UNITED TARGETING A 20-YEAR HIGH
10 Apr 2009
Leeds United aiming for ninth successive home win...
Leeds United are aiming to equal a two-decade high at Elland Road on Saturday against Stockport.
Simon Grayson's men have won their last eight league games on home
soil, and victory on Saturday would see the team equal the nine-game
league winning sequence set by Howard Wilkinson's promotion winners
during the 1989/90 season.
Both our current manager and first team coach Glynn Snodin were on
the Elland Road books as players during that season, and are acutely
aware as to the importance of maintaining the fine run of form at home.
"We had a good run when we went up from the old second division," recalled Snods.
"It is an achievement that we've had a good run and it shows how far we have come.
"It's a real team effort - everyone behind the scenes - we're all in it together and we all want the same thing.
"It's all about getting the balance right - it's not just work,
work, work 24-7. You need to relax and switch off at certain times -
and the players who go out there have that desire."
Stockport arrive at Elland Road as one the stories of the season in
League One. Having won promotion last May, County were among the
Play-Off chasers at the turn of the year, but they have since slipped
down to 10th, players have departed, manager Jim Gannon almost joined
Brighton, and they have won just one of their last nine games.
Worryingly for Gannon, they have also gone six-and-a-half hours
without a goal and have to look back to March 10 for the last time they
found the net.
But, in typical fashion, there's no question of United underestimating the visitors to Elland Road on Saturday.
"They were up there earlier in the season," said Snods.
"Since then they've been chopping and changing a bit with their players. Their manager was going to go and then he came back.
"They haven't scored for four games either, so if we can get on the
front foot and get the early goal, we'll be looking to capitalise on
that."
Doubts surround the fitness of Jermaine Beckford and Sam Sodje for the Stockport County game, but there are no new injury worries ahead of the weekend.