Leeds United marked their 'magical' return to the Premier League with some fittingly late, last-gasp action in a tense opening fixture that ended with a goal by debutant Lukas Nmecha.
More importantly, his contribution off the bench echoes an old fan favourite (albeit eventual villain to many) that could signal things to come.
After all, football has a funny way of drawing parallels even decades on...
In case you didn't see the dramatic tail end of the game, here is what happened:
While Everton defender James Tarkowski was left clearly aggrieved by the somewhat 'soft' penalty decision, to quote the pundits analysing on the night, not to mention Leeds being slightly fortunate, the spot-kick still proved to be enough.
As you can see, Nmecha has barely covered a blade of grass before he was eventually called upon to take the decisive shot, burying it into the bottom right-hand corner.
But arguably the most exciting part about the German-born attacker's instant impact is that he became the first Leeds player to score on their debut as a substitute since ex-striker Alan Smith.
Despite eventually ruffling feathers by making a then-all-too-familiar move to long-standing rivals Manchester United, plenty of supporters still look back on Smith's time at Elland Road with fondness.
His winning goal in the 3-1 victory over Liverpool away at Anfield way back in 1998 certainly remains a very happy memory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rUsZabXX6I
He went from super sub to a £7m Man United signing in 2004 - big money back then.
It took Nmecha just two more minutes and about the same number of touches as it did Alan Smith to score his first Leeds goal, and the latter went on to score 53 more, as well as register 18 assists.
The Whites will be hoping for similar numbers or perhaps even better from the one-time Man City youth product and former Wolfsburg forward, who arrived as a free transfer this summer.
Speaking in his post-match interview after the full-time whistle, Nmecha did himself even more early favours by giving off all the right signals to Sky Sports' David Jones.
"We have amazing fans", said the 26-year-old, "It was very loud in here, electric, I don’t think I’ve felt something like this before."
It will be interesting to see whether he competes for a starting spot ahead of Joël Piroe (the penalty-taker he replaced on Monday night) or, indeed, Leeds' other new signing up at the top of the pitch.
Leeds is set to become a giant board game this summer as Trivial Pursiot arrives in the city centre to celebrate a landmark moment in its history.
To mark 400 years since Leeds was granted its royal charter, LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District) is transforming the city into a live interactive version of Hasbro’s iconic Trivial Pursuit board game, inviting residents and visitors to test their knowledge of all things Leeds.
It follows the huge success of the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover back in summer 2024 and this year, LeedsBID is once again working with leading game, IP and toy company Hasbro to bring another of its iconic games to life.
This time, the focus is on the stories, achievements and surprising facts that have shaped Leeds over four centuries.
Running from 25 July to 30 August 2026, the free experience will see participants journey across the city centre answering questions and collecting wedges, just like the classic trivia game.
Key locations will represent the six traditional Trivial Pursuit categories: Entertainment, Geography, Sports & Leisure, Science and Nature, History, and Art & Literature.
Matt Proulx, Senior Vice President of Global Experiences, Partnerships and Music at Hasbro said: “After the incredible response to the MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover in 2024, we’re proud to collaborate with LeedsBID once again to reimagine another iconic brand in a bold new way.
"This is exactly how we think about Global Experiences at Hasbro - taking our brands beyond the table and creating experiences that are social, shareable and deeply connected to the communities they celebrate."
Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of LeedsBID, said: “TRIVIAL PURSUIT Leeds is about celebrating everything about this great city, from those headline facts and figures people know to the lesser-known surprising details and discoveries.
“LeedsBID’s raison d’etre is to put Leeds on the map and tell the stories and successes of the city. Trivial Pursuit Leeds is doing just that, providing a free, fun and entertaining activity for all ages while sharing new and interesting achievements of this amazing place.”
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
Clementine Hall
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Danny Jones -
19th August 2025 
