Selfless Kemar Roofe only interested in Leeds United collective and dreams of a city

With 14 goals, the striker is on course to be the club’s top scorer for 2018-19.

Some feat, though it would actually mean little to Roofe who, at any rate, admits he won’t even be starting at present.

The 26-year-old forward is putting side before self, only interested in the Championship table and fulfilling a city’s dreams by Leeds United finishing in the top two.

Roofe is back fit following just short of two months out with a knee injury picked up in the 2-1 win at home to Swansea City on February 13.

An unlucky outing for the forward who has made giant strides at Leeds since signing from Oxford United for £3m in July 2016.

Just short of three years on, the striker already has 118 appearances to his name and 31 goals.

Nearly half of those have arrived this season, putting Roofe top of the Whites goalscoring charts, two ahead of Pablo Hernandez on 12 and three better than Patrick Bamford with nine.

But in three years at Leeds, Roofe has grown to know just what the much-yearned return to the Premier League would mean and that is the striker’s only concern.

Asked what it would mean to be top scorer for Leeds in his third season at Elland Road, a selfless Roofe said: “Honestly, it wouldn’t mean anything. As long as my performances are good and the team wins and we get promoted, that’s the main thing.

“Whoever scores, it is what it is. I would rather play 10 out of 10 and someone else scores than play two out of 10 and score a goal. I would rather put the performance in.

"But if the team keeps winning I am not going to play so I am not going to score any!”

Roofe has had to make do with three appearances from the bench following his recent return from a knee injury with Bamford leading the line in the lone striker role.

Two months spent on the sidelines naturally left Roofe frustrated as the forward went from goal-getter to fan.

Leeds won five out of seven in the top scorer’s absence – notably blitzing his former side West Brom 4-0 at Elland Road.

The striker says his spell out and different vantage point provided a good opportunity to learn and the most telling point does not bode well for the rest of the league.

Asked what he learned from watching Leeds about his own position, Roofe pondered: “It wasn’t so much I was watching about my position, it was more about the whole team.

"And the main thing I did learn was I wouldn’t like to play against us just because we don’t let the opposition rest.

“The ball goes out of play and we put it back in straight away, we get a foul and we put it back in straight away.

“Usually, in previous years, the teams I’ve played for, we get a foul, we will take our time, we will get set up. Here we don’t, it’s just non-stop, relentless.

“When you are playing you are in the zone and you are in the moment and you are just doing it. It’s like you are just programmed to do it.

"But then when you watch it you kind of see it happen and the opposition don’t really know what to do.”

Asked if he was a good watcher of games, Roofe smiled: “No I’m not actually. I’m just kicking and heading everything but I enjoyed it because our boys played some good football.

"They’re good to watch, entertaining and also I’m seeing what they’re doing during the week and what they’ve been told to do.”

With just four games left, United’s task is now simple: take 10 points out of a possible 12 to seal a place in the Championship’s top two and a long-awaited return to the Premier League.

Thanks to Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa, matters are rather different to this time to last year.

Roofe reasoned: “Last season we got to the point where we weren’t fighting for anything and everyone just lost interest a bit around the city.

“But this season it has always been there and it is growing each week, especially when you step out the house.

“You are walking down the road and someone is waving at you and they want to stop you and talk to you and say how amazing it is.

"That’s refreshing because sometimes when you are playing you are in the bubble, tunnel vision.

"You are just focused on what’s going on and you don’t know what’s happening in the stands, what people are actually thinking about. So when you get stopped it is nice.”

Take 10 points from these final four games and it will be even better – with Roofe confident his side can seal the deal and quite literally become the talk of the town.

“Everyone is motivated for success to do well,” said Roofe. “We don’t put in all this work during the week just to throw it away on the weekend and just give up and just do whatever.

“We make it count hopefully on the weekend and it’s worked so far this season. Hopefully we can take it all the way and get promoted.”

Assessing just how the city of Leeds would feel with its club back in the Premier League, Roofe said: “It’s what dreams are made of.

“Just walking my dogs in the evening, getting stopped, everyone is just loving it.

"It’s just a feeling and the vibes you get from people, it’s something special so hopefully we can just do it, not even just for us; for the whole city.”