Leeds United had little to have a good time throughout their 16-year absence from the Premier League, with their distress solely exacerbating the truth that they even fell out of League One for a time.
It was the bottom the membership had sunk to of their historical past and marked probably the most depressing interval to help Los Blancos.
A return to the highest flight appeared probably the most unlikely goal, however little did they know they have been about to launch a person who would take the workforce on his again to steer them again to a single promotion of their dream.
Jermaine Beckford’s goalscoring exploits will go down in Yorkshire workforce historical past as he appeared once they wanted him most to carry hope again to the membership.
Whereas there have been solely a handful of heroes forward of their eventual return in 2020, the 6ft2 ahead is bound to stay one of many few to step up of their darkest hour.
How did Jermaine Beckford play for Leeds?
Having signed from Wealdstone after his unbelievable goalscoring file caught the attention, the younger ahead flourished on mortgage at Scunthorpe United the place he foreshadowed his spectacular League One type which might show so essential.
Is Jermaine Beckford a Leeds legend?
On his return to his guardian membership, which itself had simply been relegated from the Championship, he established himself as a mainstay of the workforce, scoring 20 instances in 40 league matches.
The 39-year-old wouldn’t let up on his burning want to propel the membership in direction of promotion as the next season would mark one other milestone. 27 objectives as they once more missed out on promotion.
It might be the fortunate third time as as soon as once more Beckford confirmed his imperious high quality, scoring 25 instances as they triumphantly returned to the second division. It was removed from the place they needed to be, however was nonetheless a giant step ahead in securing the additional promotion that will come a decade later.
Beckford’s exploits beneath Simon Grayson even led journalist Oliver Todd to name him “Legend of Warneford Streetjust some months earlier than his doable departure.
Whereas it is a interval the membership would in all probability favor to neglect, including a major model of this towering finisher for the present squad can be a masterstroke, particularly when Javi Gracia’s present aspect scored good. as soon as of their final 5 matches in all competitions, and Patrick Bamford has scored only one league objective all season.
Not solely that, however similarities might even be drawn between the now-retired striker and Troy Deeney, who thrived within the Spanish system as a big-scoring goal man.
Each have unbelievable physique and toughness to problem centre-backs, however the former arguably has much more velocity which might make him even deadlier within the Spaniard’s favourite 4-4-2 alongside a different chief.
If anybody from the previous decade might clear up Leeds’ present goalscoring issues, then it is undoubtedly Beckford – think about if Gracia had it now.
