Hill can't wait for Leeds game

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Keith Hill

Manager Keith Hill says he “can’t wait” for Saturday’s FA Cup with Budweiser third round tie against Leeds United.

The Championship side make the trip along the M62 for the clash and Hill says he and the players are looking forward to it.

“It’s a great game for the club, it’s a great game for the players and for the fans. We’ll forget about the result [against Scunthorpe] – that won’t de-rail us. We’re really looking forward to the prospect of pitting our wits against Leeds and I can’t wait.

“As a football club, hosting Leeds is a massive privilege in itself, but to actually get an opportunity to go through to the next round is fantastic, who knows what is going to happen [on the day].

“We’re going to be competitive, we know they’re an excellent side, Brian [McDermott] sets his side up absolutely superbly and he’s a Manager that I admire. I admired him when he was at Reading – I thought he did an excellent job there and he’s going to do a similar sort of job at Leeds.

"It’s an opportunity for the players and they deserve that. We did excellently at Torquay away and then when we played Rotherham away it was absolutely superb, so they’re looking forward to it.

“And I’m really looking forward to it myself. It has been a long time since I represented myself in the third round.

“Let’s create an atmosphere at Spotland that can maybe create a little bit of unrest in the Leeds side and maybe create an opportunity for a Cup upset.”

Dale will be without the suspended Michael Rose, who was sent off in Wednesday’s Sky Bet League Two encounter against Scunthorpe United for a second bookable offence.

Leeds are said to have an almost full strength squad to choose from for the match, with Alex Mowatt Brian McDermott’s biggest doubt.

Paddy Kenny is fit enough to return to the squad, while Noel Hunt is pushing for a first team return.

El-Hadji Diouf is unavailable for the game, and they’ll be without Paul Green, David Norris and Jamie Ashdown who are all injured.