Leeds United welcome sellout at Elland Road for Newcastle clash

Leeds announced yesterday that all remaining general admission tickets for the Championship fixture on November 20 had gone following a surge of interest in the past 72 hours.

Sales rose rapidly from around 29,000 on Monday morning to the brink of a sell-out on Tuesday night, guaranteeing Leeds their highest attendance since an FA Cup third-round replay against Arsenal in 2011, a tie which drew in 38,232.

United have not recorded a sell-out for a league fixture since the dramatic meeting with Bristol Rovers in 2010, which secured promotion from League One at the third attempt.

The crowd against Newcastle will exceed this season’s highest to date – 28,514 for a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town in September – and is vastly higher than Elland Road’s average attendance of under 24,000.

Sales have risen despite Sky Sports’ decision to televise the meeting with Rafael Benitez’s side, who lead the Championship table after 15 games.

Newcastle have received an away allocation of 2,764 for the first league meeting between the sides in 12 years.

Leeds assistant manager Pep Clotet said the club’s support had become a “power that lies outside the team” after the club’s run of six wins from nine league games.

“There is a communion between the team and the fans,” Clotet said. “We do feel like we are fighting together and working together.

“It’s good to have the mentality that big clubs have. They (the fans) always force you to do more.

“When you cross the barrier of insecurity, which you sometimes have at the beginning, it makes them proud.”

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough wants to keep Sheffield United loanee John Brayford beyond January.

Blades boss Chris Wilder revealed earlier this week that the club have an option to recall the defender in the new year.

But ex-Bramall Lane chief Clough is keeping his fingers crossed that the recall clause is not invoked.

He said: “We cannot do anything about it if they do recall him, that is pretty much in every loan agreement.

“But I hope, (as) Chris Wilder is doing brilliantly up there with Sheffield United, if they keep going, they might not need him.”