TOWN'S new loan signing Luke Beckett plans to play a part in two promotion pushes this season.

Unable to force his way into the reckoning at Premiership-chasing Sheffield United, the 28-year-old asked manager Neil Warnock, the former Town boss, if he could join another club for a month.

Warnock agreed, spoke to Peter Jackson, the centre-back in his Town team of the mid-Nineties, and the deal was sealed late on Thursday.

Now Beckett is aiming to get among the goals to resurrect Town's League I play-off bid, starting at Barnsley, his first club, today.

"This is a great chance for me and I'm determined to take it," said Barnsley youth product Beckett, who has netted 106 goals in a career which took in Chester, Chesterfield and Stockport before a £50,000 switch to the Blades in November.

"Sheffield United are obviously going well in the Championship (they were fifth going into today's home game against Brighton).

"That's made it hard for me to force my way in, and while playing Reserve football is all well and good, I really need some good first-team action to get sharp again.

"I went to see Neil at the start of this week and asked about the chances of going out on loan, and a few managers, including Peter Jackson, came to watch our Reserve game against Bradford on Tuesday.

"Quite a few clubs sounded Sheffield United out about me.

"But Town appealed because I like the stadium and I know the manager as well as Martyn Booty (coach) and Robbie Edwards (club captain) from when they were at Chesterfield.

"I played against Town for Stockport on the opening day of the season (Beckett scored as County lost 3-2) so I know they're a decent side.

"I've got five games here initially and now I want to do what I can to boost Town's play-off chances and get myself firmly into the reckoning back at Sheffield United."

Of his time at Barnsley, Sheffield-born Beckett recalled: "I was there from 15 to 21, but I never managed to make the first team, and it was when I joined Chester that things started to happen.

"I've scored goals at my three previous clubs, and I badly want to do the same at Sheffield United. I'll be giving it 100% here at Town, and if we can both benefit, that will be brilliant."

In last night's Championship match, QPR defeated Stoke 1-0 at home.