Villa v Leeds – Feb 22

It’s back to it this weekend at a ground which holds mixed memories for me.

After playing at Villa Park on Wednesday, we’re at Goodison Park tomorrow which is another proper traditional football ground. I used to love playing at places like that. Highbury was another. Old school and proper.

I might be an unashamed red, but I used to enjoy playing at Goodison because of how the ground is and the atmosphere it could create.

That said, it was also a ground where I got red carded before half-time for Leeds in a shocker of a 0-0 draw. Andy D’Urso gave me two yellow cards in the space of a few minutes, I was off to dogs abuse from the Everton fans. Thanks for that Andy.

And then there was the time I partnered Roque Junior at the back. We were 3-0 down at half-time – my old mate Big Duncan Ferguson scoring – and it finished 4-0 with Steve Watson of all people getting a hat-trick. And, yes, we were that bad.

One thing you can be sure of is that it won’t be like that tomorrow. Leeds will go into the game in good heart because that was a terrific point and second half comeback at Villa. To come from 3-1 down at somewhere like Villa Park and get a result speaks volumes for the characters in the team.

I said after the West Ham game that there were signs that the Leeds of last season had returned. Yes, we were more open and vulnerable to concede, but we were also back on the front foot and suddenly looked a real threat again with the ball. We saw that again at Villa in midweek. It was like watching a game from last season at times and I was buzzing for Dan James after he scored a couple.

It was also nice to see a central defender on the scoresheet with Llorente getting the equaliser. I didn’t get too many in my career, but when I did they were usually pretty important, and Diego’s goal could prove vital in the scheme of things.

That point moved us four clear of Everton after they got stuffed at Newcastle and gives us a little more breathing space. At half-time, the picture looked nowhere near as good with us losing, Norwich winning and Everton and Newcastle drawing, but on 90 minutes it looked a lot healthier.

An old friend of the Leeds faithful – Frank Lampard – is the man charged with keeping Everton up and you have to say, it’s certainly going to be a challenge. Granted, they beat Brentford 4-1 in the FA Cup in his first game, but losing at Newcastle in midweek will have shown what he’s dealing with.

It was a missed opportunity for Everton that and leaves them only two points above the relegation places. After the whole Spygate saga and the play-off semi-final episode a few years back, I’m sure a lot of Leeds fans will feel Frank is due some payback. Hopefully that will come in the shape of three points tomorrow.