Leeds United Football Club - Moore Out To Stake A Claim
Striker Ian Moore is looking forward to making his mark with Leeds and insists he hasn't come just to warm the bench at Elland Road.
The 28-year-old finalised his move from Burnley on Thursday afternoon on completion of a successful medical, just before the 5pm transfer deadline.
He joins a list of strikers at the club that already includes David Healy, Marlon King and potentially Rob Hulse with United keen to make the West Bromwich Albion forward's move permanent at the end of the season, but is confident he will be a regular next season.
"Over the last two weeks I heard there was an interest from Leeds and obviously my contract with Burnley was coming to an end," explained Ian.
"Sunderland offered money for me but they would only offer me a contract until the end of the season and there were no guarantees after that. Sheffield United were also in for me but Leeds was the only place I wanted to come to when I knew they wanted me.
"I've been there for four and a half years and I felt it was time for a change and now I'm looking forward to this fresh challenge here.
"The manager has told me I am a player he's always wanted to sign because I've always caused problems when I've played against his sides.
"I am looking forward to teaming up with him now and I know he's assembled some decent strikers here so obviously I am not going to go straight into the team but I am going to put up a real fight to earn a place.
"I haven't come here to sit on the bench. It's up to me to stake my claim and get in there."
The striker agrees with Kevin Blackwell and the Chairman that it's best to get him into the squad now and get settled in rather than waiting until the start of next season.
"There was an option on me signing at the end of the season but the manager wanted me to come in and get used to the place now rather than coming in at the start of next season.
"It's good for me to get in and mix with the players, there's a few I know, but from what I've seen of the training facilities so far, this place is light years ahead of what I had at Burnley."
Moore, who started his career as a trainee with his local side Tranmere, has not had the best of seasons with Burnley, scoring just six times, but then he's been in a situation Whites striker David Healy is very familiar with.
"I have been playing a lot on the wide right because of the system we've been playing at Burnley, so I haven't got too many goals recently but hopefully that will all change.
"It's always an option for me to play out wide and I look at it as another string in my bow, I can play upfront on my own or on the left or right side. I see myself as a striker but if need be I can do a job on the flanks."
Ian is expected to be just the first of a few more arrivals at the club over the next five months with Kevin Blackwell having drawn up a hit-list with six names on it, and his United debut could come with the reserves on Tuesday night against Manchester City at Wakefield.
Striker Ian Moore is looking forward to making his mark with Leeds and insists he hasn't come just to warm the bench at Elland Road.
The 28-year-old finalised his move from Burnley on Thursday afternoon on completion of a successful medical, just before the 5pm transfer deadline.
He joins a list of strikers at the club that already includes David Healy, Marlon King and potentially Rob Hulse with United keen to make the West Bromwich Albion forward's move permanent at the end of the season, but is confident he will be a regular next season.
"Over the last two weeks I heard there was an interest from Leeds and obviously my contract with Burnley was coming to an end," explained Ian.
"Sunderland offered money for me but they would only offer me a contract until the end of the season and there were no guarantees after that. Sheffield United were also in for me but Leeds was the only place I wanted to come to when I knew they wanted me.
"I've been there for four and a half years and I felt it was time for a change and now I'm looking forward to this fresh challenge here.
"The manager has told me I am a player he's always wanted to sign because I've always caused problems when I've played against his sides.
"I am looking forward to teaming up with him now and I know he's assembled some decent strikers here so obviously I am not going to go straight into the team but I am going to put up a real fight to earn a place.
"I haven't come here to sit on the bench. It's up to me to stake my claim and get in there."
The striker agrees with Kevin Blackwell and the Chairman that it's best to get him into the squad now and get settled in rather than waiting until the start of next season.
"There was an option on me signing at the end of the season but the manager wanted me to come in and get used to the place now rather than coming in at the start of next season.
"It's good for me to get in and mix with the players, there's a few I know, but from what I've seen of the training facilities so far, this place is light years ahead of what I had at Burnley."
Moore, who started his career as a trainee with his local side Tranmere, has not had the best of seasons with Burnley, scoring just six times, but then he's been in a situation Whites striker David Healy is very familiar with.
"I have been playing a lot on the wide right because of the system we've been playing at Burnley, so I haven't got too many goals recently but hopefully that will all change.
"It's always an option for me to play out wide and I look at it as another string in my bow, I can play upfront on my own or on the left or right side. I see myself as a striker but if need be I can do a job on the flanks."
Ian is expected to be just the first of a few more arrivals at the club over the next five months with Kevin Blackwell having drawn up a hit-list with six names on it, and his United debut could come with the reserves on Tuesday night against Manchester City at Wakefield.