2008–09 Leeds United F.C. season
N P Name Age Type Moving to Transfer window Transfer fee Apps Goals Source
8 MF Alan Thompson 34 Retired Retirement Summer n/a 25 5 Leeds United
35 DF Darren Kenton 29 Out of Contract Cheltenham Town Summer n/a 16 0 Leeds United
10 FW Leon Constantine 30 Transferred Northampton Town Summer Free 6 2 Leeds United
31 FW Tomi Ameobi 19 Transferred Doncaster Rovers Summer £ 30k 2 0 Leeds United
39 FW Anthony Elding 26 Transferred Crewe Alexandra Summer £160k 9 1 Leeds United
38 MF Sebastian Sorsa 24 Released Hamilton Academical Summer n/a 0 0 Yorkshire Evening Post
41 MF Robert Bayly 20 Released Sporting Fingal Summer n/a 3 0 Leeds United
40 MF Curtis Weston 21 Transferred Gillingham Summer Free 11 1 Leeds United
35 MF Sébastien Carole 25 Released Darlington Summer n/a 52 3 Leeds United
27 DF Mansour Assoumani 27 Out of Contract Wrexham Winter n/a 1 0 Leeds United
37 MF Ian Westlake 25 Released Cheltenham Town Winter n/a 52 3 Leeds United
28 FW Malcolm Christie 29 Released Winter n/a 5 1 Leeds United
17 DF Scott Gardner 20 Released Mansfield Town Winter n/a 2 0 Leeds United
26 DF Paul Telfer 37 Released Slough Town Winter n/a 18 0 Leeds United
30 GK Jonathan Lund 20 Released Grimsby Town Winter n/a 0 0 Leeds United
- MF Lee Booth 18 Released Winter n/a 0 0
- MF Nathan Cartman 19 Released Winter n/a 0 0
- GK Matt Edwards 18 Released Rochdale Winter n/a 0 0
- FW Sam Jerome 18 Released Winter n/a 0 0
- DF Chris Ovington 18 Released Bradford Park Avenue Winter n/a 0 0
Transfers -- Out
The 2008-09 season was Leeds United F.C. 's second consecutive season in the third tier of English football and for the second year running saw them finish in the play-offs in League One. Gary McAllister started the season as manager, but after a poor run of games in late 2008, his contact was terminated and he was replaced by Simon Grayson. After a nervy first few games, Grayson lifted the side from eighth to fourth, resulting in a place in the play-offs. During this time, the club recorded eleven consecutive home wins. Although to the heartbreak of Leeds fans, the club failed in the play-offs again, being defeated by Millwall in the semi-finals. During the season, Jermaine Beckford scored 34 goals in all competitions - the highest in the country. Once again, the club received the highest attendance outside the Premier League on three occasions; the largest in the play-off semi final, recording a crowd of over 37,000. Off the pitch, the club made a profit for the first time in years.