THERE’LL BE NO HARV MEASURES!
Leeds fan Rodgers buries his loyalties to help try to knock ‘his’ side out of the Cup
FACT
This is Leeds United’s first
FA Cup fourth round tie since 2016-17, when
they lost 1-0 at non-league Sutton
United
Harvey Rodgers aims to help Accrington pull off the shock of the round
BY
MATES of Harvey Rodgers have been taunting him all week about the “torture” Leeds’ frontline are going to dish out this lunchtime.
But the lifelong United fan is planning to ruin their weekend by helping Accrington Stanley pull off the first and biggest shock of the fourth round in today’s lunchtime kick-off.
Rodgers’ phone has not stopped ringing since the final whistle sounded on their extra-time victory over Boreham Wood on Tuesday night.
The Stanley defender says most have been requests for tickets and more often than not complimentary ones – but mates being mates, the banter has been anything but.
“Everyone who I have got tickets for are hoping that I score but Leeds win – and a couple of my mates said they would definitely like to see me get tortured by their players,” Rodgers revealed.
“I’ve been a big Leeds supporter all my life and I watch them when I can – but obviously my mates are bigger fans and go all the time.
“I’ve been asked for quite a lot of tickets, although I didn’t get many replies when I told them they had to pay full price! But I’ve got about 15 coming, so if you hear anyone shouting for Leeds in the Accrington end, it might be down to me.”
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was in the stands for Stanley’s 1-0 win over Boreham Wood, a game long-serving boss John Coleman (below) described as being like “pulling teeth”.
Rodgers, 26, conceded it was a “tough watch” and of the Leeds match said: “We have to go into the game believing that we can bridge the gap.
“We can’t go out there and ‘just enjoy it’ because we don’t want to get a good beating.
“Watching Leeds I know we will cause them problems from setpieces and long throw-ins, so I think anything is possible. But we have to believe we can get a result.”
Stanley have banked well over £200,000 from their run to the fourth round, but a replay or a fifthround home tie could put both fans and finances in dreamland with Cup run income nudging seven figures.
“There is no getting away from the fact that doing well in getting a replay or winning the game could be massive for the club,” added Rodgers. “We are not doing well in the league this year so every game has brought a lot of pressure.
“But there is not going to be as much against Leeds, so it is something you can enjoy.
“Personally, it will be something that I look back on in years to come and think I played against the club I supported all my life, and that all my family and friends were there.”
It does not get much better than that, even if they were cheering the opposition.