Grandpa Spence was certainly a player that Daniel Farke couldn’t make the most of at Leeds United.
Spence moved to Elland Road on a season-long loan from Spurs last summer but lost time halfway through with apparent attitude and timing issues.
The 24-year-old has since denied the claims, but there is no doubt that Leeds never saw what Spence could offer, which is a shame given how good he was at this level for Nottingham Forest.
After just a few minutes on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, Spence picked up an injury which will keep him out for the next three months.
Unfortunately, when he finally recovered, Spence was mostly used at left-back, which never allowed him to show his full potential, and as such he was sent back to Spurs
Farke could regret using Spence at Leeds
When he was loaned out to Genoa in January, Spence’s career at Spurs looked almost certain to be over.
However, Spence has had a positive time in Italy and given the number of players who have made a late return to Spurs for pre-season after Euro 2024, he has been given one last chance to impress in pre-season.
Spence seems to have made the most of this opportunity as he is now back as a first-team regular at Spurs, which in itself is a clear sign of his ability in the Premier League.
And after being on the bench for most of the season so far, Spence was handed the entire second half against Coventry City last night.
Just when it looked like Spurs would be embarrassed once again, Spence equalized and Brennan Johnson won just moments later.
With Archie Gray also making his Spurs debut, Spence is actually set to surpass his former Leeds team-mate in a clear sign of what Farke missed last season.
Farke would almost have chosen Gray over Spence at right-back and while the teenager has done a good job, it is not his natural position.
On the flip side, the ‘amazing’ Spence has so much pace and directness when it comes to getting forward that could be such a useful asset for Leeds.
During Farke’s tenure at Leeds, right-back never seemed to be a position he was ever excited about, and Jayden Bogle hasn’t helped at all since his arrival.
If Farke got the best of Spence, he could be the solution for so many years at Elland Road.
What Spence had to say about his time under Farke at Leeds
Spence was given the chance to respond to claims about his time and struggles at Leeds in an interview a few months after his departure.
He has flatly denied that there was ever any issue regarding his tardiness and claimed that Farke never gave him the opportunity to play at his best.
He said: “I went there, it was going well and then I got injured. I got a pretty bad knee injury, then I came back and it was still sore.
“I came back and played a bit, but I played on the wrong side (left-back). It wasn’t easy. I didn’t do my best, everyone wants to play in their best position.
“I don’t think it’s fair at all. I don’t necessarily agree with what they said. But that’s how it is in football: you have to keep your head down, keep going and prove people wrong in the end.
“Some of it is a bit excessive. You can be late one time and if you don’t play it’s a problem, and if you play it’s not a problem.”