'Never wear the shirt again' – Aston Villa fans explode after what Leon Bailey did vs Leeds

Aston Villa fans unleashed fury on Leon Bailey following a frustrating 1-1 draw against Leeds United at Villa Park on February 21, 2026, branding the winger a traitor unworthy of the claret and blue shirt[3].

The match, a tense Premier League encounter, saw Villa desperate to close the gap on leaders Arsenal and second-placed Manchester City, just three points ahead. Leeds, sitting 15th and fighting relegation, held firm under pressure[1][3]. Ilia Gruev missed a key chance for the Whites, but Bailey's moment of controversy ignited the fan backlash.

With Villa struggling to break down a stubborn Leeds defense, Bailey was called out by pundit Tim Sherwood as one of two "non-existent" players failing to influence the game[2]. In a pivotal late moment, Bailey appeared to down tools dramatically, jogging back slowly during a Leeds counter-attack, allowing them to equalize and snatching a point from Villa's grasp. Social media erupted immediately post-match.

• "Never wear the shirt again, Leon Bailey. Disgraceful effort vs Leeds – Villa till I die!" fumed one supporter on X.
• "Bailey quit on us tonight. Sold the game for nothing. Get him out!" blasted another Villa fan forum poster.
• "From hero to zero. That lazy jog back cost us two points. Unforgivable," echoed a third.

Bailey, who had credited manager Unai Emery for helping him "learn again" pre-match after a fruitless Roma loan, had featured off the bench recently, assisting in a prior win[1]. His first start post-return ended early due to a red card in an FA Cup loss. Yet against Leeds, fans deemed his display unacceptable, especially after Morgan Rogers' earlier dominance over them (scoring twice in November's 2-1 win)[1].

Leeds' Lukas Nmecha loomed as a threat, but the draw leaves Villa fans seething, with calls for Bailey's sale intensifying. "Explode" barely covers the vitriol – some even invoked "never darken our door again."

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