Saturday Interview: Naylor keen to reward fellow fans for loyalty to Leeds

Tomorrow sees the resumption of one of football's enduring rivalries as the Uniteds of Leeds and Manchester meet for the first time in almost six years. Excitement has been building on either side of the Pennines ever since the FA Cup third-round draw was made with tickets, even at the eye-watering price of 51 that some visiting fans are having to pay, quickly becoming the hottest in town.

Naylor, the Leeds-born captain who is such a dyed-in-the-wool fan he has a Yorkshire rose tattooed on his upper arm, has predictably been besieged with requests for tickets from friends and family desperate to see the League One club return to

Old Trafford.

What the 32-year-old was perhaps not expecting, however, was the number of texts urging him to give one home player in particular some special attention.

"Go and smash Gary Neville," laughs the Elland Road captain when asked if his Leeds-daft mates had any advice ahead of the third-round tie.

Naylor, of course, has no intention of following the advice, though he does admit that since the draw was made an air of anticipation has been noticeable among players and fans alike.

The Leeds captain added: "There is not much love for Manchester United, obviously. It is such a big rivalry and the games are always an event.

"If you ask any of their players who have been there for a long time, the likes of Gary Neville or someone like that, then they will know the history between us. I am sure he has got no love for Leeds United and vice versa.

"Growing up as a Leeds fan with all the history (of the fixture), you don't like them very much. But I don't hate them as a club and I have huge respect for what they have achieved."

Naylor and his team-mates have enjoyed a tremendous season in League One, losing just once in 23 outings to go into 2010 eight points clear at the top.

Despite such impressive form, Leeds will travel to Old Trafford as the biggest underdogs in the fixture's often volatile history – something that former Ipswich Town defender Naylor admits is making him wary.

The Leeds captain said: "I had just signed for Ipswich as a schoolboy when they got beaten 9-0 (at Old Trafford in March 1995).

"That is the last thing in the world you want to happen as you don't want to embarrass yourself going up against the best players.

"There is a lot of publicity surrounding the game so, obviously, there is a nervous tension with that, in terms of anticipating what could happen.

"But you have got to look on the bright side and think about the things we have been doing well all season.

"We played well against Liverpool (in the Carling Cup last September) when we lost 1-0 on a night when there wasn't much between the sides.

"We were very good that night and if we replicate that sort of form then we will do all right."

Such is the bitter rivalry that exists between the two clubs that players moving in either direction have, in the past, invariably incurred the wrath of the supporters left behind.

Two to go on and enjoy great success after swapping Old Trafford for Elland Road were Johnny Giles and Gordon Strachan, while Alan Smith was the most recent to head west in the opposite direction and follow in the footsteps of Rio Ferdinand, Joe Jordan and Gordon McQueen.

To lifelong Leeds fan Naylor, however, there is one player who he was particularly "gutted" to see move to Manchester.

He said: "Seeing (Eric) Cantona leave was disappointing, especially with the success he went on to have. I was at Sheffield United when we (Leeds) won the league title (in 1992) and Cantona was on the bench for some reason.

"He was on the sideline doing kick-ups in front of all the Leeds fans and he was just adored. He rented a house not far from me in Leeds and we used to walk past his house on the way to school. I was gutted to see him go across there and have the success he did."

Asked if he resented Cantona joining Leeds's bitter rivals, Naylor said: "Yes and no. Once you get into football (as a player) you look at things slightly differently.

"You don't hold it as much against players. I spoke to Alan Smith recently. Everyone has choices to make in their career and what they do is what they think is best for them.

"As a fan, you look at things differently. It's more personal for fans."

Tomorrow's third-round tie, like the Carling Cup meeting with Liverpool earlier in the season, will be a reminder of happier times for the Elland Road club and, according to the captain, a reward to the fans for the magnificent backing they have given the club during the recent dark days.

Naylor, whose fourth birthday coincided with Leeds's last victory at Old Trafford when Brian Flynn scored a dramatic late winner, said: "Our fans are the most loyal in the country.

"They have stuck with us through very lean times. We get 30,000 in League One and that is unbelievable.

"It will be good to take the Leeds fans back to Old Trafford and a reward for them having to go to some of the poor places we have had to go to over the past few years. I just hope we do them and ourselves justice."

Manchester Utd v Leeds Utd

Team news: Leigh Bromby misses the trip to Old Trafford through suspension after being booked for a fifth time this season during last Monday's win at Stockport County. Shane Higgs and Ben Parker are also missing, though manager Simon Grayson has had good news with the latter after the left- back returned to training over the festive season. Max Gradel is unavailable due to parent club Leicester City not wanting the winger to be Cup-tied.

Last six games: Manchester United WLWLWW, Leeds United WDWWWW.

Last time: Manchester United 1 Leeds United 1; February 21, 2004; Premier League.

Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).

SkyBet odds: Man Utd to win 1-4,

Leeds to win 12-1, Draw 9-2.