan, 2010).
Key Player – Carrick Njinko
Forward Carrick Njinko is perhaps the standout player for Leeds United’s Under 21s side so far this season, with him being their leading goal scorer in all competitions to date with as many as four goals to is name so far, scoring a hat-trick against West Brom at Thorpe Arch Grange. Njinko has been at the club for his entire playing career to date.
Opposition Overview written by Adam Holt
Recent Posts


















