Leeds United
Beckford taking time to recover
Leeds are looking to have 20-goal top scorer Jermaine Beckford back for the promotion play-offs.
Beckford's ankle injury has already kept him out for three weeks and plans to restore him to the attack for tomorrow's home game against Gillingham have had to be abandoned.
Manager Gary McAllister said: "At first we thought Jermaine would recover quickly but he has been out for a few weeks and his leg has been kept immobilised.
"He has had a week with no treatment at all, the doctors and surgeons have had a look and he will come back to full training on Monday, fingers crossed."
McAllister is eagerly looking forward to the League One play-offs, which will be a new experience for him.
He explained: "I've watched the play-offs over the years but have never been involved in them. I have plenty of experience of cup-tie football, with a home and away format, so I know what to expect.
"They will be big, exciting games. We don't know who we will be playing yet and I haven't looked at who we would like, though we will be at home in the first leg of the semi-final. All the teams in there are good sides and we will need to work very hard."
The home leg, against as yet unknown opponents, will be played on Monday, May 12 (7.45pm).
McAllister is convinced his players will carry a siege mentality into the play-offs.
He said: "I know the importance of the siege mentality - everyone hates us and we don't care. When I was a player here and we won the league championship, no-one gave us a chance and there was a special togetherness.
"I don't want people to feel sorry for us or for the players to bond together because of the 15-point deduction, I want them to have the togetherness factor because of the good form they are in."
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8:09pm Friday 2nd May 2008
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