Jay-Roy Grot opened his account for Leeds United at the 15th time of asking on Saturday.
Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds that striker Jay Roy-Grot deserves credit after finally breaking his duck for Leeds United on Saturday.
The 20-year-old got off the mark for Leeds but it could not come in a victory as Paul Heckingbottom’s side went down 2-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday in a Yorkshire derby.
It was Grot’s 15th Championship appearance of the season, but first since being demoted into the Under-23 side by Thomas Christiansen prior to his sacking in February.
The Dutchman, a £1.5 million summer signing from NEC Breda, did well with the youth side and Whelan is hoping now that the towering United man can finally kick on.
He told BBC Radio Leeds: “There was definite improvement wasn’t there? You saw a more confident player out there and possibly he’s been played in his better position which is on the right hand side; I think he came as a wide player.
“Being in the 23s, scoring some goals, that’s what strikers build their confidence on. They are confidence players. If you’ve got that, banged a couple of goals in, doesn’t matter what level, then you bring it into the first team.
“He’s got his first goal and I really hope he kicks on. I don’t want anyone to fail when they put on a white shirt.”
It was a big moment in an otherwise quiet first season for Grot, but Whelan is right – he must kick on and not let himself regress. It has to be the first of a fair few goals between now and the end of the season, or he risks not being involved next season.
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