Bailey Peacock-Farrell was handed his first game in two years for Leeds United in March and the goalkeeper has started every Championship game since.
You would be hard pressed to find a single person in West Yorkshire who is feeling nostalgic about Paul Heckingbottom’s short-lived reign at Elland Road.
Leeds United hired the former Barnsley boss to replace Thomas Christiansen in February. But 41-year-old Heckingbottom was a big disappointment, winning just four of his 16 games in charge while failing to instil any recognisable tactical plan.
So life under Marcelo Bielsa is like night and day. A team that stumbled to 13th under Heckingbottom are now top of the table and flying under the Argentine, with Leeds’ decision to part company with the Barnsley-born gaffer proving to be more than justified.
But, while Heckingbottom is merely an underwhelming footnote in Leeds’ recent history, at least he can claim that he does have a legacy at Elland Road – Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
It was Heckingbottom who handed the unproven rookie goalkeeper his first appearance for two years back in March, just months after he was struggling on loan at non-league York and snubbed for a short-term loan spell at Oldham.
Peacock-Farrell has been a revelation. The 21-year-old has not missed a Championship game since, making 19 successive appearances, and he seems to get better by the week.
The Darlington-born ‘keeper has been the unsung hero of Leeds’ terrific start to the season and was excellent as the Whites beat Preston 3-0 in midweek.
For all Bielsa has done at Leeds, Heckingbottom should not be forgotten for his role in Peacock-Farrell’s rise.
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