Leeds United have seen a plethora of talent through the revolving doors at Thorp Arch across the years, with many enjoying success away from the club after failing to break through into the Elland Road first-team. Most footballers are accustomed to setbacks in their efforts to establish themselves, whether that is injuries, competition or not clicking under particular management set-ups.
One player who was unable to break through at Leeds United after seven years at the academy is James Tavernier, who is now enjoying European success with Rangers as he prepares for tonight's Europa League final.
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Every academy has former players who have found success after being released, with youth development never an exact science. Here is a look at six former Thorp Arch hopefuls that never got as far as making a Leeds United first-team appearance.
David Seaman
The former Arsenal and England goalkeeper has spoken several times about how he cried when Leeds sold him as a 18-year-old to Division 4 side Peterborough in 1982. After the Rotherham-born stopper had come through the Whites youth system, he was unable to find a way past John Lukic, who he would later usurp at Arsenal.
With 75 England caps, three league titles and four FA Cup winners' medals, this is certainly the biggest miss on this list from Leeds.
Oli McBurnie
McBurnie was let go by Leeds aged 14 in 2010 and would then sign scholarship forms at Bradford City, where he made his professional debut. He earned a move to Swansea City in 2015 and following a spate of loan spells, firmly established himself as a proven Championship goalscorer. The now 25-year-old suffered play-off heartache with current club Sheffield United on Wednesday night.
Danny Rose
Originally born in Doncaster, defender Rose began his career at Leeds United, progressing through the youth team set-up at Thorp Arch and going as far as getting a squad number for the 2006-07 season, but failing to make an appearance in the first-team.
He was sold to Tottenham for £1million at the end of that campaign, as Leeds were relegated and in dire need of funds. He established himself in the Spurs side after a few loan moves, but has been hit by injury in recent campaigns. The now 31-year-old is currently with already relegated outfit Watford.
James Tavernier
The current Rangers skipper is another Thorp Arch old boy. Bradford-born, Tavernier first turned out for Farsley Celtic, before joining Leeds United as a nine-year-old and beginning life as a goalkeeper before he moved into midfield.
At 16 he left the academy and was snapped up by Newcastle, where he made his professional debut in a 2009 League Cup tie. A host of loan moves followed before he joined Wigan in 2014, where he spent a season before signing for Rangers.
Tavernier, who is set to lead out the Gers in their upcoming UEFA Europa League final with Frankfurt in Seville, remains a Leeds fan, celebrating their 2020 promotion on his Twitter account.
He has also previously admitted that it was tough to watch his brother Marcus play for Middlesbrough against the Whites at Elland Road. “I went down to watch him play against Leeds, but that was a bit of a hard one for me because I’m a Leeds fan and was sitting in the Leeds end!", he said.
“When I told Marcus I was going in the Leeds end I think he expected it because he knows what I’m like with Leeds. My mum wasn’t in the away end at Elland Road either as she’s a Leeds fan too.”
Tom Cairney
The Fulham midfielder was released by Leeds United at the age of 16 after the club feared he was too small to make it as a top-level professional. He would later speak about how much of a blow that was.
"To be honest it crushed me, it crushed me a lot, I was with Leeds from I was seven to 16 so it was a big part of my life," he told the Lancashire Telegraph in 2014.
"I was going there three-four times a week, missing days of school, and obviously my mum and dad had put a lot into it too. So getting released at 16, it just felt like, ‘oh no, after all that effort’. But I was determined I would not stop there. I went to Hull and they offered me a YTS as they obviously saw something. And from 16–18 I shot up in height and then it went back to my footballing ability."
Cairney may well face off against the Whites next season, as Fulham ensured their return to the top flight with a comprehensive Championship campaign.
Luke Garbutt
Rather than being rejected by the club, this is a case of the player thinking the grass would be greener elsewhere.
Harrogate-born left-back Garbutt left Leeds United as a 16-year-old in 2009, signing for Everton for an initial compensation fee of £600,000 which was set by a tribunal. At the time Garbutt was the England under-16 skipper and had also turned out at under-17 level.
Leeds had high hopes for him, but the player opted for the bright lights of the Premier League. Now 28, Garbutt applies his trade with Championship side Blackpool, following his release from the Blues back in 2020.
