There’s a reason we call this time of the year ‘silly season’. When transfer rumours die down and the biggest talking point is how many of the youngsters are going to play in your pre-season friendly against some team you’ve never heard of from a country you’ve only ever heard of from Eurovision, there’s not a lot for fans to talk about.
Which is why they are instead eagerly awaiting two crucial bits of information that won’t have any effect on them for another two months, but at least it passes the time between now and when the season actually kicks off.
As well as fixture release day for the league campaign in the EFL, it’s also the day that the first round of the Carabao Cup is drawn at 7pm, a much more reasonable time compared to previous years, where it’s been held at some quite random times, due to the draws taking place in the far east.
With seeding being scrapped as of last year, there are no limits as to who a team can play, and for Leeds United fans there’s one team in particular that stood out. When the official club Twitter feed put up the ball numbers for the upcoming draw, asking who the fans wanted to be drawn with, the majority of their eyes were drawn to Derby County.
Derby
— Alex Jack (@AlMalJack) June 19, 2019
1st choice: Derby
2nd: Huddersfield
3rd: Bradford— Shaun (@LUFC19921) June 19, 2019
Has to be Derby home or away we owe them a hiding.
— vincent o brien (@fabvinny) June 19, 2019
Derby. Knock em out.
— Frainy_180 (@frainy_180) June 19, 2019
Derby obviously!!
— Greg Stanton (@GregStanton12) June 19, 2019
They took to Twitter to express their desire to get revenge on (what is for the meanwhile) Frank Lampard’s team after their devastating loss to the Rams during last year’s playoff semi-finals.
Whilst most were focusing on that, others were drawn to Leeds’ own number of 17 and whether or not it was an omen for another doomed campaign after the previous owner Massimo Cellino famously had a superstition revolving around that number.
We still all anti 17 or did that go when Cellino left?
— Jack Dougill (@dougill_jck) June 19, 2019
Imagine Cellino being told this during his reign. ????
— Manny (@Manny_S_H_1989) June 19, 2019
Get some players in , no one cares about the tin pot cup
— marshall (@sales08988433) June 19, 2019