Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has explained to The Daily Mail why he left Nottingham Forest for Chelsea in 2012.
Bamford, who has been on the books of Leeds since the summer of 2018, came through the academy at Forest and also broke into the Reds’ first team.
Then in January 2012, the Englishman moved to Chelsea, but he could not make an impact at Stamford Bridge.
After loan spells at Milton Keynes Dons, Derby County and Crystal Palace among other clubs, the 27-year-old joined Middlesbrough on a permanent contract in 2017.
Bamford told The Daily Mail: “I have thought about this. At Forest, Steve Cotterill was manager, and we had eight first-team strikers. He was getting me in the office, every day: ‘Are you going to sign a new contract?’
“All I wanted was a pathway into the first team. He kept promising: ‘You will. We’re trying to sell them (the other strikers).’ Eventually he told me they were going to send me on loan to Mansfield. I thought: ‘OK, that’s not bad, I can go get some experience.’
“But then Chelsea came in. Say I dropped down to Mansfield and didn’t do well, then you’re in a pickle because you get told: ‘If you can’t do it at Mansfield, how can you do it at Forest?’ But Chelsea were at the top and it’s a lot easier to come down. So I feel I made the right decision. I wouldn’t change it.”
Flourishing at Leeds United
Bamford has been superb for Leeds over the years and has established himself as a key figure in the team.
The English striker played a major role in the Whites getting promoted from the Championship at the end of last season, and he is doing well in the Premier League at the moment.
According to WhoScored, Bamford has scored three goals and provided one assist in four Premier League games for Leeds so far this season.
The striker scored 16 goals and gave two assists in the Championship last season, according to WhoScored.
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