Graeme Bailey catches up with England Under-21 and Leeds United defender Tom Lees.
As part of Sky Sports' Championship spotlight, Graeme Bailey catches up with Leeds defender Tom Lees.
The 2012/13 campaign has entered its final straight, and we continue to take you to the very heart of the Football League, with our Spotlight features intended to give you a greater insight into the clubs and players that keep us on the edge of our seats.
We have aimed to get the views and thoughts of a representative from each of the 72 teams over the course of the season, with those involved asked to give their take on the division they compete in, the club that pays their wages and those we should all be keeping an eye on.
Before it's all over Graeme Bailey talked to Leeds United starlet Tom Lees. After another impressive campaign, the England Under-21 international talks us through his blossoming career to date and what the future might have in store for the young defender.
Tom, you have come through Leeds' outstanding academy, but you don't come from Yorkshire, you were born in the Midlands - so how come Leeds?
I was born in Birmingham, but we moved to Leeds when I was four and then I just went to a summer camp one year, when I was about seven and I got scouted. It was actually Greg Abbott - who is now manager at Carlisle - he took me up to Thorp Arch when I was about eight and I have been there ever since.
As with most age groups, you must have played with a lot of good players already?
We had a good age group and a lot of the lads are playing the game now and we have had a number playing internationally, and there were a number of guys who were signed by other clubs and that just points to the work Leeds do. And they plough so much into the Academy and we have a wonderful training ground.
Your progress was hit by a serious knee problem early on...
It was a really difficult time, I picked it up in the youth cup when I was a first-year scholar and I was out about 12 months and it did set me back and put my progress on hold as I thought I was doing well. But in some ways it did me good as I was so much stronger both mentally and physically and I knew at that point I just could not take football for granted as perhaps was the case before. But the Leeds staff were great, they brought me back properly - not too quick but touch wood everything has been great and since then I have played four solid seasons of football.
You were loaned out to Accrington and Bury, how much of a help was that?
With my injury I missed most of my youth team seasons and I came back in the summer and I thought I had to get out and play football really and I needed that, so I went on two season-long loans with Accrington and then Bury - where I got promoted. So I was just really happy playing football, I got the chance to show I was back to my best and more. There is that physical aspect in League One and Two and that helped me so much, and gave me the confidence to come back to Leeds and aim for the first team. Going out on loan was that chance to prove myself as sometimes people may not take youth football that serious, but I thought I showed my capabilities and winning promotion with Bury I think helped turn a few heads.
Your debut must have been a big event?
I came on in a midweek game against Bradford and we were losing and we managed to win, and it was great. I was really thankful for Simon Grayson for giving me that chance and I managed to take that on for the rest of the season.
