Star released by Leeds at 16 is now starring in the Premier League
The most recent graduate of Leeds United’s academy system to establish himself as a vital first-team player is Archie Grey.
After leaving Elland Road, the former Whites prospect has gone on to have a successful career.
Since arriving in Yorkshire last summer, German head coach Daniel Farke has begun 31 of the club’s Championship games, starting the 17-year-old prodigy.
The adolescent gem, a natural central midfielder, has been the former Norwich City tactician’s first-choice option at right-back since Djed Spence’s injury allowed him to enter the game while on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.
Not every young talent at Elland Road got the opportunity to make an impression like he did when the boss gave him one at the beginning of the season, and he seized it.
Prior to making his professional debut for Leeds, Tom Cairney began his youth career with the Whites. As a result of his release, his worth took off.
Why Leeds ditched Tom Cairney
The seven-year-old offensive midfielder was admitted into the club’s academy and progressed through the age groups until they opted to let him go in 2017.
At the time, he was sixteen and only five feet one inch tall. After spending nine years at Elland Road, Leeds reportedly decided to release him on a free transfer due in part to his height.
With just one senior appearance under his belt, Cairney departed Yorkshire with the apparent decision that he would not grow physically and possibly technically to the point where he could become a first-team player.
After his career, the Scotland international said he was “crushed” by the young player’s departure from the club, considering the amount of time he had spent growing there.
After his release, Hull City paid nothing for the English-born maestro, whose market assessment by August 2010 on Transfermarkt was €750k (£643k).
Why Tom Cairney’s market value soared
Standing at six feet, the Fulham player’s height surge following his departure from Leeds may have contributed to his remarkable career.
Cairney left Hull for Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2013 after making 80 appearances for the first team, scoring five goals and dishing out eleven assists. In January 2014, the loan agreement was formally confirmed.
Following his nine goals and sixteen assists in 85 games for Rovers, the midfielder was subsequently snapped up permanently by Fulham, who were playing in the Championship at the time, in the summer of 2015.
After racking up 26 goals and 22 assists in 120 games in the second division, the brilliant magician helped the Cottagers gain promotion to the Premier League within three seasons.
The promotion-winning goal he scored against Aston Villa in the 2018 play-off final, as shown in the video above, was his 26th league goal during that time.
The captain of Fulham rose to the occasion, coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner to send the Cottagers into the Premier League.
But the most productive season for the magical midfielder in terms of goals and assists in his senior career was earlier in the 2016–17 season for the London team.
| 16/17 Championship | Tom Cairney |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 45 |
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | Ten |
| Big chances created | Nine |
| Key passes per game | 2.6 |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
By August 2018, Cairney’s market worth on Transfermarkt had soared to an incredible €18m (£15.4m) thanks to his incredible play-off final strike and form for Fulham.
In other words, after leaving Leeds for nothing, his worth increased by an incredible 2,300% from the €750k it was during his first-team debut with Hull.
Consequently, Hull were willing to give Cairney the time he needed to settle into his body and find his feet, so the Whites lost out on a great player whose value increased over the next several years without receiving any recompense when they released him.
Where Cairney is now
In 25 appearances in the league this season, the 33-year-old has tallied four assists, which is at least twice as much as any Leeds midfielder has in the Championship.
| 23/24 Premier League | Tom Cairney |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 25 |
| Starts | 13 |
| Goals | One |
| Big chances created | Five |
| Pass accuracy | 90% |
| Duel success rate | 61% |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
The seasoned player has performed admirably for Fulham in the Premier League throughout the 2023–2024 season, as the table above illustrates.
The Scottish wizard has demonstrated strength in his duels, winning most of his physical challenges, and quality at the top of the pitch with goals, assists, and well-created opportunities, all while being a dependable ball passer.
These numbers are especially noteworthy for a 33-year-old who may be nearing the end of his playing career and who hasn’t started games for Marco Silva’s team very frequently.
When his team has needed him, he has consistently delivered a strong and dependable performance, which at his age in the Premier League speaks volumes about his professionalism and talent.
Leeds made a huge mistake when they opted to let him go from their academy at the age of sixteen, as evidenced by this and his skyrocketing market worth early in his career.
Leading Fulham’s midfield for years is the left-footed maestro, who previously starred for Hull and Blackburn in the Premier League and the Championship.
A successful career in the top two divisions has been his legacy, as Leeds has spent the majority of the last fifteen years in these divisions (apart from a brief stint in League One).
With new players emerging now who could be thought to be too small or not physically strong to make it, the Whites might have a valuable lesson to learn from this. After all, they might naturally develop in that area and go on to excel as football players, just like Cairney did.
