Leeds United had several heroes in their promotion-winning squad last season, and Joe Rothwell was one of those unassuming stars of that team. He played a big role in earning them the Premier League ticket, but didn’t get the chance to enjoy the fruits of his labour.
Rothwell joined Leeds on loan last year, and he was not seen as one of the players who could end up being a big player in their ambition of earning promotion back to the Premier League. However, he defied expectations at Elland Road.
The midfielder was brilliant in the middle of the park, and his set-piece delivery made a difference in some big games towards the end of the Championship season. However, he left Elland Road at the end of his loan stint.
He would have agreed to sign on a permanent deal had Leeds chased a deal with Bournemouth. However, the Whites looked for upgrades, and Rothwell agreed to move north of the border to join Rangers.
Can you name these 10 former Leeds United strikers?
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Former Leeds star regrets summer transfer
New Rangers boss Russell Martin pushed the club to sign Rothwell, with the 49ers only impressed by his performances for Leeds last season.
However, the Glasgow giants have made a terrible start to the new season, and Martin and his new signings are in the fans’ line of fire for the poor performances.
Rothwell has been mercilessly targeted by Rangers fans for criticism, and Chris Sutton admitted that the midfielder has been visibly shaken by the treatment he has received at Ibrox this season.
The former Premier League striker stressed that Rangers have become a difficult club to play for because of the toxic environment at Ibrox, with the former Leeds star becoming its latest victim.
“Joe Rothwell, a really decent playing career at Leeds and Blackburn”, Sutton said on the BBC’s Monday Night Club.
“He’s really been affected by expectation, moans and groans. It’s a difficult place to play; the environment is toxic.”
Rothwell must be missing the stable environment he found at Leeds last season
Despite losing the playoff final last year and the chance of the situation turning toxic, Daniel Farke managed to maintain a sense of harmony inside the squad and the club last season.
He maintained consistency in the environment, which allowed players to thrive and eventually earn promotion by winning the Championship with 100 points in their bag.
Players such as Rothwell knew their role in the squad, and Leeds cruised along in the second tier despite a couple of difficult moments in the season.
It is far away from the toxicity that the midfielder has discovered at Rangers, who are desperate to get out of Celtic’s shadow, but do not have the finances to compete with their stronger local rivals.
I’m a Rangers fan and I will say that Ibrox has become a really hostile environment during league matches.
I have no doubt it effects the players, it’s been that way for years.
It won’t change until the team starts winning and the team won’t start winning until the fans fully back them.
So Rangers are stuck in a deep dark hole and I don’t see it changing any time soon.
As for Sutton, the guy is a Rangers hating fud.