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No Place For Losers - McAllister

Sat 24 May, 07:09 AM


Leeds manager Gary McAllister has warned Wembley is no place for losers ahead of Sunday's Coca-Cola League One play-off final against Doncaster.

The 43-year-old former Leeds and Liverpool midfielder has twice trudged off the Wembley turf on the losing side and will urge his players to seize the day with a place in the Coca-Cola Championship awaiting the winners.

McAllister was in the Leeds side soundly beaten in the League Cup final by Aston Villa in 1996 and later that summer saw David Seaman save his penalty as a Paul Gascoigne-inspired England beat Scotland 2-0 at Euro 96.

McAllister said: "My hindsight and experience tells me that when crucial moments come along, you've got to try and grab them. This is our moment.

"We're going in against a side who are in good form and Sean (O'Driscoll) will be saying the same things to his players.

"It's a moment in your life where you want to be the guy who's celebrating at the end.

"But there's going to be a loser as well. I've been one of them before and it's much better coming away with the right result."

McAllister saw his side turn around their two-legged semi-final with Carlisle in impressive fashion after going down 2-1 at Elland Road.

Jonny Howson hauled Leeds level in the return at Brunton Park and fired a stoppage-time winner to leave Leeds 90 minutes away from an immediate return to the Championship.

Doncaster swept away Southend 5-1 in arguably their best display of the season in the second leg of their semi-final following a goalless draw at Roots Hall.

Bookmakers have Leeds as slight favourites going into the all-Yorkshire showdown, but Doncaster outplayed them in their League One encounter at Elland Road this season, winning 1-0.

Leeds won the corresponding fixture at the Keepmoat by the same scoreline, but were again forced to defend for long periods.

McAllister believes goals will be equally as hard to come by at Wembley.

He added: "I think it will be tight and close. It's set up for a good game because these are two decent sides.

"It might come down to the team who plays the best on the day and takes away their nerves.

"But there are no thoughts of negativity and the biggest satisfaction for me would be for this group of players to get the accolades and the praise. I keep reiterating that because it is about the players.

"I don't want to give away anything that I'll be saying in the changing room beforehand.

"That's a very private time between the players, the coaches and me.

"But for the whole night before, I'll be thinking of the experiences that I had sat in the changing room before a big game. Then we'll go onto the pitch together."

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