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Leeds Live

Sport

Oscar Haley

Viduka, Kisnorbo and Leeds United's Australian connections ahead of Socceroos World Cup bid

Leeds United Australia Socceroos World Cup Mark Viduka Whites Harry Kewell EPL Patrick Kisnorbo Shane Lowry

Leeds United have plenty of history when it comes to fielding Australian players.

And with the Socceroos set to kick-off their World Cup campaign on Tuesday evening against defending World Champions France, LeedsLive took a look at just how the Whites former Australian stars fared during their time at Elland Road...

Mark Viduka - 2000-2004

Where better to start off than with Mark Viduka. The Australian striker was a fan favourite at Elland Road, joining the Whites back in 2000 from Celtic.

Viduka would spend the next four seasons at Elland Road, scoring goals for fun.

He bagged 72 goals in 166 appearances for Leeds during his spell at the club before leaving in 2004 following their relegation to the Championship, joining Middlesbrough.

Viduka made 43 appearances for Australia and scored 11 goals.

Harry Kewell - 1993-2003

Harry Kewell is next on our list of former Leeds United Australians. The winger made over 200 appearances for Leeds before moving to Liverpool in 2003 under a cloud of controversy. A later move to Galatasaray would tarnish any hopes he had of a positive Elland Road legacy.

He scored 63 goals during his time at Elland Road and was part of the side that reached the Champions League semi-finals back in the 2000/01 season.

Kewell made 58 appearances for Australia.

Patrick Kisnorbo - 2009-2013

Fan favourite Patrick Kisnorbo enjoyed an excellent first season at Leeds, winning the clubs Player of the Season award. He was also included in the PFA League One Team of the Year after he managed to help Leeds to promotion during the 2009/10 season.

However, injuries would ravage his career after that season. A ruptured achilles tendon meant he missed all of the 2010/11 season bar an 11-minute cameo in the final game of the season against QPR.

While he made a few appearances the following season, he ultimately left the club in 2013 after making 58 appearances for the Whites. He also made 18 for Australia.

Neil Kilkenny - 2007-2011

Midfielder Neil Kilkenny made nearly 150 appearances for Leeds during their years in the football league following their relegation from the Premier League.

He helped Leeds earn promotion back to the Championship in the 2009/10 season and played one season there with the Whites before moving on Bristol City. Kilkenny won 14 caps for Australia

Paul Okon - 2003-2004

Paul Okon made 21 appearances for Leeds during the season they were relegated from the Premier League back in 2003/04. He was also capped by Australia 28 times.

Jacob Burns - 2000-2003

Midfielder Jacob Burns made 11 appearances for Leeds, four of which came in the Champions League. He arrived at Elland Road from Parramatta Power SC in 2000 but later went on to join Barnsley in 2003 on a free. He made 15 appearances for Australia.

Shane Cansdell-Sherriff - 1999-2003

Shane Cansdell-Sherriff never made an appearance for Leeds. He joined the Whites in 1999 from NSW academy but was released in 2003 and went on to sign for Rochdale.

While he never made an appearance for Leeds, he did go on to make over 300 Football League appearances, playing for Tranmere Rovers, Shrewsbury Town, Preston North End, Rochdale and Burton Albion. Was never capped by Australia.

Hayden Foxe - 2006-2007

Defender Hayden Foxe made 20 appearances for Leeds across the Championship, League Cup and FA Cup. Previously, Foxe had played for West Ham United and Portsmouth in the Premier League before joining Leeds. He made 11 international appearances for Australia.

Centre-back, made 11 Australia appearances.

Joel Griffiths - 2005-2006

Forward Joel Griffiths made just two appearances for Leeds in the Championship.

While his time at Leeds was not as successful as he would have hoped, Griffiths has played in China, Australia and Switzerland during his career and won three caps for Australia.