Leeds United took punt on ex-Blackpool player and it backfired spectacularly: View | OneFootball

Many players have come through the doors at Elland Road over the years, from both ends of the spectrum for Leeds United, with both the strange and the outstanding.

This was particularly evident during the 16 years the club spent in the wilderness outside the Premier League, with a high turnover of squad members, though the club look like they have far more stability now.

Simon Grayson’s tenure was largely positive after he helped the club gain promotion back to the second tier in 2010, but things started to unravel in the Championship after they missed out on back-to-back promotions, meaning key players were sold by Ken Bates.

Simon Grayson brings Paul Rachubka to Leeds

One signing Grayson made was reuniting with Blackpool's 2008/09 Player of the Year, Paul Rachubka. On June 23rd 2011, Rachubka put pen to paper and signed for the Whites on a two-year contract, linking up with manager, Grayson, who had also previously signed him for Blackpool.

He was first used sparingly, due to Andy Lonergan also signing that summer and establishing himself as the number-one. However, with Lonergan out with a broken finger, Rachubka made his first league start of the season against Coventry City in October.

Unfortunately, that game saw the goalkeeper make an error during the final minute, spilling a cross at the feet of Richard Wood, who equalised during a 1-1 draw. Despite this, Rachubka attempted to put the mistake behind him and impress to make the starting spot his own.

A 3-2 win over Peterborough United, a 1-0 loss to Birmingham City, and a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City followed that, but the next game, against his former side, was his ultimate undoing.

Jonjo Shelvey netted a hat-trick as Blackpool destroyed their former manager and player against a ten-man Leeds on a miserable night for Rachubka at Elland Road.

Rachubka made three errors that led directly to goals in the first 30 minutes against his old club to put Leeds 3-0 down, before being substituted at half-time for Leeds' 18-year-old rookie goalkeeper Alex Cairns.

Little was Rachubka to know that after being hauled off at half-time, that would be his final appearances for Leeds, on a terrible night at Elland Road. Lomana Lua Lua slotted home the opener before Shelvey converted a retaken penalty after Tom Lees saw red.

Shelvey completed his treble either side of Lua Lua lashing in his second. His shaky form from Coventry continued and his manager handing an 18-year-old his professional debut spoke volumes, when goalkeepers are rarely taken off.

Grayson reacted by signing Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy on an emergency loan and revealing Rachubka was going to be taken out of the team for a few weeks in an attempt to rebuild his confidence.

Rachubka's Leeds career ends

On loan transfer deadline day on November 24th, Rachubka joined Tranmere Rovers temporarily until January to help recapture some form. He then subsequently joined Leyton Orient on loan until early April.

After returning to Leeds, he was transfer listed by new manager Neil Warnock at the end of the 2011/12 season. Rachubka was not initially allocated a squad number for the 2012–13 season, although he was named amongst the substitutes for a cup game later in the campaign.

He then went on loan to Accrington Stanley briefly, before it was announced that Rachubka would be released by Leeds upon the expiry of his two-year contract.

It meant that the display against Blackpool was the last time he played for the club, with Rachubka going on to then have stints at the likes of Oldham Athletic, Crewe Alexandra, Bolton Wanderers, Bury, and Kerala Blasters before retiring in 2018.

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