The Whites kick-off the 2024/25 Championship season on Saturday with a home game against newly promoted Portsmouth. Ahead of the opening fixture, we have taken a look through our history and selected a Starting XI of players who have featured for both sides.
GOALKEEPER: Jamie Ashdown
The Reading-born shot-stopper joined Portsmouth in 2004 and his time at the club saw him step in as both a starter and backup until his departure in 2012. He picked up an FA Cup winners medal for the club’s competition win in 2008, which was infamously stolen but then later reissued, and made over 100 appearances for the Hampshire side. Following his exit, Ashdown signed for Leeds United where he played as a backup ‘keeper until 2014 and made eight appearances for the Whites.
DEFENDER: Jason Crowe
At Portsmouth, Crowe played between 1999 and 2003 under Tony Pulis and Harry Redknapp. Crowe made 86 appearances and netted five goals during his time down south before having spells with Grimsby Town and Northampton. He made the move up north to Leeds in 2009 and played 27 times until his departure in 2011. The defender was a part of the Leeds side that won promotion back to the Championship in 2010 but his season ended prematurely after having an operation on his ankle a few games before the campaign ended.
DEFENDER: Andy O’Brien
Born in Yorkshire, O’Brien spent the early days of his career up north with Bradford City and Newcastle United before joining Portsmouth on the south coast in 2005. Injuries hit the centre-back during his Pompey days as he racked up 37 appearances before leaving in 2007. He then signed for Bolton Wanderers where he joined Leeds on an initial one-month loan from in 2010. The move was soon made permanent and he remained with the club until 2012 after making a total of 38 appearances and scoring two goals.
DEFENDER: L’ubomir Michalik
6 ft 7’ Slovakian Michalik first joined Leeds on loan from Bolton Wanderers in March 2007 and later signed a permanent deal ahead of the 2007/08 campaign. Over the course of three seasons, he made 76 appearances and netted twice before joining Carlisle United in 2011. Michalik later made the move to Portsmouth in September 2012 when Pompey were in League One and netted one goal in 20 games for the club. The defender departed Hampshire at the end of the 2012/13 season for FC Kairat in Kazakhstan.
DEFENDER: Conor Shaughnessy
Following a successful trial, Shaughnessy signed for the Leeds United development squad in September 2016. He made a number of first team appearances the following season before having loan spells with Hearts, Mansfield and Burton Albion. He departed Leeds after making 15 appearances in all competitions. Portsmouth secured his signature ahead of the 2023/14 campaign and went on to win the League One title that same season.
MIDFIELDER: Vince Hilaire
After seven years with Crystal Palace, a loan spell with San Jose Earthquakes and a stint at Luton Town, Hilaire signed for Pompey in 1984. The midfielder went on to play for the club 174 times and score on 27 occasions too. He spent four seasons down south before directly joining Leeds United in 1988. Hilaire played 49 times in his debut year and just twice during the 1989/90 promotion campaign as he left for Stoke City at the start of the season.
MIDFIELDER: Steve Stone
Ex-England international Steve Stone made the move to Pompey from Aston Villa in 2002 and achieved promotion to the Premier League in his first season with the club. Overall, after three seasons in Hampshire, the midfielder scored 10 goals in 80 games before directly moving to Leeds. However, his career at Leeds was short-lived due to persistent injury problems. He made a few appearances towards the end of the 2005/06 campaign and at the start of the following season but again, injuries hit. After 15 games and one goal, he hung up his boots on his playing career.
MIDFIELDER: David Norris
Norris signed for Pompey from Ipswich Town and remained there for just the one season in the Championship. He racked up 42 appearances and netted 8 times during the 2011/12 campaign and signed for Leeds United straight after his stint on the south coast. Norris sustained a number of injuries during his time with the Whites during his three seasons with the club. 36 games and four goals later, he was released by the club in 2015.
MIDFIELDER: Lee Sharpe
Sharpe played 30 games in his debut Leeds United season but a knee injury kept him out for the entirety of the following 1997/98 campaign. Overall, he featured in 37 games and netted 6 goals in all competitions during his time at Leeds. When he later moved to Bradford City, he was sent out on loan to Portsmouth when he lost his place in the team. Sharpe played 17 games in the second tier for Pompeu before finishing his career with his parent club the following season.
FORWARD: Ian Baird
Baird had two spells with Leeds in the 1980s, the first came in March 1985 when he signed from Southampton. 33 goals and 85 games later, Baird signed for Portsmouth but re-signed for LUFC in March 1988, less than a full season on the south coast. He added an additional 17 goals and 77 games to his tally and departed the Whites in 1990. During his Pompey days, he struggled for form and consistent games, overall he scored one goal in 20 games.
FORWARD: Jim Storrie
The Scotsman signed for Leeds under Don Revie in 1962 from Airdrieonians. He went on to help Leeds gain promotion to the First DIvision in the 1963/64 season and reach the 1965 FA Cup final. The centre forward scored 67 goals in 157 games for the club and left in 1967. Fast forward to 1969 and Storrie was now playing for Portsmouth after spells with Aberdeen and Rotherham. Storrie racked up 43 appearances and 12 goals during his time on the south coast.
