Leedsista Libre

This week in 1906, on October 27th in fact, a young footballer died while playing at Elland Road for Leeds City.

David 'Soldier' Wilson was never forgotten — but, in 2024, I realised we'd been remembering the wrong person.

This is an extract from my story of the death, and life, of the real David 'Soldier' Wilson.

To read the full story, you can buy a copy of the book I wrote about him by clicking here.

You can also read or listen to the full story, and support my writing, by becoming a paying member of Leedsista.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From June 2025 — in honour Bruno Ribeiro's birthday this week:

Bruno Ribeiro took squad number 10 and took it back to its roots. His passing range, short stature and sharp tackling temper off the left were the nearest thing to a modern John Giles.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From Christmas of 2025, about Christmas of 1995, and visitors from over the Pennines:

Leeds scored their third goal while Cantona was off the pitch, having stitches. When he finally reappeared on the touchline he was no longer Elland Road's king in absentia, but a fallen one. Tomas Brolin had taken his crown.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

Written in 2018 — about a trip to Highbury in 1965:

Arsenal's George Eastham may have been a gentle and philosophical footballer. But he was trying to stop Leeds United winning. Nothing was more provoking than that.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From October of 2017, but also my whole life — chasing Lee Chapman to France, and back again:

France wasn't the only nation bidding for Chapman's services when, at the end of the 1987/88 season, he was disillusioned with life at Sheffield Wednesday. The first foreign inquiry came from the general manager of Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeness.

You can also click here to read this, and see Lee Chapman in a Niort shirt, at Leedsista.com.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

Going back to May 1972 — and a tackle by Norman Hunter that was, 'like a declaration of nuclear war':

Perhaps the pitch invader at the start of the second half had summed the pantomime up. Emerging from the Scotland fans in a dark suit with white pocket square, he was carrying a tartan scarf and a bunch of flowers, the first to wave to the crowd, the second to throw at Norman Hunter.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

About May of 1994/95 — Crystal Palace were coming to Elland Road, but so was Bernd Holzenbein. He wanted Tony Yeboah back already —

One of Fotherby's dreams was secure. Now for the next one. Because if Tony Yeboah could do that with Carlton Palmer whacking the ball at him, imagine what he'd be like with Gazza in midfield?

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From December of 2020/21 — Stamford Bridge had millions of pounds and Frank Lampard; Leeds were poor, but with Marcelo Bielsa, we were happy. For how long?

This weekend Leeds United did not beat Chelsea, or play very beautifully, but Leeds fans are happy anyway. Why? The answer could be complex but simply it's Bielsa. And to Bielsa, always resisting the cult of his personality, that was never the point.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From last summer, about the summer of 1994 — and to read this and watch the videos referred to in the episode, you can click here to use a gift link for the members-only article at Leedsista.

Given his translator had instructions to fight an MRI machine rather than let it scan his legs, Leeds had a near miss with Tomáš Skuhravý.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco

From October last year — and given we're playing Nottingham Forest every three days lately, here's something about one of my favourite players, who played for both:

The acts of persuasion that Howard Wilkinson and Bill Fotherby used to tempt Chris Fairclough to Second Division Leeds United must rank among the greatest lobbying feats in football history.

Leedsista Libre is a free podcast by Daniel Chapman, aka Moxco/Moscowhite for stupid internet reasons. I'm a writer, of the book 100 Years of Leeds United, the film Do You Want to Win?, and of loads of things at The Square Ball, where I was also editing the magazine for yonks and talking on the TSB Podcast for years.  

Since 2017 I've been reading my writing out loud for people to hear on the internet, and on Leedsista Libre I'm sharing highlights — or lowlights, this is Leeds United after all — from those years of writing.  

New writing about our consistently daft Super Leeds football club can be found by visiting Leedsista.com.

Leedsista is entirely reader funded, supported by Leeds fans like you.

You can help to keep Leedsista going by signing up for the newsletter for free, becoming a paying member, buying books or merch like t-shirts and mugs, or sending a one-off tip.

One of the kindest things you can do is tell your friends about Leedsista, sending them articles and podcast episodes and getting them to sign up. We still can't beat the good old word of mouth.

Thanks! MOT — Daniel/Moxco