BIG Roy Ellam fancies in-form Town to beat Leeds in a tasty derby and reasons: “We’ve got the steel and the menace to win!”
The 67-year-old played for both clubs as an uncompromising centre half and knows what it’s like to score the winner for Town against their West Yorkshire rivals.
He’s now a keen Galpharm regular – grandson Raull will be a Town mascot on Saturday – and the veteran of 253 Town matches believes Lee Clark’s side can extend their excellent unbeaten run to 11 matches with a crucial three points.
“I’m very optimistic and I do fancy our chances,” said Ellam, an ever-present when Town were last in the top flight and derby hero in the 2-1 Leeds Road win against United in September 1971.
“We’re very busy up front this season with Jordan Rhodes and Lee Novak and they are capable of giving anybody a torrid time.
“They are young lads who always give it their all, and if Anthony Pilkington and Gary Roberts are on form and buzzing then we’ve got plenty of menace.
“I also think we’ve got a good bit of steel about us – five clean sheets in the last eight games home and away is solid – and I was very impressed with how we played up at Hartlepool.
“But we’ve got to be on our mettle and have our tails up right from the start – that goes without saying against the likes of Jermaine Beckford and Luciano Becchio and especially after their overdue win against Oldham.”
Ellam reckons Leeds boss Simon Grayson will have been “raging” about their dip in form (two wins in nine), but still feels Town will have the edge.
“It will be a tough game, derbies are, and Leeds will have had the hard word because I’m sure Simon Grayson will have been going crazy with them over their run of results, but Town are in good form and very capable,” added Ellam, who spent two years at Elland Road between his two stints in blue and white stripes.
“I’ll be bitterly disappointed if we don’t win because of our home record and the form we are in, but equally you’d always accept a draw in a derby because they are never easy.”
On his own derby winner, Ellam recalled: “I’ve just found an old tape with it on and my grandson, Raull, thought it was fantastic.
“Jack Charlton had scored for them and Jimmy Lawson equalised for us. We got a corner which was knocked back out to the wing, and when it came back in again I scored from close range with my left foot for the winner.
“It wasn’t the spectacular strike or anything like that, but it’s something that I can take to the grave that I scored the winner for Town against Leeds.”
