Liam Cooper remains a key figure at Leeds United as the club’s captain and leader but he says there are a number of players showing leadership behind the scenes, naming one surprise example.
Cooper, 32, looks set to be nearing an end to his stay at Leeds after what felt like the end of an era at Elland Road on Thursday night against Norwich in which he was given the last few minutes in the 4-0 win.
The Scotland star has spent the last 10 years at Leeds, initially joining the club during Massimo Cellino’s first summer as owner. He was one of 14 signings alongside the likes of Mirco Antenucci and others.
He has gone on to play the best part of 300 games for The Whites, with injury preventing the skipper from playing more. This season, he has been limited to just 19 appearances by manager Daniel Farke.
Ahead of Sunday’s play-off final, he admitted that he has found the lack of game time “difficult”. His absence in the side has seen Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu captain the Leeds side on the pitch.
Off of it, Cooper remains the man man. Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Cooper identified a number of Leeds leaders and explained why Archie Gray is already among that group.
Cooper says teenager Archie Gray is one of Leeds’ leaders
Every team needs a few leaders and even a leadership group and Leeds have that. Ampadu has thrived with the armband, as did defender Struijk before his injury at the halfway point in the 2023-24 campaign.
This is a young Leeds side, and it has required a few players to step up and show their importance this term. But not many will have expected Gray to already be showing that level to his game, at just 18.
“We’re lucky now, we’ve got plenty of leaders, so it’s obviously not just left to me. Ethan has been brilliant, Stuey [Dallas] has been about the place. Obviously Luke [Ayling] was there at the start of the season.
“Even young Archie [Gray] leads in his own way. So it’s been difficult, but one I’ve enjoyed. Obviously, we’ve done very well this season. And then we’re into the final push now,” Cooper said ahead of Sunday.
What Gray did during Leeds lap of honour after 4-0 Norwich win
While the rest of the Leeds players trudged around Elland Road to the adulation of the Leeds fans after their play-off semi-final second leg win over Norwich, Gray remained stationary as he took it all in.
Some misplaced Twitter accounts have suggested that Gray was enjoying Elland Road for one last time but those of a Leeds persuasion will know that he was simply stood in awe of the club’s support last week.
A boyhood Leeds fan, with deep-rooted Leeds ties thanks to Eddie, Frank and Andy before him, Gray is going to be pivotal come Sunday at Wembley and his leadership is clearly important to this Leeds side.