Patrick Bamford delivers Championship warning in Leeds United's promotion bid

PATRICK BAMFORD says Leeds United are quietly confident of finally sealing promotion to the Premier League but admits that in an unpredictable Championship: "nothing's decided yet".
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Championship front-runners Leeds will finally return to action with next Sunday's behind-closed-doors clash at Cardiff City after what will have been a 15-week pause in play due to country's ongoing battle with coronavirus.

Marcelo Bielsa's Whites are one point ahead of second-placed West Brom and hold a seven-point cushion in the division's automatic promotion spots with Fulham leading the chase with nine games left.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds midfielder Adam Forshaw, who is continuing his recovery from hip surgery, said on the Leeds That podcast this week that he expected United to come out "all guns blazing" with the Liverpudlian saying promotion was a "formality" and declaring: "I think we'll romp it."

GETTING THERE: Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal in the 2-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town before lockdown but Bamford knows the Championship is an unpredictable beast. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.GETTING THERE: Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal in the 2-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town before lockdown but Bamford knows the Championship is an unpredictable beast. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.
GETTING THERE: Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring Leeds United's second goal in the 2-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town before lockdown but Bamford knows the Championship is an unpredictable beast. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.

Bamford, though, said Leeds needed to be mindful of their late collapse last year in Marcelo Bielsa's first season in charge in which the Whites spent the majority of the campaign in the top two before falling away in the final month to finish third.

Defeat to Derby County in the play-offs semi-finals followed and speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Bamford said United now needed to prove they had learned from last season's mistakes.

"I think Adam has probably got a little bit carried away there because we know what the Championship is like," said Bamford, asked about Forshaw's predictions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"If you had looked at last year, probably just before lockdown was called, I think at the same point last year we were in a great position and then we just kind of petered off and that was a real disappointment.

"But it just shows really that the Championship is about consistency, so it's never a forgone conclusion.

"Obviously we're quietly confident that we have the ability to do it, and we've learnt from our mistakes, but we've still got to prove it and we've still got to play a lot of decent teams.

"Nothing's decided yet."

Reflecting on the possibility of teams having varied levels of motivation, Bamford admitted: "It's going to be interesting to see how different teams approach it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"For sure, we were speaking about it as lads, and if Leeds as a team were mid-table and we had no chance of going up and no chance of going down, it's almost like in the back of your mind you'd be thinking 'hang on a minute, is it worth it, because of the risk?'

"There's always that little niggling feeling whether there's actually any point in playing the season out.

"So I think that might affect some teams - and their approach to the game.

"Obviously with us and actually a fair few teams in the league, there's still a lot to play for.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"For some of the boys in our team and for me actually, to get a real go at the Premier League this season, this is a brilliant chance, so we're not letting anything get in the way of our focus.

"That's got to be the main drive. Obviously we've got to be sensible and be careful and take precautions, but we don't want to miss out on this chance."

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty.

So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time.

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you

Laura Collins

Editor

READ MORE: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/opinion/were-therewithyou-now-your-yep-needs-your-support-too-laura-collins-yep-editor-2521777