Garry Monk urges Leeds supporters to '˜crank it up' as Brighton visit

Leeds United were sitting 18th in the Championship at the time, had not won on home soil for a little over seven months and, as Steve Evans stepped into the breach, supporters were left wondering just when their beloved club would stop being a laughing stock.

Eighteen months on, of course, those same fans already have their answer. Garry Monk’s arrival last summer was the moment everything changed, as the club’s fourth place standing with nine games of the season remaining vividly illustrates.

Leeds are a club with their mojo back, as Chris Hughton’s Seagulls will witness for themselves tomorrow tea-time as Monk once again urges the locals to “crank up the noise”.

“There have been amazing atmospheres this season,” said the United chief. “I have spoken to people that have been here for many years and they say it has been a long time since they have seen the types of atmospheres that we have had here.

“That is great to know. But it is time to crank it up. It is time to for everyone to be together.”

Brighton will head north hoping to avoid a slip that could offer hope to Huddersfield Town in the race for automatic promotion.

“They are obviously one of the best teams in the league,” said Monk, when asked about a Brighton side who beat Leeds 2-0 at the Amex in December.

“They have got a lot of experience, a lot of strength and it is a club that has built up over a good few seasons now and you can see the benefits of that.

“But we will go into the game determined, and try and put our best football on the pitch.

“We know that when we can do that, we can beat any team in this league.”