Leeds United fanatic Jonny Howson living boyhood dream

It is the classic tale of boyhood fan turned local hero and the nerveless
20-year-old is perfectly capable of following up his double that sank Carlisle
in the semi-finals with another match-winning display.

Jonny be good: Leeds United's Johnathan Howson celebrates after scoing the winning goal against Carlisle

  Leeds manager Gary McAllister, part of the revered midfield that powered the
Yorkshire club to the old First Division title in 1992, has run out of
superlatives for his prodigy.

  For Howson, tomorrow's all-Yorkshire showdown is all about completing phase one
of his long-term goal - of helping Leeds return to the Barclays Premier League.

  The Morley-born former Bruntcliffe School pupil, who recalled his first trip to
Elland Road as a seven-year-old as if it was yesterday, said: "It's been very
frustrating for me and for Leeds these last few years, but it's been a dream
come true playing for them.

  "It will be amazing if I could play with them one day in the Premier League.
To support them as a young boy and to have watched them in the Premier League,
it would mean everything to me.

  "It was so disappointing to see them get relegated, but it's always been my
dream, to be a professional footballer for Leeds. Coming here full time is what
I've always wanted to do."

  Throughout all the club's well-chronicled troubles in recent years and this
season's unsuccessful appeal against the Football League's 15-point deduction
for breaking rules on insolvency, Howson's love for Leeds has never waned.

  He said: "I've never thought about going anywhere else. When I was eight there
was Leeds and Huddersfield, but there was only one place I wanted to come.

  "When I first came I started cleaning Michael Duberry's boots. He promised me
a bonus at Christmas, but he ended up going to Stoke.

  "I've cleaned Rob Hulse's and Ian Moore's and the first time I ever played for
the reserves I was playing with Ian Moore and thinking: 'I clean your boots!'

  "I grew up watching Alan Smith, Harry Kewell, Lee Bowyer and all that era
really. It was the way they played and the passion they had. That's good to look
up to.

  "I was seven or eight when I went to my first game and we played Nottingham
Forest and won 2-0. I went with my dad, my brother and my granddad.

  "My granddad at the time supported Nottingham Forest, but he's a glory
supporter. Now he supports Man Utd."

  Leeds trailed Carlisle 2-1 after the first leg of the semi-final at Elland
Road, but Howson struck in the 10th minute at Brunton Park to haul his side
level on aggregate and then fired a stoppage-time winner.

  He said: "Thursday night is just sinking in now. I kept playing it over and
over again on Sky to make sure it happened, but I'm beginning to concentrate on
Sunday now."

  Howson is convinced the Football League's sanction has galvanised the club this
season in their pursuit of an immediate return to the Championship.

  He added: "There's also been a change of manager and things like that and
we've all stuck together over what's happened.

  "It would have been nice to get them back a few weeks ago, but if you had
written it you'd say: 'Keep your 15 points and we'll get promoted anyway'.

  "That would be much better. It's still possible and hopefully we can do that,
but we only get one chance on Sunday."