Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
It’s Dallas in wonderland
STU: REACHING PROMISED LAND SO SPECIAL
LEEDS United favourite Stuart Dallas is relishing his first ever foray into the ‘big time’ after earning his stripes in the trenches of the Sky Bet Championship.
Dallas was a virtual ever present for Marcelo Bielsa’s men this season en route to securing the club’s long awaited promotion back to the promised land.
In addition, since their last Premier League season in 2004, only three players have chalked up more appearances during Leeds’ 16 years in the wilderness.
Dallas’ record of 174 games since joining the club is only eclipsed by captain Liam Cooper (181) and former favourites Jonny Howson, inset, (185) and Luciano Becchio (190).
No wonder the versatile Northern Ireland star is relishing the prospect of pitting his wits against the world’s best in the English top flight next season.
The 29-year-old said: “It has been a long time since the club was in the big time of the Premier
League and it’s just really exciting to be part of it again.
“Playing in the Premier League and coming up against some of the best players in the world is where you want to be.
“You always want to play at the highest level possible and to get to do that with this club is going to be really special.”
Dallas admits he was almost lost for words when the club’s promotion was confirmed on
Friday following West Bromwich Albion’s 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield.
Bielsa’s men received a guard of honour prior to Sunday’s 3-1 win over Derby County at Pride Park Stadium.
“It’s been so emotional and I don’t think words can describe it,” he said.
“I don’t think it has sunk in and you can see what it means to everybody. Our fans have waited a long time for this.”
Dallas– who joined Leeds from Brentford in 2015 and penned a new long-term deal last year – insists promotion was a “collective effort” by everyone associated with the Yorkshire club.
He said: “None of this would have been possible without the help of everyone at the club; from the chefs, security staff, physios, everyone. It has been a real team
effort.”
Back in September, Dallas said losing last year’s promotion playoff to Derby was a major motivation to get the job done this season. The Rams came from 2-0 down on aggregate in the semi-final tie to win 4-3. At the time, Dallas, who spent two years with Crusaders before moving to Brentford in 2012, said: “The end of last season was the worst I have ever felt in football. “I’ve experienced being knocked out of the Euros and the World Cup play-off with Northern Ireland, but losing to Derby in that play-off was the worst feeling ever.”
Just over a year later, he’s on top of the world.