Man United tried to sign me… but I could never leave Leeds
I was going to face Barnes, Rush – players I adored
WHEN Leeds fans flocked to Elland Road on a jubilant July night, little did they know that a legend of their Premier League past was a part of the party.
Tony Yeboah was 5,000 miles away at his home in Ghana as West Brom lost to Huddersfield to seal his old club’s top-flight return after a 16-year absence. But such was the 54-year-old former striker’s wish to see the celebrations, he ‘attended’ via a video call with a Leeds-based friend.
‘I was live at Elland Road from over the phone,’ laughs Yeboah.
‘It was very beautiful, the way the people were celebrating. The place was full. I know the Leeds fans and they are so crazy about the club. I was also celebrating with my friends here because they knew that were it not for coronavirus, maybe I would have had the opportunity to come to the club to celebrate.
‘I am very, very happy Leeds are back in the Premier League. I am also happy to see Leeds play Liverpool in the first game.’
Mention that fixture and a generation of fans think of Yeboah, all because of one moment 25 years ago when Leeds hosted Liverpool in August 1995.
In the 51st minute, Rod Wallace headed Tony Dorigo’s long ball back towards Yeboah, who unleashed a 25-yard volley, which screeched in off David James’ crossbar. It has been voted the greatest goal in Leeds’ 100-year history and has gone down in Premier League legend. Oh, and he hit it with his wrong foot.
‘That goal is one I will never forget,’ says Yeboah. ‘From my youth, I was a Liverpool fan because of John Barnes.
‘Watching English football on television, you saw him play and it made black people so proud.
‘I was so determined. I was going to face Barnes, Ian Rush; players I used to adore. I had to prove to them I was also a very good player. Thank God everything turned out to be fantastic.
‘I don’t think David James thought I was going to try from that angle. I had luck with the way the ball hit the bar and went in but it was very difficult to stop. I am actually a left-footer — that is the foot I use to dribble with. But when it comes to shooting, I can use my right.’
Yeboah underlined that at Wimbledon five weeks later with the second goal he scored as part of his hattrick in a 4-2 win. That strike also secured him the Match of the Day Goal of the Month award and pipped his winner against Liverpool as Goal of the Season. But which does he think was best? ‘I always say Liverpool because of the way the game was, the tension there,’ says Yeboah. ‘It was also very difficult because it was a volley. The Wimbledon goal was fantastic but you can see my excitement and the importance of the Liverpool one. Sometimes when I scored some of my goals, I came back home and was thinking about how I managed to score. I love to watch them back, even now.’
YEBOAH joined Leeds on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 1995. His new manager Howard Wilkinson had not seen the striker play live but had ‘watched him a lot on Eurosport’. Yeboah scored 12 goals in 18 Premier League games as Wilkinson’s side finished fifth.
‘He was my best coach,’ admits Yeboah. ‘He always told the players, “Give the ball to Tony and let Tony score our f ****** goals for us”. I was on top form. I could do anything with the ball. Before a game, I always promised the players I was going to score. When they gave me the ball, if I had three chances, maybe I would score two.’
Such was Yeboah’s instant success, even Leeds’ greatest rivals came calling.
‘Leeds were not sure I could play in English football, so they loaned me for six months,’ says Yeboah.
‘After six months, I was fantastic and had an offer from Manchester United. But I decided to stay at Leeds because of the way the fans treated me. I remember my first game against QPR. I received a pass and my touch was poor but everyone was clapping for me. I could see my future in Leeds was going to be bright. Thank God Leeds came to my life and I became a very, very great footballer.’
After Wilkinson paid £3.4million for Yeboah, he fired in another eight goals in the first eight league games of the 95-96 season. He also hit a hat-trick at Monaco in the UEFA Cup and ended his first full campaign with 19 goals.
But when Wilkinson was replaced by George Graham at the start of the next season, Yeboah was injured and clashed with his new boss. His final match came at Tottenham in March 1997 when he was substituted and threw his shirt at Graham before heading down the tunnel. Yeboah was sold to Hamburg in Germany.
‘Me and George Graham, let’s say, had a misunderstanding,’ says Yeboah. ‘I am a player who needs confidence and after he came in my confidence and everything was totally down.
‘Throwing my shirt, I feel so sad about that. I am not that type of person but because of the frustration, that’s why it happened. Thank God the fans accept my apology and still love me.’
OF all the things Yeboah misses about life in Leeds, one stands out. ‘I love Yorkshire pudding,’ he says. ‘I used to have it after a meal as a dessert. The taste is very good and it gave me a lot of strength when I played. But I had to be careful not to eat too many!’
Moderating his intake was particularly tough, given a local food firm started sponsoring him two puddings per goal. ‘I didn’t do adverts for them, but they knew that I liked Yorkshire pudding and so they sometimes came to the training ground to give me them,’ he smiles. ‘I loved it. Unfortunately, you do not get them in Ghana, but any time I am in Leeds I get one.’
Yeboah also fondly recalls his nights out in Leeds, led by Lucas Radebe. ‘After games, we would go to a club together. It was all part of teamwork.’
Yeboah leads a quieter life now. Having once owned his own football club — Yegoala FC — in Ghana, he now runs two hotels, although he spends more time on the golf course. He is also a grandfather to 18-month-old Leroy and smiles: ‘You can see he is taking his grandpa’s footsteps!’
Yeboah will be watching tonight when Marcelo Bielsa’s side visit the champions. ‘Bielsa is a fantastic coach,’ he adds. ‘He suits the club and I like the way he plays. With the support Leeds has, I don’t think we are going to have any problems. After coronavirus, I think you will see me there again. I can’t wait to go back.’