Leeds United: I just want to play says hitman Dexter
YEP 25/10/13by Phil Hay
New signing Dexter Blackstock has promised to make a lasting impression on Leeds United, insisting: “I’m not a bit-part player.”
Blackstock spoke of his relief at being free of the frustration of a fringe role at Nottingham Forest after agreeing a three-month loan move to Elland Road.
The 27-year-old completed his transfer after training with United’s players yesterday morning and he will be part of Brian McDermott’s squad for Saturday’s clash with Huddersfield Town.
Blackstock’s emergency loan runs to January 25, allowing him to play in 15 league matches, and Forest sanctioned his move to another Championship club after using him just three times in the first two-and-a-half months of the season.
Blackstock has drifted to the fringes of Forest’s plans less than a year after signing a new long-term contract at the City Ground but he refused to concede that his career in Nottingham was over.
The striker, however, said: “There’ve been massive changes at Forest over the summer, a lot of investment into the squad, and for whatever reason I’ve not be involved as much as I would have liked. That’s always disappointing.
“It would have been fairly easy for me to stay at Forest and be bit-part but I’ve never done that during my career. I’ve never been bit part at any of my clubs and I was missing playing on a Saturday afternoon.
“I’ve not played a lot of games but my fitness feels good. In terms of match fitness, you’re not going to get that without playing and you’re never going to get sharp until you play games but I’m raring to go when the manager needs me and it’s on my mind to impress.”
Both Blackstock and McDermott were reluctant to discuss the possibility of the loan from Forest becoming permanent in January, saying only that they would reassess his position in the transfer window.
Blackstock is tied to a four-a-a-half year deal and he has been a prominent player at the City Ground since joining Forest in 2009.
Blackstock said: “What surprises you in football these days? Very little in terms of things changing quickly. That’s what happens. I’ve been at Forest for almost five years and it’s a big part of me. I’ve still got a long-term contract there and it’s definitely not over completely. It’s a case of me coming out and getting games under my belt.
“In terms of a permanent deal, I can’t really talk about that because there’s no agreement between the two clubs. It’s strictly a loan for three months and it’s something we’d have to sit down and reassess in January.
“Both parties at the moment are fixed on a loan but you never know what the future will bring and all I know is that for the time I’m here I’ll do my best for the club, help us pick up some results and move up the table.”
DEXTER BLACKSTOCK FACTFILE Born: Oxford, May 20, 1986.
Age: 27.
Position: Striker.
Weight: 11st 9lbs.
Height: 6ft.
Previous clubs: Oxford United, Southampton, Plymouth Argyle (loan), Derby County (loan), Queens Park Rangers, Nottingham Forest.
Senior debut: for Southampton v Everton, October 16, 2004.
Senior appearances: 311.
Senior goals: 84.
under-21 caps: 2 for England Under-21s (2007-2008).
International caps: 4 for Antigua and Barbuda.
International debut: for Antigua and Barbuda in a 4–0 friendly defeat to Trinidad & Tobago on February, 2012.
International goals: 1. Scored in 2014 World Cup qualifier against United States on October 12, 2012.