Jermaine Beckford |
Beckford will go straight into the squad for the match at home to Millwall on Saturday afternoon and has joined United for training this morning. Jermaine signed for Leeds United in March 2006 from then Isthmian Premier League outfit Wealdstone, the Stones now plying their trade in the Southern Premier League. The Elland Road club fought off competition at the time from numerous clubs for the signature of Beckford who had hammered home 35 goals in 40 matches at Chestnut Avenue, the ground of Northwood FC and Wealdstone's temporary home.
Numerous Football League scouts had been watching Beckford, those including Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Sunderland, Southampton, Swindon and Watford. Premiership champions Chelsea, where Jermaine had started his career before being released as a 16-year old, were also interested and he was actually invited to a two-day training camp at Stamford Bridge but no professional contract was forthcoming.
Yeovil also tabled a £30,000 offer for him in February 2006, then Glovers boss Steve Thompson saying : "We have watched him a couple of times, as have a few teams. We've made a bid and the decision is now the player's. He has a full-time job but would have to quit that if he wants to join professional football." Beckford didn't take up that offer from Yeovil though as he was reportedly looking for a club nearer to his home in Harrow, especially with so many clubs in the South-East reportedly interested in signing him.
That brought Watford to the fore as the next club in line with Hornets boss Adrian Boothroyd supposedly tabling a bid for Beckford, although at the same time he was being linked with Watford he was on trial at Crystal Palace where he played a couple of games for the Eagles' second-string. Stones' boss Gordon Bartlett commenting at the time on all the fevered speculation : "The longer it's going on the worse it's getting for him, with so many trials at various clubs, it is beginning to affect him."
Finally someone did take the plunge though and that club was surprisingly Leeds, Beckford signing a three and a half-year contract for an undisclosed fee in mid-March for the Whites, the deal also seeing Leeds play a pre-season friendly against the Stones at Chestnut Avenue. Beckford himself commenting on the move up to Yorkshire : "I feel I can better myself here. I had a trial with Chelsea and I think they wanted me back, but this is a more realistic opportunity. If you ask any player at any level it's every boys dream to play professional football - and I'm a very lucky guy. I haven't stopped smiling since I signed. I'm going to try my hardest not to disappoint anyone."
In his near seven months at Leeds the Londoner has made seven appearances in the Championship as a substitute, and has been on the bench two more times as an unused replacement, his only start for the Elland Road outfit coming in a 1-0 Carling Cup home win over Chester this season. The 23-year old finding it hard to find a way into a Whites first-team containing seasoned strikers such as David Healy, Geoff Horsfield, Robbie Blake, Richard Cresswell and Ian Moore.
Leeds caretaker boss John Carver, who turned down the chance to manage Carlisle in the summer, will be hoping the move will provide Beckford with some vital first-team experience, Jermaine certainly being assured of getting that with the Cumbrians current striking crisis. The temporary one-month transfer also sees the Londonder link up once more with former Whites Academy coach Greg Abbott who is now first-team coach at Brunton Park.
To watch Jermaine Beckford in goalscoring action for Wealdstone : click here