Gary McAllister has offered a firm vote of confidence to Paul Huntington as the Leeds United defender prepares to renew hostilities with Carlisle United.
Huntington was the subject of controversy during Carlisle's visit to Elland Road last month after gesturing repeatedly towards the Cumbrian club's fans, but McAllister has no concerns over his ability to cope with the intensity of the forthcoming Lea
gue One play-off semi-final between the two clubs.
The former Newcastle United trainee – a £200,000 signing last summer – has been one of the most successful stories of McAllister's short tenure, establishing himself as a regular partner for Lubomir Michalik in the centre of Leeds' defence.
His consistent and outstanding form was responsible for relegating Rui Marques to the substitutes bench at Elland Road, but Huntington was forced to make a public apology over his behaviour during Carlisle's 3-2 defeat in Yorkshire on April 12.
The 20-year-old was allegedly the subject of death threats from irate Carlisle supporters and the coincidental pairing for the play-off semi-finals will lead him into a hostile atmosphere at Brunton Park for the second leg on Thursday night.
But McAllister, whose side will begin the tie at Elland Road on Monday evening, said: "It's a fantastic test for him and I'm sure he'll be fine."
Huntington's connection with Carlisle – the city where he was born – is an obvious sub-plot to the semi-final, but McAllister is hoping to benefit from the other member of his staff with Cumbrian links.
Neil McDonald, Leeds' first-team coach, was manager at Brunton Park for 14 months before Carlisle sacked him after the first game of this season, and the 42-year-old worked with a number of the players in the squad now managed by John Ward.
McAllister said: "He knows their players and worked in close with the Carlisle lads. We know a wee bit more about the psyche of the Carlisle players than other opponents."
The full article contains 336 words and appears in EP Leeds First & County newspaper.
