Leeds boss Neil Warnock has revealed that Jamaican ace Rudy Austin could be set to return to action sooner than expected.

The powerhouse midfielder suffered a broken ankle early in November and was not expected to return until the New Year.

But with Michael Tonge’s loan from Stoke set to expire on December 22, Warnock is hopeful Austin can help cover his absence until he can be re-signed on January 1.

Warnock – who takes his side to Derby ton Saturday (1pm kick-off) on the back of a three-match winning streak – said: “He’s coming along really well and there’s an outside chance that he’ll be back in time for Tonge going back to Stoke.

“That would be a big bonus and one way or the other he should definitely be with us for the start of January. We aren’t going to rush him but at the same time it will be great to have him back. He’s been a big player.

“It’s a bonus to be thinking about him at all because I honestly thought he’d be looking at about six months out when the injury first happened.

"That’s how serious we thought it was. But he’s doing fine."

Leeds have climbed to tenth in the Championship following their recent run of form, five points off the play-offs.

HUDDERSFIELD boss Simon Grayson said he turned down the chance to take charge of a top-flight club during his time as manager at Leeds.

Grayson, sacked in February and installed as Lee Clark’s successor at Huddersfield less than three weeks later, said: “During that period of time at Leeds I had the chance to go and manage a club in the Premier League, but didn’t want to do that,” he said.

“I wanted to stay with the club that I had always supported and wanted to take the club forward.”