Jonny Cooper: Leeds United Stats, Bielsa vs Farke, and the Book Every Fan Needs

Rocco sits down with author and Opta data analyst Jonny Cooper, the man behind As Leeds Go Marching On(Available @ Amazon https://amzn.to/4hbwu6L) - the must-have new stats book for every Leeds United fan.

They chat all things Leeds United - from Football Manager to Opta, Bielsa to Farke - and dig into how data tells the story of this great club.

In this episode:

⚽️ Jonny’s early memories of Elland Road and how a stadium tour turned into a lifelong obsession
🕹 How he became Leeds’ official researcher for Football Manager
📊 His journey to Opta and what goes into analysing every kick of the ball
📚 Behind the scenes of writing As Leeds Go Marching On — including the stories that didn’t make the cut
🏆 Don Revie’s dominance and the unreal consistency of the 60s–70s team
📈 Why xG isn’t the enemy — and how it really works
🔥 Bielsa vs Farke: art vs science and the evolution of Leeds United
😂 The time Jonny’s player ratings stopped Leeds signing Ashley Barnes
💭 Plus: predictions for Burnley away and which striker reminds him of Mark Viduka

It’s a stat-packed, nostalgia-filled deep dive into Leeds United’s past, present and future — from a man who knows the numbers inside out.

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