A somewhat unsavoury moment from Leeds United’s win over Everton was the return to competitive action at Elland Road for Jack Harrison, as he was loudly booed by the home fans.
Leeds’ return to the Premier League brought with it some intriguing sub-plots on Monday evening as two bog clubs faced off under the Monday night lights.
Included in that was Jack Harrison turning out for the home side for the first time since Leeds were last in the Premier League, spending the two years in between on loan at Monday’s visitors Everton.
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Jack Harrison loudly booed as he comes off the bench for Leeds United
Harrison was made to feel the tension in Dublin when he came off the bench to a chorus of boos against AC Milan, underlining the overriding sentiment amongst match-going fans at his decision to jump ship for the last two years.
However, it was even more audible when he was brought off the bench in the 78th minute to replace Dan James – ironically someone who was eager to stay and get Leeds back into the Premier League.
Jack Harrison is having to work hard to win Leeds United fans back. (Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough)
What followed was a loud torrent of boos aimed at the Leeds number 20, despite looking to mend relationships pre-match as he put a significant donation behind the bars of the Moot Hall Arms and Old Peacock.
Harrison, as ever, grafted hard to help Leeds see out the win, without being able to muster up much in the final third other than a dangerous cross that almost found Lukas Nmecha for 2-0.
At full-time, the winger wasn’t present with the rest of the squad as they did a lap of the pitch, instead chatting to close friend and Toffees’ midfielder Charly Alcaraz, but Harrison did then gift his shirt to a young fan post-match before swiftly clapping those still in the ground as he made his way to the dressing room.
Simon Jordan issues lengthy verdict on Leeds United fans booing Jack Harrison
Harrison’s return to Leeds was unsurprisingly booed after what unfolded in the 24 months prior, and Simon Jordan wasn’t shocked at all to see this unfold.
While sitting on the fence in terms of whether fans were right or wrong to do so, Jordan believes that fans were inevitably going to voice their opinion.
“Do we want rationality in our game? Do we want lack of emotion? Passion, tribalism, division, confrontation, are all part and parcel of English football. It’s what makes it thrive. It’s what makes it survive. It’s what gives it its energy. It’s what makes it something that you can’t bottle and sell it in every other walk of life because otherwise no one would do it,” Jordan explained on talkSPORT (19/8).
“Well, they obviously feel that when he left Leeds in the first instance and went to Everton because it suited him better, rather than stay at Leeds, help Leeds get back out of their particular plight, given he was part of the team that got them relegated in the first place, and they probably want to visit upon him.”
Jordan then noted that while Harrison may be working to build bridges with the fans through these gestures above, that Leeds fans are justified in their feeling towards Harrison, whether right or wrong.
“I’m not saying they’re right or wrong. The Leeds fans obviously felt that he left Leeds when they, in their hour of need, which is when they wanted to get back to the Premier League.
“Now, in the Premier League, the opportunity is now no longer at Everton, he comes back to Leeds and they don’t forget. Now, I don’t think it’s rational and I don’t think it’s sensible to boo somebody that’s now going to help you achieve your biggest outcome, which is staying in the Premier League and being successful again as Leeds United, but you cannot ask football fans to sit there and be emotionally stunted or rational in their thinking when their game in and, in and of itself is predicated upon irrationality.
What do you want him to do? Would you like him to score an own goal? Would you be happy then? Now, there you’d be furious, wouldn’t you? So you want him to do well, you want him to be someone of significance in your team.
“So it’s irrational in its outcome, But emotional in its response, And that’s the nature of the beast. That’s what makes football so wonderful.”
Football is fickle, Jack Harrison will end up winning Leeds United fans over if he does the right things
Leeds fans have every right to voice their opinion on Harrison as they see fit, and the loud majority on Monday saw fit to boo him.
He needed to know that his decisions burned bridges at Elland Road and not many would have seen him working a way back at the club because of it.
Ultimately, Jordan is right in the sense that Leeds fans all want Harrison to do well for the club, because he is an important asset and if he’s playing, we need him performing.
However, it doesn’t detract from the fact that he was made well aware of the overriding opinion of him right now and it outlines what he’s got to do going forward to change the narrative.
Willy Gnonto turned the tide, Brenden Aaronson managed it too, and while Harrison has much more of discontent to override, he knows what he’s got to achieve, which is good consistency performances and saying the right things – something we’re yet to see from him is a public comment on the situation.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!