I’LL MAKE IT ELL FOR ‘ECK
BRISTOL CITY midfielder Ryan
Kent has backed Paul Heckingbottom to be a success at Leeds – but will still be out to ruin his Elland Road debut tomorrow.
Kent (above) spent last season playing under Heckingbottom (below) – who replaced Thomas Christiansen – on loan at Barnsley.
The Liverpool loanee, 21, said: “He was a fantastic manager. That was probably my biggest season so far in terms of development.
“He really allowed me to go and express myself and I wish him all the best at Leeds.”
Kent joined City for the rest of the season in January after terminating his loan at German club Freiburg.
Kent said: “This team has been one of the easiest to come into because all the people here have been really welcoming,
“It’s been easy to fit into the team.”
Robins assistant head coach Jamie Mcallister said: “Leeds started the season very well, a top-six side, but in the last eight games they’ve struggled and not won.
“That’s why they’ve brought in a new manager and it’s his first home game on Sunday. We need to go and silence the crowd very early on and start well in the first 20 to 30 minutes of the game.” FORGET facing Manchester City – Wigan’s Dan Burn claims meeting Alan Shearer was more nerve-racking.
Burn grew up in Blythe in Northumberland a rabid Newcastle fan, idolising the legendary Toon striker. He says he has never been as nervous as when he met Shearer at a house party a couple of years ago. Burn “died” on the spot because he was so
starstruck and claims playing City on Monday in the FA Cup is not as daunting a prospect.
“I’d definitely say meeting Shearer was more nerveracking,” smiled the 6ft 6in colossus of a defender.
“I met him when I was playing at Birmingham with Rob Lee’s son. I went to a party at his house and Shearer was there. I don’t really get starstruck, but trying to speak to Rob and Alan, I just couldn’t say anything.
“I was gutted. I got a picture with him, but I didn’t know what to say.
My wife came and saved us by creating a bit of conversation, but I was disappointed in myself.”
Captaining Wigan against Pep Guardiola’s allconquering City will be the latest milestone in Burn’s career, which has taken him from Darlington via Fulham, Yeovil and Birmingham, to the DW Stadium.
The giant Geordie has come a long way in the nine years since he worked at Asda.
Burn was 16 and had just started a sports diploma at college, when his parents told him it was time to earn his keep. “I was collecting trollies at Asda,” he said. “Because I wasn’t 18, I wasn’t allowed to work on the tills. I did a bit of shelf stacking, but mostly I was outside. It was over Christmas and it was freezing.
“I got a scholarship with Darlington after a while and it spurred me on in my career because I knew I didn’t want to do that again.”
Burn, 25, played nine Premier League games for Fulham as they were relegated in 2014, including a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, and says that taste of the big time will help him deal with playing City in front of millions on TV on Monday.
“The United game was crazy,” he said. “It was the Munich anniversary and I remember, during the minute’s silence, which I didn’t need because I was nervous anyway, looking round and thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’.
“We got a good result and it was a great experie played against Liver we lost to a late pen
“This is the sort o want. We won’t thinking we’re goi smashed. We won and defend. We’ll at should be an ent game.”
Shearer (left) is s ing and Burn hopes him and not be embarrassment thi
“Hopefully, he wil me in the comment added. “I might afterwards and I ca up for last time!” ■■DAN BURN was speaking to help lau Wigan’s sleepout at DW Stadium on Friday, April 6, in support of the club’s official charity partner, The Brick homeless charity. For more information and to take part, email giving@ thebrick.org.uk