Aidan WhiteAidan's all White for UnitedDate: 28 August 2008
By Phil HayLeeds United teenager Aidan White will be fast-tracked towards a regular first-team squad place as a reward for his commendable debut at Elland Road on Tuesday night.
The 16-year-old left-back won the plaudits from United's manager and players alike after stepping into the club's senior side during their 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the second round of the Carling Cup.White was described as "phenomenal" by experienced Leeds midfielder Andrew Hughes following his 73-minute outing, and Gary McAllister has no plans to hold back the youngster from first-team duty this season.
The inclusion of White, a resident of Menston who joined Leeds' academy as a first-year scholar during the summer, was an unexpected move by McAllister, inset, but the United boss said: "He hasn't come out of nowhere for me."He caught my eye immediately the day I arrived here. It's been a case of fast-tracking the kid, and that's something you're going to see a lot of now.
"Rather than nursing these youngsters along, if they're good enough then they're old enough and they'll be pushed – pushed very quickly through the youth team."He's only played in two reserve games but we'd seen enough to throw him in (against Palace) and know that he would do okay. But he did more than okay – I thought it was an outstanding debut for a 16-year-old kid."
Attention was drawn to White's ability during last week's reserve fixture between Leeds and Huddersfield Town at Elland Road in which the young defender completed 90 minutes and performed confidently against a strong visiting line-up from the Galpharm Stadium.He and Jonathan Webb – another young defender who featured for the second string against Huddersfield – were awarded first-team squad numbers on Tuesday morning ahead of Palace's visit to Elland Road, and McAllister immediately handed White his debut in the second round of the Carling Cup.
McAllister now has three natural left-backs in his squad – with Alan Sheehan and Ben Parker also competing for the position – and White is the latest of a string of academy players who have broken into the first-team ranks during the past two years.The steady stream has fulfilled the promise made by McAllister after his
appointment as Leeds manager in January that he would turn to United's youth-team system to supplement his squad whenever possible, and White has benefited from the Scot's willingness to trust in the inexperienced prospects at Thorp Arch.
"We're not going to put a great deal of pressure on him," said McAllister."But Crystal Palace were in the play-offs not that long ago in a league above us so if there are any doubts in the kid's mind about whether he's going to be good enough, this shows that he's got bits in his locker.
"He's got fantastic pace but he's also a brave player because he gets himself on the ball whenever he can. "But I'm not going to say that he's going to be this or he's going to be that – he's just got to enjoy the moment because it was an excellent start for him."
