Player booed by his own fans on multiple occasions during Man Utd vs Leeds friendly

A player who featured in the friendly between Manchester United and Leeds was booed on multiple occasions during the opening 45 minutes of Saturday's clash at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm.

Jack Harrison, who has returned to Leeds United this summer following a two-year loan spell at Everton, was thrown straight into Daniel Farke's starting line-up for the game against United.

The 28-year-old's decision to join Everton in the summer 2023, just months after Leeds were relegated from the Premier League, was controversial, to say the least.

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In fact, some fans accused Harrison of jumping ship shortly after signing a new five-year contract in April 2023.

Kris Smith, a Leeds fan and pundit at Football League World, made his feelings clear on the situation earlier this year.

“I think it’s very clear to every single Leeds fan and everyone at the club that Harrison has completely burned his bridges at Elland Road, and he won’t ever be welcome back," he said in February.

Harrison was reportedly booed by fans on Saturday. Image credit: Getty

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“He jumped ship when we needed him after relegation even though he signed a new deal in the April just before, and his actions ever since then, including comments from his mother of all people, just haven’t done anything to mend that relationship, so there’s no going back for him here."

Harrison is hardly the most popular figure amongst Leeds supporters at present and on Saturday afternoon, the midfielder was booed both before and during the friendly against Manchester United in Sweden.

Leeds United reporter Isaac Johnson posted an update from the Strawberry Arena ahead of kick-off. "Jack Harrison gets a big boo from many of the Leeds fans as his name is read out over the tannoy," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Harrison was also booed in the opening stages of the contest, as Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth confirmed the jeers. He wrote: "5 - A few boos for Harrison from the Leeds end as he gets on the ball."

Here's how fans on social media reacted to the scenes.

One said: "Just not helpful at all is it," while another commented: "Why? What has he done wrong? Remember, we'd practically sold him to Leicester before we shipped him off to Everton. The lad always gave his best in a Leeds shirt."

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A third wrote: "I don’t get it, if he’s willing to put the work in and from what I have seen so far he’s chasing players down and doing that, give him a chance to prove he’s worth it."

A fourth said: "Pretty much how I expected it would go," and a fifth added: "Pathetic."

Earlier this week, Smyth gave an update on Harrison's current status at Elland Road.

“Sources close to the player say that he was never going to refuse to report back and club sources say his attitude has been spot on, but there is no ignoring the elephant in the room," he wrote in the Yorkshire Evening Post newsletter, as per Leeds United News.

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“This is a re-marriage of inconvenience and if it was to be made official when Everton visit Elland Road for the first game of the new season, there would be thousands rising to their feet to speak now in objection rather than holding their peace.”

He added: "By all accounts, done what all Leeds United footballers are expected to do. He’s trained hard, like a professional should.”

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