I am an Elland Road season ticket holder in my twenties, and have been following the Whites through thick, thin and thinner throughout all the trials and tribulations, across Europe and throughout the country for over a decade now.
In this time I’ve seen the most spectacular roller-coaster ride which peaked at the Champions League Semi Finals of 2001, and has hopefully reached it’s lowest point now in 2008 where we look to fight for promotion out of the third tier of English football – the lowest status we have ever seen in our 89 year history.
Leeds United to me has become much more than a football club, and more a way of life. The passion for the team I share with so many really does effect me personally week in, week out. When Leeds are defeated you can expect to find me in a sombre, remorseful or more often than not, angry state for the days that follow. Many times I’ve threatened to cancel my season ticket during moments of severe anger, but as every passionate fan knows, the team you support is in your blood, and no matter what, you’ll always be back on the terraces the following week come rain or shine.
The upside to following a football team is the unity. Football is often seen like religion as dividing the masses, but it also unites many too. The thousands of fans I share Elland Road with every year experience the same highs and lows that I do, and through it all we stay united, marching on together, through whatever fate may bring us. It’s a network of support that reaches into every corner of the globe, and no matter how far from home I’ve been, I’ve always come across other fans of the team, often sharing stories and discussing the current situation of the club we love.
During a recent trip to Spain, I found myself in a bar discussing football with the locals, most of whom were Barcelona fans and had mixed feelings towards Leeds United, but all conceeded they were sorry to see the demise of a club that had only 7 years ago knocked them out of Europe’s most prestigious competition, despite batteting us 4-0 at the Nou Camp – a fact they took great pride in reminding me of.
As the conversation spread throughout the bar, and more and more locals and tourists got involved an older man at the back of the bar came over and announced he too was a Leeds United fan. After shaking my hand, he told me how he’d moved to Barcelona 10 years ago, and although he’s not regretted much, not being able to see Leeds United week in, week out was something he still missed greatly today.
He said he still made the occasional game every year, and kept up online the rest of the time, but the experience is what he missed.
With that in mind I set about this blog. The majority of posts will inevitably be various news regarding the club, with my own personal thoughts added when possible, but it’ll also contain my review of each and every Leeds United game, so that people like my friend from Spain can keep up with the latest from the point of view of one of his younger counterparts. I hope the blog can stretch the world over, and help to keep other fans in the loop with regards to the team too.
This blog is dedicated to Rob in Barcelona, and every other Leeds United fan throughout the world.
“Forever and ever, we’ll follow our team”
