Grayson wants Beckford stay

Whites manager trying to hold onto star striker

By James Riach   Last updated: 10th May 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Grayson wants Beckford stay

Beckford: Nets winner for Leeds

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Leeds United manager Simon Grayson is hoping to keep hold of promotion 'hero' Jermaine Beckford.

Beckford raised the roof off Elland Road on Saturday when he reacted quickest to fire Leeds 2-1 in front against Bristol Rovers, with the Whites having gone behind on a day of great drama in League One.

All Grayson's men had to do was beat the Pirates to be assured of a place in the Championship next season, but things started to go horribly wrong as Max Gradel was sent off shortly after the half hour mark before Darryl Duffy put the visitors in front after half-time.

Leeds rallied though and Jonny Howson equalised with an excellent curling strike before Beckford scored in a superb four-minute salvo.

The 26-year-old striker has long been linked with a move to a Premier League club with Everton thought to be interested in his signature, but Grayson admits he will try to keep him at Leeds.

"He is a hero with that goal. No one wants him to leave," he said in The Sun.

"Jermaine is out of contract and has been sat on the bench for the last four games - but I made him captain for this one. And the lad responded in the right manner.

"If we can come up with the right deal, I'd love him to stay. It's tough when you're competing with Premier League clubs, but we shall do everything we can to keep him.

"We know what he can do and that is why we tried so hard to tie him up on a new deal last summer.

Fantastic

"If he does move on, he'll do so with my best wishes as he's been a fantastic player for us.

"And how much do the rest of the players want him to stay? Well, they have gagged him, tied him up and stuck a contract under his nose and won't let him out of the dressing room until he has signed it.

"Seriously, I don't know if Jermaine will have a change of heart. But if there is a chance within our financial constraints, then we shall try and keep him.

"Someone who can score 30 goals a season is rare and he wants to be tested at the top level."

On Leeds' chances in the Championship next season, Grayson remarked: "We're going into a difficult division and there are some big teams in there, but it doesn't frighten me."

Comments (26)

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Tom Gunn (Bradford City fan) says...

Wel done Leeds on reaching the old old 2nd div. Lets hope you wont try to buy success this time. It may be difficult anyway with your seling record. Milner for £1m and Beckford on a free, its no wonder you ripped off your suppliers for milions with such a bad business record (when you went into liquidisation). Good to see you are no longer third rate, but with your still 2nd rate. Cheers Tom

Posted 13:23 21st May 2010

Andy Lange (Leeds United fan) says...

First of all well done Leeds!! I think Becks should give Leeds one more season and see how he gets on.Who knows maybe we could have back to back promotions. Surely Beckford would rather be in the Prem with the Mighty Whites.

Posted 15:28 16th May 2010

Alex Dawson (Leeds United fan) says...

BECKFORDS GOT TO STAY if not i can see us struggling next season without a decent striker. lambert or healy back could boost our attack but we need another defender, decent attacking mid and a better goalkeeper maybe andrei basso?

Posted 07:44 11th May 2010

Tom Waller (Leeds United fan) says...

Jermaine you are a true legend. people may not always love you but if you stay or if you go, you will keep much respect from me and im sure many other leeds united fans. you have done so much for this club, Man U, Spurs and Bristol rovers on saturday. just three out of hundreds of examples that come to mind. good luck next season with the mighty whites or your new club.

Posted 20:10 10th May 2010

Nathan Walker (Leeds United fan) says...

To be fair, we've pretty much signed Bily Paynter who scores goals and runs about more, Beckfords's had a good run and he deserves a lot of credit, would be nice to have him up there with Billy but with the prospect of sitting on the bench for Everton hanging around..i mean who wouldn't turn that down ¬_¬

Posted 19:43 10th May 2010

Ciaran O'sullivan (Leeds United fan) says...

I hope he stays, I cant see leeds spending the required money on a replacement 30 goal + striker

Posted 16:05 10th May 2010

Gary Pick (Leeds United fan) says...

Like a lot of Leeds fans I am not a lover of Beckford because if he isnt scoring he doesnt do a lot else in a game but I would still like him to stay another season and if needs be leave after that. I am a believer in there is a club for a player and that he is at the club for him just look at the cv's of players who left Leeds ie Bowyer , Smith , Kewell , Viduka etc all flopped. If Becks goes elsewhere and isnt scoring will the other players put up with his sulking and moping? If he goes I wish him luck for the future as he has repaid Leeds with promotion but would just ask him to think about what a legend he could be? The one thing that really annoys me is how lazy he could be in games when things werent going right yet the last few weeks he has worked his socks off in the cause so what could he have achieved? Good Luck Becks MOT.

Posted 15:51 10th May 2010

Gavin Taylor (Leeds United fan) says...

to be honest not really a lover of beckford but if it want for his goals we wud stil be in league 1, so bates get ur wallet out and do wot he takes to keep him cos hes a proven goalscorer, ON ON ON , leeds are going up going up

Posted 14:48 10th May 2010

Lew Rodrigues (Leeds United fan) says...

Come on Becks you finished this season as you started it,scoring goals and the fans do love you although you frustrate them at times.Stay at Leeds and you could be a bigger legend by helping Leeds to the Premiership.

Posted 13:53 10th May 2010

Liam Fox (Leeds United fan) says...

I think Beckford is a great asset to the team, most fans love him at Elland Road but most of them just dont give him the chance slightest mistake he makes the boo's flood around Elland Road making Beckford feel really uncomfortable. But If he does leave I'd like to say thank you to everything he has does to this club in the past three years, and hopefully we can buy a replacement as good as and as committed as Beckford. Come on SUPER LEEDS in the Championship!!!!!!

Posted 13:45 10th May 2010

Jack Seabranch (Leeds United fan) says...

If Jermaine stays he will have a chance to grow together with the club, by the time we reach PL he will hopefully have grown into a PL player and have a much better chance of success than if he were to leave now. But maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part.

Posted 13:23 10th May 2010

Michael Brown (Leeds United fan) says...

Fantastic job from Simon Grayson and the lads, Job done at last!. Regarding the beckford "should he stay or go?" in my opinion i feel that he should stay, fair nugh he might be a greedy fool and not pass, but giving the captins armband he really proved himself. with 29 goals to his name including a suberb strike to beat the scum, he has done the club wonders and got us up. If he goes it will be sad but he will go with the regards and thanks of every Leeds fan for getting us up into the championship!

Posted 13:12 10th May 2010

Hanif Sankey (Millwall fan) says...

super super LEEDS. great decision by Simon Grayson to give Beckford the captains arm band

Posted 10:58 10th May 2010

Jon Field (Leeds United fan) says...

thxs Beckford. good luck with yr move to Everton. i think we should buy Lambert and a new defender bcause of let in silly goals in. come LEEDS to next level .pls no more loans signin. come Mr BATES now is the time to start beliving in us.

Posted 10:38 10th May 2010

Duncan Robb (Leeds United fan) says...

I sincerely hope that Beckford stays. He has been a great credit to the club, he scores goals and the team/fans love him. Like the others leaving mails here, would wish him well if he does move, but dearly would love him to stay at Leeds and go on to be a Leeds Legend. We are going to be a Premier League club again soon..... stay for the ride.

Posted 10:30 10th May 2010

Nick Rothery (Leeds United fan) says...

Jermaine, you are idolised at this club! Stick with us and take us back to the Premiership! If you choose not to, I sincerely wish you the very best of luck and hope that you do not become a "could have been" like David Nuggent and so many others. The grass always looks greener on the other side but it isn't necessarily so!

Posted 10:29 10th May 2010

Dave Todd (Leeds United fan) says...

Would be nice to keep hold of him he has been brilliant for us this term and he really should pit his wits against the best in the championship before he trys to move upto elite league in football, Beckford has not proven himself in the Championship yet, Yes he is a 30 goal a season player but that is in league 1 football no higher! For me he needs to give it a shot in the championship and if he is still hitting the 20-30 goal mark then by all means give the premiership a go. Aslong as we keep hold of Howson, Snoddy and Becchio i will be happy.

Posted 10:26 10th May 2010

James Reilly (Leeds United fan) says...

would just like to say we need him more then ever next season, best forward since hasselbank, we let him go over money lets not do it again, maybe we should do what the milan fans did for kaka when man city went hin for last year?? SHOW HIM HOW MUCH WE WANT HIM?? M.o.t

Posted 10:23 10th May 2010

Carl Greenwood (Leeds United fan) says...

It would be good to see Beckford stay as he is proven goal scorer id also like to see leeds go for one of the southampton lads lambert or barnard as we need more proven scorers for the championship next year!!! come on!!!

Posted 10:22 10th May 2010

Matthew Levantiz (Leeds United fan) says...

i know alot of people dont like beckford but i think he should stay if you look at the ammount of goals we had this season in total and look how many beckford had it shows that without him we wouldnt have got promoted.

Posted 10:16 10th May 2010
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