Cheltenham's club captain Finnigan hoping to fulfil his dream of playing at Leeds
John Finnigan could fulfil a lifelong ambition at Elland Road this afternoon.
Cheltenham Town's club captain grew up in Leeds and has always wanted to play against the club he has supported all his life.
A long-term heel injury kept him out of the Robins' last three matches against the most glamorous club in Coca-Cola League One.
But he is now fit and hoping to be recalled to the squad after being left out for the 1-0 defeat at Stockport County last Tuesday.
"I'm really looking forward to it because I have missed out on the other three games we have had against Leeds," Finnigan said. "It's nice to be fit for this one and I'm ready for selection."
After losing his place in the match-day 16 at Edgeley Park, Finnigan played 90 minutes for the reserves against Exeter City on Wednesday.
"I was dropped for Tuesday I'd say, because if I was being rested I wouldn't have played in the reserves," he said.
"The manager (Martin Allen) has watched my performances and not felt I was doing enough to be in the 16 on Tuesday, so we will see what happens at Leeds and hopefully I will be involved, because I have always wanted to play there."
Finnigan turned out for Leeds City Boys from Under-11s through to Under-15s, but he then chose to join Nottingham Forest as a trainee after leaving school.
"Richard Naylor, who is on loan at Leeds now from Ipswich, was there as well, but he was a year younger than me," Finnigan said.
"I played schoolboy football there and it's a great club, but I chose Forest at the time."
Leeds were relegated to League One in 2007 and started last season with a 15-point deduction.
They did well to recover the deficit and reach the play-offs, but they lost out to Doncaster in the final.
But they have not lived up to expectations this time around, currently lying four points outside the play-off places.
Boss Simon Grayson's side were beaten 2-0 at Hereford United four days ago.
"Leeds belong in the Championship at least, but at the moment they are not doing enough to get out of this league," Finnigan said.
"It'd be nice to see them do well because all my friends up there want to see them back in the Premier League, but it's going to have to be one step at a time and it might take them a few years like it did Forest.
"It looks like Leicester are going to bounce straight back up but Leeds are finding it harder."
Cheltenham (from): Brown, Westwood, Gallinagh, Diallo, Duff, Wright, Russell, Westlake, Bird, Finnigan, Low, Vincent, Owusu, Spencer, Bignall, Antonio, Watkins, Connor, Puddy.
