Picture Gallery: New Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom puts players through their paces at Thorp Arch
Heckingbottom’s switch from Championship rivals Barnsley was confirmed by the club this morning, with the 40-year-old quickly introducing himself to staff and players before heading outside to get a first glimpse of his new charges in wintry conditions.
The new boss’s first game in charge will be a baptism of fire when he takes his team to Bramall Lane on Saturday for a Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United.
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Hide AdBoth teams are looking to get themselves back in the play-off picture after slipping away from their promotion rivals in the past few weeks.
Leeds’ campaign has run aground after six league matches without victory and a 4-1 defeat to Cardiff City on Saturday that spelled the end of Thomas Christiansen’s 35-game reign as head coach.
Heckingbottom was appointed swiftly by Leeds, with the club paying £500,000 to release him from a new contract he agreed with Barnsley only last Friday.
The former Reds chief is certainly jumping in at the deep end with Leeds also due to play top-six sides in the shape of Bristol City, Derby County and league leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers in their next five games after their trip to take on Chris Wilder’s Blades.