LEEDS are the “biggest sleeping giant in football”, according to new number two SteveThompson.

The former Huddersfield coach will join Neil Redfearn in the dug-out for the first time at Nottingham Forest on Saturday. His contract is until the end of the season with an option for next term.

Thompson said: “Leeds are the original sleeping giant.

“People mention it about other clubs and all that but this is the one with the support.

“They get fantastic support, you’ve got a chairman that is hopefully going to back us and we’ve got these young lads coming through as well.

“We want the players to make life-changing money and hopefully it’s with Leeds.

“When someone wants you – and it’s Leeds United – it’s just a great opportunity to work for this fantastic club.”

Thompson was with Blackpool when they went up to the Premier League and Redfearn, who confirmed he was “always his number one choice” for the role, said: “He knows how to get promoted and how to do it out of this division."

Redfearn has also spoken to Massimo Cellino about January transfer targets, even though the club are currently under a Football League embargo.

Stephen Warnock has trained this week and should be okay for the trip to the City Ground. But there are major doubts with Rodolph Austin and Giuseppe Bellusci.

Midfielder Alex Mowatt was boosted today after being named as the Football League Young Player of the Month for November.

The 19-year-old started the month with a goal in the defeat at Cardiff before hitting a spectacular brace against Charlton three days later, earning himself an England Under-20s call-up along the way.

Leeds have won only once away from home this season – a 3-1 success at high-flying Bournemouth back in mid-September.

Redfearn, whose side suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Fulham last weekend, said: “In football you’ve got to move on to the next game.

“You’ve got to make sure you go and give a good account of yourselves and get a result. It’s what we’ve been working on all week.”

Following a run on six games without a win on the road, Redfearn admits he may look to alter the way his team’s formation away from home, starting with the visit to ninth-placed Forest.

“They’re a good side, they had a great start to the season,” he said.

“They were running away with it at one point and then they had a bit of a blip.

“But the potential is there for them to go on a run.

“We’ve been working on one or two different things during the week – how we’re going to look and what we’re going to do – but I still want to have our DNA in it.

“It’s still got to have the way that we play in it. The lads have taken to it during the week and have looked quite bright in what we’re doing.

“We’ve got a good game to look forward to on Saturday against Forest, they’re a good side. It’s a big club and it’s a real opportunity to try and put our away form right.”