What happened to the 2006 kids chelsea poached from leeds

You're referring to the infamous "Battle of the Takeovers"!

In 2005, Chelsea FC, led by owner Roman Abramovich, made a bid to sign several young players from Leeds United, including:

  1. Fabien Debec (a French midfielder)
  2. Tom Taiwo (an English midfielder)
  3. Alex Bruce (a Northern Irish defender)
  4. Mark Fotheringham (a Scottish midfielder)
  5. Ryan Middlebrook (an English midfielder)

Leeds United, who were struggling financially at the time, were unable to match Chelsea's offer and the players were eventually signed by Chelsea for a reported fee of around £1.5 million.

The controversy surrounding the transfer was fueled by the fact that Chelsea's offer was significantly higher than Leeds' valuation of the players, and some Leeds fans felt that the club was being taken advantage of. The incident led to a rift between the two clubs, with Leeds accusing Chelsea of "poaching" their young players.

As for the players themselves, here's a brief update on what happened to them:

  1. Fabien Debec: Debec never made a first-team appearance for Chelsea and was eventually released in 2008. He went on to play for several lower-league clubs in England and France.
  2. Tom Taiwo: Taiwo made a few appearances for Chelsea's reserve team but was released in 2009. He then played for several non-league clubs in England before retiring in 2014.
  3. Alex Bruce: Bruce made a few appearances for Chelsea's reserve team but was released in 2007. He went on to play for several clubs in England and Scotland, including Hibernian and Hull City.
  4. Mark Fotheringham: Fotheringham made a few appearances for Chelsea's reserve team but was released in 2008. He then played for several non-league clubs in England before retiring in 2012.
  5. Ryan Middlebrook: Middlebrook never made a first-team appearance for Chelsea and was eventually released in 2007. He then played for several non-league clubs in England before retiring in 2011.

The incident remains a sore point for some Leeds fans, who feel that Chelsea's actions were unfair and took advantage of their club's financial struggles. However, it's worth noting that the players themselves have spoken positively about their experiences at Chelsea and the opportunities they had to develop as young players.