GOALKEEPING legend Paul Robinson knows what it takes to be Leeds United and England No1.
Now he says can cement his own name into Elland Road and Three Lions folklore as he prepares to shut out Manchester United.
Trafford has fast become a hit with supporters following his £45m club-record arrival from Manchester City this summer.
The 24-year-old hit his first bump in the road in last week’s defeat at champions Arsenal, his first setback since made him the undisputed first-choice.
But Whites hero Robinson says the star has the swag to brush off that setback when hated rivals the Red Devils head to LS11 on Sunday.
And, given time, he has all the attributes to emulate the glory days of himself and fellow great Nigel Martyn between the sticks for and .
Robinson, speaking exclusively to The Sun via Hellotickets.com , said: “The key to any legacy or if you’re part of a list of players when you look back at a club, it’s longevity and it’s doing it over a long period of time. Being No1 and performing at a consistent level.
“We’re very early on in his Leeds’ career and very early on at the start of the season, but if the start is anything to go by, if he can continue that level of performance for a number of years, then he’ll be talked about in the same conversations, absolutely.
“It’s very important that he stays at that level and that Leeds stay in the Premier League, which they’re looking like they’re going to do very comfortably this season. They’ve had a brilliant start to the season.”
Robinson, who came through Leeds’ academy to make 119 appearances before joining Tottenham in 2004 after relegation, continued: “You can see his body language and the way that he’s relishing the number one.
“There’s two different types of goalkeepers. Some like to have a really good number two and always be on edge, knowing that they’re not necessarily guaranteed to play every week. Some enjoy that whole stigma and the confidence and the whole thing about being number one around the training ground, being number one around the dressing room.
“It seems to be a position that James Trafford is really relishing in.”
Farke led Leeds to survival last term following promotion and the FA Cup semi-final.
With the club’s ambitious owners already working on expanding Elland Road, the squad was strengthened with £34.1m Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic, free transfer Harry Wilson and Trafford during the summer.
The bright start to the campaign has got fans dreaming again. And a victory over bitter rivals United will only make them even more confident of a push for Europe.
Robinson, who deputised several times for the injured Martyn in Leeds’ memorable run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001, said: “It just feels a really good time to be a part of the football club and that the club’s in a really good place.
“It’s moving forward in every single aspect, the development off the field, the development and progression with the team. But you’ve got to ward against expectation, because it’s the old adage, with success comes expectation.
“Leeds had to stay in the Premier League last year, they did that, and now this season people said, ‘Leeds look like an established Premier League team’, or ‘Leeds could push for Europe’, but at the start of the season they were saying they would be in the conversation about going down again.
“They have got the building blocks to be pushing for European places again. The expectation will come because the team’s playing so well and that’s only natural, but the foundations that this era, that this generation is built on, there’s every chance that they could go on and push for European places.
“They’re certainly looking at the top half of the table and not below them, that is for sure. They are looking at a very strong, established Premier League side who have the foundation to go on.”
