Eddie Gray has insisted that he was sure that Patrick Bamford would turn out to be a key player for Leeds United towards the end of the season.

Leeds paid a club record fee to sign the striker from Middlesbrough last summer but towards the start of the season, he struggled to feature in the first eleven due to Kemar Roofe’s form.




A knee injury in September meant that he did not return to action until mid-December, but he still struggled with the injury and only returned to the line-up last month.

But Bamford has hit form in the absence of Roofe, who has been out with an injury and has scored three goals in his last three league appearances for the Whites.
 


The striker netted a brace in Leeds’ win over West Brom last weekend and Gray admits that he was confident that Bamford would turn out to be a big player for the club towards the end of the season.

The Leeds legend said on LUTV: “I am delighted for Patrick Bamford. He got a double but I think he was annoyed that he didn’t get a hat-trick.
 

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“He has been fantastic and it is great for us.

“We did say that he is going to be a big player come the end of the season and he has proved to be already.

“He is back in the side and especially with Kemar Roofe being unfit, he is the main man up front.”

Bamford has scored five goals in 12 Championship appearances for the Whites this season.