Leeds boss Grayson in battle with his old club
STOCKPORT v LEEDS
New Leeds United manager Simon Grayson is ready to rub further salt into Blackpool's wounds after warning his former club that he wants to beat them to some of their new year transfer targets.
Grayson, whose departure from Bloomfield Road has already sparked a legal wrangle between the clubs, thinks the lure of a move to Elland Road will be hard for some players to turn down.
Grayson, whose side travel to Stockport today, said: 'I have targets and, hopefully, some of the targets I had lined up for Blackpool in January could possibly come to this football club. The attraction of Leeds United is a massive plus for everyone.
'That's why I came here and it is why players will also want to come here.'
Grayson, who guided Blackpool to promotion to the Championship in 2007, has vowed to give all the club's current players the opportunity to impress but admits that some will be leaving next month.
He added: 'I know there is a lot of work to be done, and we could have played better at times in the 1-1 draw against Leicester. But we showed a lot of desire, resolve and spirit to keep going to the end. If the game had gone on for another five or 10 minutes, we would have won it. Hopefully, that is the first point of many to come.
'The chairman, Ken Bates, has told me to give it my best shot and see where it takes us. If we put a good run together over the next few weeks, there will be no stopping this football club.'
Grayson revealed that, despite any bitterness over his departure, Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston had sent his best wishes for the future.
'I wanted to leave Blackpool in a good manner and with the blessing of the fans and the board,' he said. 'The chairman has wished me good luck but now it's down to the clubs to resolve it.
'I had a fantastic six years there as a player and manager and theirs was the first result I looked for.
'Hopefully, we will play them next year in the Championship.'
Grayson, who replaced sacked Gary McAllister after Leeds suffered a run of five consecutive defeats, has appointed his former Blackburn and Leicester City colleague Ian Miller as coach.
He also hopes to unveil another addition to the backroom staff in the coming days.
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