'If I was 36' - Patrick Bamford in Leeds United bench admission, warning and 'final say' call

Leeds United star Patrick Bamford has made an admission about his likely role in Sunday’s Championship play-off final against Southampton - if he is fit.

Whites no 9 Bamford has been sidelined since injuring himself in last month’s 4-3 win at Middlesbrough with an issue that was initially believed to be badly bruised knee.

New diagnosis, though, revealed mini trauma in the striker’s patellar tendon which led to Bamford being ruled out of both legs of the play-offs semi-finals against Norwich City.

Leeds are now heading for the play-off final having overcome the Canaries 4-0 on aggregate and Bamford has declared that he would probably need to train by Wednesday in order to be a realistic option.

The striker, though, has now been out for almost a month and admits that a start on Sunday would be unlikely, even in the event of being fit.

“I don't think I will start if I was fit,” admitted Bamford on the My Mate’s a Footballer podcast. "Match fitness, to then go and try and play 70-80 minutes would be tough. Hopefully I get a few training sessions (this week) if all goes well."

Bamford said: "It's like am I going to be fit, am I not? If I was 36 and it was the last game of my career I could inject it and then play but there's risks and risks of like career ending injuries and stuff basically.

"I understand it, totally understand it when players push it through. But I feel like now I am kind of like in a privileged position because I have done it so many times, I have played when I shouldn't, it's had a knock on effect which has just kind of tumbled out of control.

"I feel like I know when it is right to try and play on it and when you know 'look, it is stupid."

Bengal Brasserie Arena Quarter – serving authentic Indian cuisine in the heart of the city. Proudly supporting Leeds United and the YEP.

Asked whose call it would be if the injury was on the edge, Bamford said: "It's mine, especially if it comes down to if you are having to do some kind of intervention to make yourself play so whether it's like anaesthetic or anything.

"Ultimately that's my choice because I have got to be comfortable with it. Obviously the club realistically, they are not going to do anything, if the risks are quite extreme, they are not even going to bother suggesting something like that.

"It's just if it is really close then maybe that would help and then you have a discussion and kind of weigh up the outcome."