Yet again, Leeds fans like myself watched Preston North End’s game for the ‘Leeds interest’ (Grayson, Kilkenny, Huntingdon…oh and someone called Beckford) with a definite vested interest. I wrote an earlier piece about the Beckford Question and ended it with a plea to Massimo Cellino to get the pen charged and think of signing Jermaine Beckford because ‘Meglio il diavolo si sa che il diavolo non lo fai‘ (it’s better the devil you know than the devil you don’t). Then, in the second leg of the League One playoff semi-final against Chesterfield, that man Beckford went and did this to put PNE 3-0 up on the day..after already having scored the first goal.
Now, there are ‘worldies’ and there are “WORLDIES” and this goal is closer to the latter than it is the former. It’s not even the finish, it’s the package, the whole package. The ball to his feet, the spin and turn with the ball under control, the first touch away from the defender, the look up…then the strike over a backtracking goalkeeper who could have hailed a taxi and still not got to the ball. That goal takes to 15 the number of goals that he has scored for Preston in his loan there this season; vital goals that have the Lancastrians on the verge of promotion into the Championship with only the Playoff final hurdle at Wembley on 24 May, the opponents either Sheffield United or Swindon Town (the only football club in the top four divisions that doesn’t have any of the letters from the word ‘mackerel’ in it).
It is safe to say that Beckford’s 15 goals have proved vital in lifting Preston to where they now find themselves, on the cusp of glory and have helped alleviate the goal burden on 27-goal striker Joe Garner with whom he has formed a deadly partnership. Lilywhites fans are now urging their chequebook holder to get it opened and get Beckford signed up and, bearing in mind the effect that he has had for them, you can’t blame them. What beggars belief is that Bolton let him go out on loan, let him drop down a division to do that too. Instead of Beckford, Bolton have placed more faith in 37-year old Emile Heskey, scorer of ONE goal in 16 appearances this season…and that was on his debut.
Understandably, Leeds fans are again asking the same question, namely “Can he do the job for us?” Yes it’s a division lower than the Championship. Yes he’s struggled for consistency at Bolton. However, Beckford is like a boxer with a knockout punch where the last thing they lose is their power; in Beckford’s case his power is his goal-scoring. Whilst he may have aged, he’s still knocking them in with aplomb and style.
Come home Jermaine! #LUFC #Beckford
— Ryan ⚽️ (@Ryan_Pittuck) May 10, 2015
Like the above Twitter status, I reiterate my plea to Massimo Cellino, “Per l’amor di Dio, lo firma! Tutte Leeds non siamo?”
The question is less do we need him, more when should we make a move for him. If we don’t and he scores for Preston at Wembley, helping them into the Championship in the process, you can bet your last grubby £1 coin that someone else will do.
