April 28 2007

Crystal Palace

Derby defender Dean Leacock hopes to sink boyhood club Crystal Palace to help his side win promotion.

Third-placed Rams must win Sunday's televised clash with Palace at Selhurst Park to stand a chance of claiming automatic promotion.

Leacock, 22, grew up in South London and was a Palace ballboy, but insists sentiment will go out of the window.

"I grew up two minutes away from there," he said. "I could see the stadium and the lights and on a matchday I could hear the noise.

"It is like going home. It will be good to go back down there and see the family.

"But three points is the target for us as we need a win to put pressure on Sunderland on Birmingham."