eldingThis is a huge gamble. Writing about Anthony Elding about an hour before a potential banana skin cup tie against Kettering.

But I can’t help it. This lad has haunted me for years and I choose that word carefully. I really only noticed him when he was signed to Leeds United and strangely it was because a friend of mine is a Stockport County fan and his better half was born in Boston. Elding was similarly born in Boston and played for Stockport, so there was a bit of an obscure connection. He was a bit of an enigma for County in not being especially loved by the fans, but when he got a hard time or a bad review, he usually hit back with goals. That’s the best answer a footballer can give.

Now he has popped up again, playing (presumably, I haven’t seen the team sheets) for Kettering where he is on loan. Ironic though it is, this will probably be the most I will have seen him play because he never really got much of a look in at Leeds. I know that he and his family are huge Leeds supporters because he used to watch Leeds games alongside us mere mortals in the stands when he was injured during McAllisters time in charge.

You have to kind of like the lad. He proved elsewhere that he can score, he’s a huge fan and the Beckford and Becchio combination coupled with an injury meant that he never got a chance with us, the club he loved.

That was why I carefully chose the word ‘haunting’. I’m just hoping that he isn’t going to be the FA Cup ghost, that last year was Histon, coming back to spook me. If we get 5 goals clear, I hope he gets one to revive his career. Other than that, I intend to be my usual compassion-less bigot for the full 90 minutes and that includes you Mr Elding, Leeds fan or not.