For Leeds United fans, next May will mark 16 years since their beloved side almost reached the final of the UEFA Champions League, only to fall at the semi-final stage.

The Whites, who finished fourth in the Premier League during that 2000-01 season, progressed to the last-four of the European elite competition, before losing 3-0 to Spanish side Valencia in their second leg semi-final, despite drawing the first leg 0-0 at Elland Road.

After defeating 1860 Munich during the qualifying campaign, manager David O’Leary led Leeds to second place in Group H, one point ahead of FC Barcelona in third spot.

During the second group stage phase, The Whites were paired with Real Madrid, Lazio and Anderlecht in Group D, in which Leeds once again advanced, finishing three points behind Madrid in the runners-up spot to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Into the quarter-finals; O’Leary’s men were drawn against another Spanish outfit, Deportivo La Coruna, where Leeds advanced into the last-four following their 3-2 aggregate win – largely thanks to their 3-0 home win during the first leg, with Ian Harte, Alan Smith and Rio Ferdinand all scoring.

However, after holding Valencia to a 0-0 opening draw in the semi-finals, the Premier League side bowed out of Europe on May 8, 2001, as strikes from Juan Sanchez Moreno (2) and Gaizka Mendieta sent the the La Liga club through to the final to face Bayern Munich.

Since then; Leeds have suffered relegation from the top-flight, endured a three-year spell in League One and gone through countless managers who have been unable to guide the Yorkshire outfit back into the Promised Land.

However, Garry Monk’s side are currently among the Championship’s play-off places after their opening 22 fixtures, so a return to the Premier League is not off the cards this term.

But, where are Leeds’ starting XI that faced Valencia inside the Mestalla Stadium on that famous night now?

Shoot! found out…

Nigel Martyn

The former England international, now 50-years-old, left Elland Road in the summer of 2003, amid angry Leeds fans.

The Whites faithful adored the goalkeeper, even voting him as part of the club’s greatest ever team in 2006.

However, a fall out with then manager Terry Venables, mixed with the rise of fellow shot stopper Paul Robinson, saw Martyn become surplus to requirements at Leeds, despite having made 240 appearances for the Yorkshire outfit.

He turned down interest from Chelsea to join Everton, where he remained at Goodison Park until retirement in June 2006, due to an ankle injury.

Nowadays; other than fulfilling the odd media job here and there, Martyn has played as a wicket keeper for his local cricket side, Leeds Modernians.

Still good at diving, we see!

Danny Mills

Another former England player, it is likely you have heard or seen Mills on the BBC, having become a popular pundit for their sport’s media team.

The 39-year-old, who earned 19 international caps for the Three Lions, left Leeds in 2004 following their relegation from the Premier League, although he spent his last campaign on loan at Middlesbrough, where he lifted the 2004 League Cup.

Mills, after 129 games for The Whites, went on to make 50 appearances for Manchester City following his Elland Road exit, although he was loaned out to Hull City, Charlton Athletic and Derby County during his Citizens career.

In July 2009, the right-back was released by Man City upon the expiration of his contract and subsequently hung up his boots.

Since then, Mills is a regular pundit and/or commentator for BBC Sport on radio and TV, as well as appearing on Celebrity Masterchef back in 2012.

The former Leeds star is also renowned for his generous charity work, including running the Brighton Marathon and rowing the English Channel.

But perhaps, more notably, the ex-England defender was invited to join the newly formed Football Association Commission by then FA chairman Greg Dyke to assess football improvements in the beautiful game.

Rio Ferdinand

The talented centre-half was snapped up by Manchester United just a year after Leeds’ remarkable Champions League run, joining The Red Devils for a reported £30m, which made Ferdinand the world’s most expensive defender and the most expensive British footballer of all-time.

He won six Premier League titles, three League Cups and the Champions League under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, scoring eight goals in over 450 appearances for United until 2014.

Ferdinand ended his career with Queens Park Rangers in May 2015, retiring from the sport after the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

As well as a hugely successful club career, the defender held a significant stature in the England set-up, earning 81 international caps, captaining his country and represented the Three Lions at the 2002 World Cup and 2006 World Cup.

Since hanging up his boots; Ferdinand has been appointed to the Football Association’s commission to improve the state of the national game, become a regular TV pundit for the likes of BBC Sport and BT Sport, released a couple of autobiographies and launched his own magazine, ‘#5 Magazine’, among other things.

Ian Harte

Harte left Leeds following their relegation from the top-flight in 2004 after more than 280 appearances for the Whites since 1996.

Now 39; the left-back opted for La Liga side Levante following Leeds’ financial crisis, but suffered relegation back down to the Segunda Division during his debut term, only to celebrate an instant return to the Spanish top-flight the following season after nailing down a first-team spot at left-back.

Harte helped Levante finish 15th in La Liga upon their return, preserving their top-flight status for the following term.

However, new manager Abel Resino arrived and immediately admitted the Republic of Ireland star was surplus to requirements in Valencia, seeing the defender agree to terminate the remaining 12 months on his contract.

Nevertheless, his spell in Spain proved profitable as fellow Irishman Roy Keane lured the full-back to the Premier League once more with Sunderland.

Though, his Black Cats career lasted eight games, as he was transfer listed just months later in January 2008, before being released in the summer.

Spells at Blackpool, Carlisle United, Reading and AFC Bournemouth followed, including being part of the Royals and Cherries squad that won promotion to the Promised Land in 2012 and 2015.

But upon Bournemouth’s rise to the Premier League, Harte was released by manager Eddie Howe and subsequently retired from the game.

Harte is now a football agent, with one of his clients being Leeds’ youth prospect, Tyler Denton.

Dominic Matteo

The versatile defender/midfielder ditched Leeds almost immediately after their dip into the Championship, agreeing a three-year deal with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers in 2004.

Now 42, the former Scotland international made 29 appearances in his opening campaign at Ewood Park, but played just another six times for Rovers before joining Stoke City on a free transfer in January 2007.

Matteo’s experience paid dividends when Tony Pulis made the Scot his captain for the 2007-08 term, where Stoke won promotion back to the Premier League.

Since retiring from the game in 2009, Matteo earned some UEFA qualification badges whilst with the Potters, appeared as a TV pundit, before returning to Elland Road as Leeds’ Football Ambassador.

However, he left his position in the summer of 2014 following the arrival of Massimo Cellino.

In August 2015, Matteo was declared bankrupt.

Olivier Dacourt

Another star to leave Elland Road after a row with then manager Terry Venables.

Dacourt was loaned out to AS Roma during the Yorkshire club’s financial problems in January 2003, before fans were left disgruntled as his move was made permanent in the summer after 79 appearances for The Whites since his arrival from Lens in 2000.

The defensive midfielder starred in Serie A for both Roma and rivals Inter Milan until 2009, including a brief loan spell back in England with Fulham, winning two league titles at the San Siro.

France international Dacourt then opted to join Belgian outfit Standard Liege in September 2009, primarily as cover for the injured Steven Defour, who now plays for Premier League side Burnley.

However; after the fellow midfielder’s return to fitness in the New Year, the club terminated his contract in February 2010 after just eight appearances, which ultimately were his last in the sport.

The ex-Leeds man has since worked for media outlets Eurosport and Canal+ in his homeland.

David Batty

After two spells with Leeds United, midfielder Batty called time on his footballing career in 2004, following the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

Now 48; the former England international racked up 169 games for The Whites, including his first spell in Yorkshire (1986-1993), before falling out of favour at Elland Road following the sacking of manager David O’Leary in 2002.

The defensive midfielder has since rarely figured in football, although he did play in a televised charity game on Sky Sports, representing ex-professional footballers against a selection of celebrities.

Leeds supporters may have also noticed Batty starred in the club’s promotional video for their 2015-16 season ticket launch.

Eirik Bakke

The Norwegian midfielder stuck around Elland Road for another five years after Leeds’ semi-final defeat to Valencia, scoring 13 goals in 179 games for the club.

Now 39, it wasn’t until 2006 that Bakke returned to his homeland, putting pen to paper on a two-year deal with SK Brann.

However it was soon apparent, at 29-years-old, he was suffering fitness troubles, beginning their 2007-08 season with the second-string side in a bid to regain full fitness. But Bakke was soon appointed club captain and extended his deal at Brann until 2010.

Bakke’s time at Brann was curtailed by the football club’s decision to lay artificial turf at their home stadium, a decision against the midfielder’s preference, which saw the ex-Leeds star opt to join another Norwegian outfit, Sogndal, in 2011.

Fast-forward to November 2012; Bakke retired from the sport as a player, but was appointed boss of Sogndal in 2015. He led his men to second in the top-flight of Norwegian football (Tippeligaen) last season.

Harry Kewell

After scoring 53 goals in over 216 appearances for Leeds, it was such a shame to see Kewell leave the club in frustrating fashion in the summer of 2013, lashing out at the Yorkshire outfit’s staff in an interview shortly beforehand.

Despite the ugly nature of his departure, the Australia international attracted huge interest from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and FC Barcelona, before opting to join fellow Premier League side Liverpool.

Now 38, the winger netted 15 times in 135 games for The Reds until 2008, where he lifted the Champions League (2005), FA Cup (2006) and FA Community Shield (2006) during his Anfield career.

However, come the end of the 2007-08 campaign, Liverpool announced they would not be offering Kewell a new deal, mainly due to his persistent injury problems.

The Aussie then joined Turkish outfit Galatasaray on a two-year contract, where he won the Turkish Super Cup (2008), before returning to his homeland to finish his career.

Spells with Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart soon followed, either side of a short stint at Qatar outfit Al-Gharafa in 2013, before announcing his retirement in March 2014.

Since then; Kewell has gained his UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ licenses back in Australia, before being appointed Under-21 head coach at Premier League club Watford in July 2015.

Alan Smith

Smith, who was sent off during the closing stages of the semi-final second leg against Valencia, became one of Leeds’ most high profile departures following the club’s 2004 demotion to the Championship, as Smith sealed a £7m move to Premier League giants Manchester United.

The ex-England international scored 11 goals in 92 appearances for the Red Devils until 2007, where he won the 2006 League Cup final and lifted the 2007 Premier League title under the legendary management of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Smith, now 36, then sealed a £6m transfer to Newcastle United in August 2007, where he eventually helped the Magpies achieve promotion back to the Premier League in 2010.

Following a successful loan spell, the midfielder opted to join League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a permanent deal in the summer of 2012, after being released from St James’ Park.

But after two years working with boss Karl Robinson, which included three goals in 83 games for Smith, the former Leeds star was released.

Since then, Smith has been plying his trade with Notts County in League Two, where he has made 11 appearances in all competitions for The Magpies so far this campaign.

Mark Viduka

And finally, Mark Viduka. What a new addition he was!

Another Australia ace, the 41-year-old was brought to Leeds United from Celtic in July 2000 for a reported £6m fee by manager David O’Leary.

In his debut campaign at Elland Road, the striker netted 21 goals in all competitions for The Whites, helping the club finish fourth in the Premier League and obviously reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Viduka went on to make 156 appearances for Leeds until the summer of 2004, following the club’s demotion to the Championship, having scored 67 goals, before being sold to Middlesbrough.

An impressive 41 goals in 96 games for Boro was followed up by one last transfer to north-east rivals Newcastle United, where he netted seven times in 40 appearances for the Magpies.

However, Viduka suffered another relegation from the Premier League under the management of the legendary Alan Shearer at St James’ Park during the latter stages of the 2008-09 season, playing in Newcastle’s final match of the season – a 1-0 away defeat at Aston Villa on May 24.

That was his last game in professional football.

Following his retirement, Viduka has returned to Australia to live in Melbourne, where he is gaining his UEFA coaching badges.

In December 2014, the ex-Leeds star was entered into the Football Federation Australia’s Hall of Fame.