A few Leeds United fans have been reacting on social media to a chart that ranks Patrick Bamford as the Whites’ 14th-best goalscorer of the past 20 years.
Bamford has played 56 games across all competitions for United since his £10million summer switch from Middlesbrough in 2018, having suffered heavily from injuries during his maiden term and gone on to become pivotal to Marcelo Bielsa’s plans this season.
The Grantham-born forward suffered a cruciate ligament injury while representing the Under 23s just weeks into his life in West Yorkshire, and while Bamford avoided surgery, the blow kept the 26-year-old out for 15 games.
He would miss a further seven matches later into the 2018/19 campaign after aggravating the knee injury, but made a goalscoring return against Norwich City in February and has only sat out two Championship fixtures since.
Now as a key part of Bielsa’s plans, Bamford has been able to find the back of the net on more occasions, as he boasts 12 strikes in 29 league games on top of the nine second-tier goals and sole Carabao Cup effort struck last season.
Should Bamford have more goals to his name?
Yes
No
Bamford’s haul of strikes achieved in all competitions over the past year and a half is enough for the former England U21 international to rank joint-14th on a list of all Leeds goalscorers of the past 20 years.
Luciano Becchio tops the chart after scoring 86 times in 219 games, to eclipse Jermaine Beckford (84 goals in 147 games), Mark Viduka (68 in 159) and Ross McCormack (58 in 157).
Of the current Leeds first-team, only Ezgjan Alioski joins Bamford in the top 20 of the past 20 years having scored 18 in 120 games, while summer departure Kemar Roofe ranks eighth with 33 goals to his name over 122 outings.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to a chart listing Leeds’ top goalscorers of the past 20 years…
Can guarantee that Bamford isnt 13th on the list if it was done on appearances 👍
— Doc (@333doc1) February 5, 2020
We could have McCormack on a free 😂
— GHoward (@gavlarr80) February 5, 2020
Viduka was so under rated
— Ashley Brookes 🇬🇧 (@ashleyjbrookes) February 5, 2020
Oh to have the top two now
— Denise Gallon (@denisegallon21) February 5, 2020
Didnt realise alioski had that many
— tony rhodes (@tonyrhodes1964) February 5, 2020
Be interesting to see this as goals per minute played
— Chris King (@kipa170) February 5, 2020
In other Leeds United news, fans have been urging Bielsa to axe a one-time international when we face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.