Paul Heckingbottom has said that young 16-year-old striker Ryan Edmondson could get a chance in the first-team before the end of the season, and Leeds fans have taken to Twitter to react.
With just six games left until the end of the season, and nothing to play for, Heckingbottom is taking the opportunity to blood some of the talented youngsters from the Under-23 side.
Tom Pearce and Bailey Peacock-Farrell have already been brought through to the first team, and more will get their chance before the end of the season.
Heckingbottom also said that young centre-back Paudie O’Connor might get a chance against Sunderland on Saturday, with the latest injury to Matthew Pennington.
There’s no hint that Edmondson will be started that quickly, but fans are surprised that the 16-year-old is seemingly getting mentioned before Under-23 stars like Sam Dalby and Jack Clarke.
One fan is also concerned that all of this means that Leeds won’t be signing a striker this summer, saying “A lot of this stinks”.
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Another said that Heckingbottom is “playing for his job”, although the consensus is that he will get at least next season to put his stamp on the team, whatever the results for the rest of this season.
Phil Hay, from the Yorkshire Evening Post, quoted Heckingbottom on his personal Twitter page on Thursday afternoon.
Heckingbottom on young striker Ryan Edmondson, who's training with the first team: "He's on form." Said he could get his debut before the end of the season. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 5, 2018
Here are the best reactions from Leeds fans:
Dalby? Rey? Clarke?
— Adam Brown (@adambrown1992) April 5, 2018
Get em all in for me sick of watching same lame ducks every week
— Kenny Brown (@kennybrown1964) April 5, 2018
Why not, he looks more of a man than anything we have in the starting 11
— Joe Atherton (@joetmatherton) April 5, 2018
If he’s good enough, he’s old enough.
— Carpediem55 (@marktenjag) April 5, 2018
Ahead of Dalby and Clarke? Must be a bit special. No lose for Heck to give some of the promising youth game time between now and end of the season
— Tyler75 (@hughesr64) April 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/SouthStanderMOT/status/981883341678039041
Let's hope Ryan on bench this sat game .with bit lucky not be 3-0 up by half time give Ryan second half run out
— dean mitchell (@baldydean) April 5, 2018
Get him in now can’t be half as bad as the shower of shit strikers we insist on playing week in week out at the minute 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻#lufc #leedsunited 👍🏻
— stu adams⚽️ (@lufcstu) April 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/ScottWaccoeLUFC/status/981885194721546240
PH is playing for his job
— Lee Hutchinson (@leemhutchinson) April 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/POTUS048/status/981917099382771713
In other Leeds news, Heckingbottom reveals why Ekuban is starting for Leeds over Lasogga
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