Leeds United’s No.9s during their Premier League years have usually performed exceptionally well. Out of the eight who have worn the shirt, only two players have failed to hit double figures.
The current holder of the shirt is Patrick Bamford, who has every chance of keeping the No.9 jersey in the coming years provided he puts his injury problems behind him.
The Englishman scored an impressive 17 goals in his first season playing in the top flight at Elland Road. A dip last season due to what felt like an injury curse may lead many to forget just how good a goalscorer Bamford is, but next season will hopefully provide some timely reminders.
With Raphinha potentially on his way out of the exit door this summer, the responsibility will fall on Bamford once again to find the goals in this Leeds side. Under Jesse Marsch, the striker will hope to put his injury troubles behind and kick on once more.
Those before Bamford, if you cast your minds back, didn’t have a bad time in front of goal, either, as revealed by TransferMarkt.
Every Leeds No.9 ranked on Premier League goals scored
Noel Whelan – 0 goals
Ian Rush – 3 goals
Tony Yeboah – 12 goals
Lee Chapman – 15 goals
Patrick Bamford – 19 goals
Brian Deane – 27 goals
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 34 goals
Mark Viduka – 59 goals
As you can see, it is Mark Viduka who leads the way for Premier League goals scored by Leeds United number nines. The Australian did everything he could to keep Leeds afloat, but couldn’t do enough to prevent the drop in the end, as the Yorkshire club suffered relegation in 2004.
Behind Viduka is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. The forward enjoyed an affluent spell at Elland Road before making a big-money move to Chelsea, netting on 34 occasions.
Brian Deane provided a healthy return of 27 strikes, while Lee Chapman only featured for Leeds during one Premier League season and Yeboah’s Elland Road spell was explosive but shortlived.
The only real flops in the list of number nines are Noel Whelan and, surprisingly, Ian Rush, although the Liverpool legend was very much in the latter stages of his career when he turned out for the Whites.
Now, the responsibility lies with Bamford. 35 goals away from Viduka, can the former Chelsea forward become the most successful number nine in Leeds United’s Premier League history?
He’s got a long way to go but at 28 years of age, the England international still has a few years left to try and whittle down his predecessor’s tally.
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