Simon Jordan has been sharing his thoughts on what Leeds United fans did vs Everton
For the first time since a 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in May 2023, Elland Road hosted a Premier League fixture and the Whites faithful certainly made up for lost time as all four corners of their famous old ground were rocking throughout the game. Roars came when tackles and blocks went in, with every effort at goal and every positive piece of play from a player in a White shirt.
SUPPORT: For Jack Harrison, above, from Leeds United boss Daniel Farke.placeholder image
SUPPORT: For Jack Harrison, above, from Leeds United boss Daniel Farke. | Getty Images
The biggest roars of the night came when the Whites were awarded a penalty as Toffees defender James Tarkowski was ruled to have handled a shot from Leeds new boy Anton Stach and that allowed another summer addition to make an immediate impact as Lukas Nmecha fired home from the spot. The celebrations that followed the full-time whistle will live long in the memory as Daniel Farke and his players celebrated a winning return to the top flight and immediately set their sights on a challenging visit to Arsenal in their first away game of an exciting campaign.
There was one other talking point from the game as the Whites supporters’ response to Jack Harrison’s introduction into the game was the subject of comments from former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan. The winger has spent the last two seasons on loan at Everton but has now returned to Elland Road after the Toffees opted against converting his temporary switch into a permanent move.
Jordan stressed that tribalism and division are ‘part and parcel of English football’ and described the reaction towards the winger as ‘irrational’ and ‘emotional.
What did Simon Jordan say about Leeds United fans booing Jack Harrison?
Simon Jordan has been talking about Everton and Leeds United among others.placeholder image
Simon Jordan has been talking about Everton and Leeds United among others. | talkSPORT
Speaking on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning, the former Crystal Palace chairman said: “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.
“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. 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.
He continued: “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.”
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