When Tresor Kandol joined Leeds United in January 2007 after a brief loan spell, it was to a mixed response from fans. The somersaulting Congolese striker was signed by Dennis Wise from League 2 Barnet as a bit of a unknown quantity.
But a brace against Cardiff at Ninian Park in the league cup put him on the radar and he was snapped up by Mr Wise, but whether or not the decision would be classed as that was always going to be a risk.
After some fleeting appearances in the championship relegation season, he wasn't recevied very well overall by the United faithful. But at this point it was unfair to judge him as the side weren't exactly overflowing with confidence, plus coming from League 2 and expecting to adjust instantly would be hard.
At the start of our first season in League one, Kandol came into his own linking well with Jermaine Beckford scoring 5 goals in the opening 7 games and earning a new long term contract. He went on to make 32 appearances scoring 11 goals, only 6 more for the rest of the season.
But the 6ft 1 striker did earn a call up for the first time to the Congo national side. Unfortunately with Wise's departure, big Tres was frozen out under McAllister after the signing of Luciano Becchio.
He went on loan to Millwall and back to the championship with Charlton to try to help them avoid their impending doom. Didn't happen, but it was like trying to stop dead a high speed cross country train with one of those rulers that can fold in half. It wasn't going to happen.
Going from scoring in a scouse sh*t hole to couldn't score in a brothel wasn't exactly true though. He scored 8 goals in 16 appearances for Millwall followed by another 2 for Charlton which showed that he could still find the net.
It seemed this summer, with Simon Grayson now in charge, once more his chances would be limited and many Leeds fans myself included would think it was time for him to move on.
But Tres has kept his head down and scored quite a few goals in the reserves and has people suddenly thinking, what if?....
His reward was a start in the JPT against Darlington and duly scored. Now again retrospect is needed, Darlo are rock bottom of League 2. And were possibly the worst team I have ever seen at Elland Road. Ever.
The defence seemed to have been hypnotised by Moses to be convinced that a huge gap down the middle was the way to go.
But if your confidence is low, then scoring can be hard no matter what the opposition.
But he took the ball down well and powered home the shot from just inside the area. A great finish and he did show some good touches in the match linking well with Grella.
What if?....after going off at half time due to illness to be replaced by an uninspiring Enoch Showunmi, and seeing Davide Somma going off injured to top Becchio's injury, it leaves Tres, Grella and Beckford. Could Tres deliever the goods? Could he be recalled?
What if?....could he start the next match against Norwich on Sky next Monday alongside Beckford? Will the old partnership strike up from the start of the 07/08 season, or would it end with the usual ironic cheers from Leeds fans everytime Kandol did something useful followed by being unceremoniously hauled off for Grella, or even Enoch.
One knows that if he doesn't do anything classed as 'useful' by the fans exacting standards then it'll be back to the reserves. It's something that could be classed as a dilemma, but at the same time if he does either start or come on against Norwich, what have we got to lose?
If he does regain his form and uses his height effectively against a rejuvenated and tall Norwich side and contributes to a win, then bonus, lets keep using him.
If he doesn't do well and goes from being 6ft 1 before he jumps to 5ft 3 when he does jump and does nothing, then at least he's been given the chance his goalscoring explots deserve and we move on. We haven't exactly done badly without him to start with.
But another two goals against the Hartlepool reserves last night shows a striker with possibly something to offer. It keeps people thinking. What if?....