Yorkshire Evening Post 16/5/10
Becks would go with our blessing – Kilkenny
By Phil Hay
Neil Kilkenny says Jermaine Beckford should be remembered as a faithful and outstanding servant to Leeds United if he opts to call time on his career at Elland Road.
Kilkenny admitted that Leeds were in danger of losing a "top-class striker" after Beckford's 85th and potentially final goal for the club sealed their overdue promotion to the Championship.
The 26-year-old stole the show at Elland Road last Saturday as his 63rd-minute strike claimed a 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers and saw Leeds retain second position in League One on a gripping final day of the season.
The close-range finish might prove to be Beckford's last act with Leeds, a club he joined for £95,000 from non-league side Wealdstone in 2006 for a range of clubs in England and abroad are preparing to move for a player who will be out of contract and available on a free transfer on June 30.
United have planned for many months to make a final offer to their leading scorer, who finished the 2009-10 season with 31 goals, but chairman Ken Bates seemed resigned to losing Beckford this week when he described the chances of him remaining at Elland Road this summer as "unlikely".
Midfielder Kilkenny insisted Beckford was entitled to consider his options after three prolific years with United and the Australian international said the forward would leave with his best wishes if he takes up a contract elsewhere.
Kilkenny said: "I don't know what he's thinking and I don't know what's best for him but he needs to make the right decision. Only he can make it.
"I've always got on well with him and I'd be sad to see him go.
"He's a good friend and I find him easy to link up with on the field – he seems to know what I'm going to do, which positions to take up and where to run.
"He's a top-class striker and great to play with.
"If Jermaine stays then a lot of people will be happy and if he goes then good luck to him.
"He gets a lot of stick and maybe he deserves it at times but he does his job as well as anyone here. He's paid to score goals and he's scored 30 plus this season. You can't complain about that."
Beckford's future has been the subject of constant speculation ever since he rejected the offer of a three-year deal from Leeds last summer, leaving him with only 12 months remaining on his existing contract.
That agreement will expire in just over six weeks' time and though Leeds plan to make a last attempt to tie him down, there was little expectation at Elland Road that Beckford would be persuaded to remain, with Everton heading the pack of clubs interested in signing him.
Manager Simon Grayson handed him the captain's armband in the absence of Richard Naylor last weekend and Beckford's fine performance on what could prove to be his last outing for Leeds was capped by the goal which sealed United's second half fightback.
The club's promotion vindicated Grayson's decision to retain Beckford in January, despite repeated bids for the striker from Newcastle United which peaked at £1.8m.
Beckford was six months away from the end of his deal and will soon be free to move on for nothing but Grayson's expectation that he would supply enough goals to seal promotion proved astute. He scored 12 times between January 1 and the end of the term, including four in his last four matches.
Grayson said: "Jermaine has become a hero. If he moves on, he'll do so with my best wishes because he's been a fantastic player to work with since I arrived at the club.
"We turned down good money (from Newcastle) in January because we wanted to win promotion. His goals proved that it was the right decision.
"Someone who can score you 30 goals a year is a rare commodity and I'm sure he wants to be tested at the next level."
Beckford became the first Leeds United player ever to score 30 goals in successive seasons when he struck twice in the 4-1 win against MK Dons last month and his departure would leave Grayson searching for a comparable forward as he prepares to take his United squad into the Championship.
Leeds vice-captain Jonathan Howson denied that Beckford was irreplaceable but said it was wrong to assume that a suitable stand-in for League One's player of the year would be easy to find.
Howson said: "It's not for me to say what he should do, but I'd love him to stay.
"You'd always want to keep an asset like Jermaine Beckford. He's scored a lot of goals again this season and he's got a phenomenal record. Of course I'd want us to keep him.
"I don't think he's irreplaceable because there's always someone out there who could come in and score goals for a club like this but the difference with Jermaine is that we know he can do it.
"If he was to go, it's not guaranteed that someone else will be able to come in and score goals.
"With Jermaine, we know he has always performed."
Becks would go with our blessing – Kilkenny
By Phil Hay
Neil Kilkenny says Jermaine Beckford should be remembered as a faithful and outstanding servant to Leeds United if he opts to call time on his career at Elland Road.
Kilkenny admitted that Leeds were in danger of losing a "top-class striker" after Beckford's 85th and potentially final goal for the club sealed their overdue promotion to the Championship.
The 26-year-old stole the show at Elland Road last Saturday as his 63rd-minute strike claimed a 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers and saw Leeds retain second position in League One on a gripping final day of the season.
The close-range finish might prove to be Beckford's last act with Leeds, a club he joined for £95,000 from non-league side Wealdstone in 2006 for a range of clubs in England and abroad are preparing to move for a player who will be out of contract and available on a free transfer on June 30.
United have planned for many months to make a final offer to their leading scorer, who finished the 2009-10 season with 31 goals, but chairman Ken Bates seemed resigned to losing Beckford this week when he described the chances of him remaining at Elland Road this summer as "unlikely".
Midfielder Kilkenny insisted Beckford was entitled to consider his options after three prolific years with United and the Australian international said the forward would leave with his best wishes if he takes up a contract elsewhere.
Kilkenny said: "I don't know what he's thinking and I don't know what's best for him but he needs to make the right decision. Only he can make it.
"I've always got on well with him and I'd be sad to see him go.
"He's a good friend and I find him easy to link up with on the field – he seems to know what I'm going to do, which positions to take up and where to run.
"He's a top-class striker and great to play with.
"If Jermaine stays then a lot of people will be happy and if he goes then good luck to him.
"He gets a lot of stick and maybe he deserves it at times but he does his job as well as anyone here. He's paid to score goals and he's scored 30 plus this season. You can't complain about that."
Beckford's future has been the subject of constant speculation ever since he rejected the offer of a three-year deal from Leeds last summer, leaving him with only 12 months remaining on his existing contract.
That agreement will expire in just over six weeks' time and though Leeds plan to make a last attempt to tie him down, there was little expectation at Elland Road that Beckford would be persuaded to remain, with Everton heading the pack of clubs interested in signing him.
Manager Simon Grayson handed him the captain's armband in the absence of Richard Naylor last weekend and Beckford's fine performance on what could prove to be his last outing for Leeds was capped by the goal which sealed United's second half fightback.
The club's promotion vindicated Grayson's decision to retain Beckford in January, despite repeated bids for the striker from Newcastle United which peaked at £1.8m.
Beckford was six months away from the end of his deal and will soon be free to move on for nothing but Grayson's expectation that he would supply enough goals to seal promotion proved astute. He scored 12 times between January 1 and the end of the term, including four in his last four matches.
Grayson said: "Jermaine has become a hero. If he moves on, he'll do so with my best wishes because he's been a fantastic player to work with since I arrived at the club.
"We turned down good money (from Newcastle) in January because we wanted to win promotion. His goals proved that it was the right decision.
"Someone who can score you 30 goals a year is a rare commodity and I'm sure he wants to be tested at the next level."
Beckford became the first Leeds United player ever to score 30 goals in successive seasons when he struck twice in the 4-1 win against MK Dons last month and his departure would leave Grayson searching for a comparable forward as he prepares to take his United squad into the Championship.
Leeds vice-captain Jonathan Howson denied that Beckford was irreplaceable but said it was wrong to assume that a suitable stand-in for League One's player of the year would be easy to find.
Howson said: "It's not for me to say what he should do, but I'd love him to stay.
"You'd always want to keep an asset like Jermaine Beckford. He's scored a lot of goals again this season and he's got a phenomenal record. Of course I'd want us to keep him.
"I don't think he's irreplaceable because there's always someone out there who could come in and score goals for a club like this but the difference with Jermaine is that we know he can do it.
"If he was to go, it's not guaranteed that someone else will be able to come in and score goals.
"With Jermaine, we know he has always performed."
