Leeds United booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.
Leeds United legend Eddie Gray hopes the current squad can emulate himself and former teammates in lifting the FA Cup this season.
Gray - who played in three FA Cup finals for Leeds during the 1970s, winning one in 1972 under the management of Don Revie - was at St Andrew’s last weekend to watch his beloved club beat Birmingham City. A much-changed Whites outfit drew 1-1 after extra-time before showing their superiority to win 4-2 on penalties.
Leeds struggled to get a grip of their hosts, with Daniel Farke admitting Birmingham were the better side in the first-half, while they could have easily won it late on in the second. The Whites boss slowly introduced his first-team regulars into the game and goalkeeper Lucas Perri produced a crucial spot-kick save, with Sean Longstaff scoring the winning penalty.
“I was at the game, Farke made six [changes] but he played a lot of experienced players,” Gray told the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast. “We never went into it looking as though we were understrength. They made a few changes but we got there in the end.
“It’s always up to the manager. He knows the situation within the football club, he works with the players every day, he knows the strengths and weaknesses of the squad. For supporters, they’d all want to be in the hat [for the fifth round].
“We’ve got a strong squad. The manager has got to balance that and do what he thinks is right for the team. Most managers will always put a side out they think can win the game and get into the next round.”
Eddie Gray’s verdict on Leeds United FA Cup hopes
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Club captain Ethan Ampadu admitted after Sunday’s win he’d love to be part of another parade, having starred in last year’s Championship title-winning party through the city centre. And 54 years on from lifting the trophy himself, club icon Gray insists the FA Cup remains one of English football’s most prestigious pieces of silverware - and one he’d love to see back at Elland Road.
“The FA Cup, to me, is still one of the most glamorous tournaments in English football,” he added. “For me, the biggest single game in English football is still the FA Cup final.
“I’m a bit old school. You play football to win trophies, I don’t care what trophy it is - League Cup, FA Cup, Championship. I’d just love to see the club win a major trophy. I think it gives everybody a lift.”
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