He had impressed manager David O'Leary during pre-season trips to both Sweden and Dublin and admitted his delight at how his career was shaping up at Leeds. 'I feel that things are slowly happening for me now, I was not expecting to be given a squad number actually,' he said. 'I was included in the tour of Sweden and I went to Dublin as well and now I have been included in the party for Rotterdam. Things are going well and I just hope I can keep it going.

'To be honest I have not spent too much time out on the pitch yet, but it has been very good to train with the first-team boys and learn so much from them. They are some of the best players in the country and you can't help but be impressed by them. It all happened so fast really, but I am happy to be in the first-team squad and now it is down to me to keep working hard and prove I am worth that place.

'My goal for the coming season would be to keep going with the first team and to gain as much experience as possible. Hopefully I can get in a few games as well.

'I have started playing this season at left-back but last year I was in at centre-half and before that I was playing out at left wing. Playing on the left side of defence is a bit of a change for me but they want to see if I can play in that position and I am happy with that. It may take me a few games to settle in there but I am enjoying my football, I want to succeed here and there is a great opportunity for me. Hopefully things can only get better. Being on the bench for a Premiership game would be a great start and then I can build from there and hopefully work my way into the team.'

A succession of injuries meant that Cansdell-Sherriff never fulfilled his potential at Elland Road. Unable to break into the match-day squad, he was loaned out to Rochdale in November 2002. He was forced to return to Elland Road the following month following a knee injury which required surgery. Cansdell-Smith impressed during his first month at Spotland and was wanted by player-boss Paul Simpson for a longer period. He was among the substitutes when Leeds lost at Manchester United in March but his contract was not renewed at the end of the 2002/03 season, and he signed for Danish Superliga side AGF Aarhus in June 2003.

He made the Australia squad for the Athens Olympics in 2004 but failed to break into the international side, though he was called into the squad for a training camp in 2011.

After three years in Denmark, Cansdell-Sherriff signed a two-year contract with Tranmere Rovers at the start of the 2006/07 season. He became a regular choice and took the club captaincy.

On 28 June 2008 he signed for League Two team Shrewsbury Town on a two-year contract. He established himself as a first team regular at the club, and in June 2010, he extended his contract.

In May 2012, Cansdell-Sherriff joined Preston North End. After a loan spell with Burton Albion, he joined the Staffordshire club permanently in 2014, staying for a couple of years.

He returned to Australia in 2016 and coached Adamstown Rosebuds and Bankstown City.