If you’re wondering where Aidy White has got to, the YEP are reporting today that he is hoping to be back in contention for the first team soon, which is just as well with Stephen Warnock seemingly cast into the outer darkness.
White has certainly suffered some misfortune in recent times. Last season he was out of favour under Brian McDermott, but was playing well in a loan spell at Sheffield United when that was brought to an end by an ankle injury. Then when he came back to Leeds he suffered a broken metatarsal in the pre-season friendly at Chesterfield in July 26, and hasn’t played a game since.
Yet today he told the Yorkshire Evening Post "I am just staying positive, really. Injury-wise, I am coming towards the last end of it and have started running again. It has been a slow process because with it being a bone injury, all you can do with it is give it time more than anything. It is one of those things you have to gradually build back up, but I am hoping to be back fairly soon.”
And he had a lot of praise for the backroom staff at the club. "Redders (Neil Redfearn) and Harvey (Sharman) and his team are very good. They are great physios and great lads and keep my spirits up most of the time. They get you through the days when the lads are out training. It could be a couple of weeks; it could be longer - it depends on how I do and how the physios want to handle it. I listen to the physios and take their advice on board. But I do want to get back as quick as I can.”
We’ll have to hope he can be back pretty soon after league action resumes next weekend, because Cellino’s instruction that Stephen Warnock is not to be selected has left us short of options on the left side of the field. We’ve now seen two other defenders playing out of position at left back, but although neither looked comfortable in the role it’s unlikely that Warnock’s exile will end any time soon after his row with Cellino went public.
White has always looked a little bit light-weight and I’ve always preferred to see him playing further forward on the left side of midfield than at left back, but he could still have much to offer if he can get fit and steer clear of injury. He is 23 today, and we’ll have to hope that as he matures he will fill out a bit and get stronger.
White’s contract will expire at the end of the season, and at the moment you could say that he’s got a lot to do before the club will offer him another one. But it could just be that Warnock’s difficulty will prove to be his opportunity.