Pablo Hernandez claims Jack Charlton will help Leeds over the finishing line in the race for promotion.
Hernandez says the Leeds players and staff were saddened to hear of Charlton’s death and the Spaniard dedicated Sunday’s win over Swansea to the club legend.
Charlton made a record 773 appearances for Leeds and Hernandez says he will be willing them on from heaven to end their 16-year exile from the top flight.
“We received the bad news on Saturday,” said the midfielder, who scored an 89th-minute winner against his old club Swansea.
“Everyone at Leeds United and all of the fans remember him. He is part of the history of this club and these three points against Swansea are for everybody, for the fans and especially for him and his memory.
“I’m sure he will help us in the next games from the sky and this win is for him.”
Leeds need four points to return to the top flight and promotion is sure to be emotional because in addition to Charlton, the club recently lost legends Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry.
Hernandez says Marcelo Bielsa’s players are focused on winning their last three games and they want to go up as champions, just as Howard Wilkinson’s side did when the club last won promotion to the top flight in 1990.
“We know if we win the three games left we will be champions and this will be the reality, we just need to be focused on our own games,” he said.
“Scoring in the last minute to win the game was an unbelievable feeling for everybody.
“I celebrated the goal a lot because I know the goal means a lot to everybody and it was in the 89th minute, in a special stadium for me.
“It is an important three points for our target in the league.”
