The Leeds United academy has produced some gems over the years who have gone on to serve the Whites as well as grace several Premier League teams over the years. The Whites academy has been a regular source of players across the football pyramid and several teams in the top flight have players who came out of the hallowed youth teams of Leeds.
While Leeds would prefer to hold on to their top young stars, it hasn’t always been possible given they have spent a large portion of the last two decades below the Premier League level. The Whites are pushing to make sure that they return to the top flight but they can find solace in the fact that several of their former academy starlets are now important players in Premier League teams.
Archie Gray is the most obvious name that one can come up with when it comes to former Leeds United academy players in the Premier League. James Milner is one more name that crops up given his excellence at the top level over the last two decades.
However, some players have had a tougher route back to the Premier League and it was not peaches and cream for some of them when they left Leeds with many having to find a way away from the Whites.
The respective stories of Jack Clarke and Leif Davis must inspire the young players who are now dreaming of having a professional career in the Leeds academy.
A difficult route to the Premier League
Clarke and Davis were in the Leeds academy together but had two very different career paths. While Clarke joined Tottenham after impressing in Marcelo Bielsa’s first season at Elland Road, the left-back joined Ipswich Town when they were still in League One.
However, Clarke struggled at Tottenham and needed to drop down to the Championship with Sunderland to rekindle his career. After being the best player on Wearside for two seasons, the winger eventually earned his return to the Premier League when Ipswich signed him in the last summer transfer window.
Davis has had a meteoric rise just like Ipswich. They earned promotion in his first season at Portman Road and the 24-year-old was brilliant last season as Kieran McKenna’s side got promoted to the Premier League.
Clarke and Davis, who started life together at the Leeds academy, have reunited at Portman Road this season and are massive players for the team.
The duo’s success shows the resilience and fighting spirit that was instilled in them when they were in the Leeds academy. It was not a straightforward road and there were trials and tribulations, but the two players fought and found their way back to the top.
The duo are examples for youngsters in the Leeds United academy
The coaches in the Leeds academy can use Clarke and Davis as examples for the youngsters who at some point will face disappointments and rejections in their careers. These two have shown that there is always a way back to the top if you have the talent and are prepared to graft.
Clarke recently spoke about reuniting with Davis and said: “We spent a lot of time together playing U23s and reserve football when we were still at Leeds together.
“Our journeys took us down different paths then we’ve met together at the same point which is nice.
“I was more of a conventional winger when he first joined and he probably wasn’t getting forward as much as he is now. We had a good relationship back then and hopefully, it’s something we can build upon going forward.”
Not every youngster in the academy is going to make it at Leeds United and could face hurdles in their careers. However, Davis and Clarke are examples of players who eventually found their way to the top regardless of the route they took.
