Young Leeds United defender goes out on loan

Leeds have sent another young player out on a temporary loan spell to a Yorkshire club, as 18 year-old defender Liam Kitching will join Harrogate Town for a month-long loan spell at the National League North side.

Kitching is a member of the Leeds Academy, and has featured for the U23s and the U18s this past season. He was on the bench for the match against Newport County, and while we all would have wanted the result to go a different way, he’ll always remember being issued a shirt and named to the matchday squad.

This is the second short loan spell for a young Leeds United player to a local Yorkshire club this season. Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell spent a month on loan at York City earlier in the season, and as part of extending their scouting system, Leeds have been more active in looking for young players from Yorkshire as well as from all over the globe. The club signed Ryan Edmonson from York City not long after Peacock-Farrell spent some time on loan at the club.

Harrogate isn’t very far from Thorp Arch or Elland Road, but it’s not quite as close as the “switch” that Peacock-Farrell made, as Bootham Crescent, the York City ground, is closer to Thorp Arch than Elland Road.

Harrogate Town currently sit in second place in the National League North table on 50 points, but they currently eight points behind leaders Salford City. The club is, however, comfortably in the play-offs. York City are also in the same division as Harrotage Town, and they are also in the playoffs positions after winning four out of their last five matches.

Here’s hoping young Kitching will get some good experience in a little different environment. Kitching was also born in Harrogate, so he’ll be going back “home” at least.