Le Fondre ready for chance in top flight – Moore

ROTHERHAM United striker Adam Le Fondre is ready for the Premier League, according to manager Ronnie Moore.

Le Fondre, who has bagged 30 goals this season, looks set to make his final appearance for the Millers in Sunday's League Two play-off final against Dagenham and Redbridge at Wembley.

Barnsley, Preston North End, and Derby County currently lead the chase for his signature but Moore says the striker does not have to settle for life in the Championship.

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With Blackpool manager Ian Holloway looking to strengthen following his club's shock promotion to the Premier League, Le Fondre – who hails from nearby Stockport – could be a credible option at Bloomfield Road.

Moore said: "If I was a Premiership manager, I would certainly take a chance on 'Alfie'. No doubt about that. I see him every day in training where other managers only see him on a Saturday when he is playing.

"He can go as high as he wants to in the game. He has got ability, pace and, whenever he goes through, you always think it is going to be a goal.

"He has scored 30 this season which is fantastic at any level but there are more for him yet," Moore added. "He could easily be the star at Wembley this weekend."

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The Millers paid just 100,000 to sign Le Fondre from Rochdale last summer but his value has rocketed over the course of this season.

He scored in both legs of the play-off semi-final victory over Aldershot and also found the net three times in two wins over Dagenham.

With two years remaining on his contract, the 23-year-old will not be allowed to leave on the cheap. However, it is also unlikely that anyone will be willing to pay over 2m for a player who, as yet, is unproven in the top two tiers of the game.

"Someone will have to spend a lot of money to shift him from this club," insisted Moore. "I would like him to stay but that all depends where we are. If we don't go up, its going to be a lot harder to convince him and people still have to decide what they think he's worth."

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In a recent Yorkshire Post interview, Le Fondre refused to rule out a summer move and insisted that his focus was purely on winning promotion at this stage. His stance is likely to change after Sunday's game – regardless of whether Rotherham win or lose.

Moore, who scored over 200 goals during his own playing career, admits that there is still room for improvement in Le Fondre's game.

"Modern strikers don't just score goals – they are workaholics too," said Moore. "Wayne Rooney covers every blade of grass and Ronaldo also shifts his backside so I am sure Le Fondre can shift his too.

"If he works a little bit harder, he will catch the eye more. Once he starts doing that, the world is his oyster. Right now, he is only 22 and still a baby.

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"This lad will score goals wherever he goes. When he is 40, he will be scoring, even if only for the Dog and Duck!"

Moore believes that current chairman Tony Stewart possesses far more ambition than former chairman Ken Booth which is another reason why the player will not be sold on the cheap.

"He will not be pinched by anybody," said Moore. "And that makes a change.

"When I was in charge of this club first time around, we would have sold for anything near 100 grand."

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Around 1,000 supporters flocked to Rotherham's All Saints Square yesterday to give the Millers an official send-off ahead of the trip to Wembley.

Club chairman Stewart and Mayor Rose McNeely addressed the crowd but manager Moore was keen to play down the event saying: "I don't want anyone to give anyone the impression that we are thinking "we're going to win it".

"This is not arrogance on Rotherham's part.

"You normally get a pat on the back when you come back – but a lot of supporters have asked if we could do this," he stressed. "The players know we have not won anything yet and there is still a job to do."

The Millers travel down to London today and will take part in a tour of the stadium tonight. Moore has also arranged for his squad to use training facilities at Barnet over the next two days.

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Moore will not be allowing his players to take mobile phones or cameras into the stadium on Sunday in another bid to concentrate minds on the task.

There are no fresh injuries to report and Moore is expected to stick with the same side that played in both legs of the semi-final.

LE FONDRE FACTS

Born: Stockport, 2/12/86

Height: 5'10"

Career details:

2005-07 – Stockport County

Games 32 (41) Goals 19

2007-09 – Rochdale

Games 72 (40) Goals 42

2009-10 – Rotherham United

Games 49 (1) Goals 30