WHY LEEDS UNITED IS MY CLUB
Here at Right in the Gary Kelly’s we run a series called ‘Why Leeds United Is My Club’.The purpose of this series is to ask fellow LUFC fans why they support Leeds United and what the club really means to them. This weeks contribution comes from Ben Sowden. Here is what LUFC means to Ben…
Why Support Leeds United?
My dad. Like him I’m Leeds born and bred. I was hooked one Sunday morning when he went through the papers and explained how the league worked, think I was about five. First trip to ER was a testimonial or a pre-season, according to him, though I don’t remember it, first proper game was against Newcastle in December ’89.Won 1-0 thanks to an Ian Baird goal. Don’t think I’ll ever forget that bit of trivia. I live in the south-east now but still get back to ER when I can and managed to get to a dozen or so games last season. There have been a few dark times over the years when my dad’s apologised – only half jokingly I think – for passing on the Leeds bug to me and my brother but we’d neither of us have had it any other way.
All time favourite Goal?
“Now McAllister, back from Strachan, here’s Strachan again…” against Leicester in 1990. Wouldn’t be the last time McAllister set up a goal for us either, though that was the last time he did it while playing for the opposition. In recent years I’d have to say Johnson’s against Arsenal, was level with him when he hit it, absolute screamer. Oh and Beckford’s at Old Trafford. The slowest roll-in of any ball, ever.
Greatest Moment?
I guess I was fortunate that we had two great seasons immediately after I became a Leeds fan, so either the last day of 89-90 or 91-92. All time greatest would probably be the victory parade after winning the last First Division title. On a personal note it would probably be watching my wife going from being vaguely interested in football in general to being a die-hard Leeds fan in the space of one Boxing Day match in 2008. From that point on she could do no wrong in my dad’s eyes.
Lowest Moment?
Watching us lose to Villa in the League Cup final in 1996 was pretty crushing. I think I thought at the time that was pretty much as tough as being a Leeds fan could get. I was proved spectacularly wrong over the next decade or so, I think the ultimate downer was losing to Watford in the playoff final when it became sickeningly obvious that recovery was going to take longer than we’d thought.
Favourite Game?
The Liverpool game in 1991 will always stick with me. We ended up losing 5-4 at home but the game was an absolute blinder. The elation of beating Bristol to go back up to the Championship was all the more because we took so bloody long to turn that game to our advantage. We can be so unpredictable these days any game we approach with the skill and passion were capable of is fine by me.
Best away team you’ve witnessed play at Elland Road?
Tricky one since the obvious answer in recent years would be any of the Premiership teams we’ve hosted
How would you describe the last 10 years of the club fortunes?
We’d definitely have had an immeasurably different decade had there been a little more foresight. By which I mean, had anyone thought to drown Ridsdale at birth. It’s difficult to put it into words that haven’t been used a hundred times before and we aren’t all well aware of. I think we’re coming back, I don’t think anyone wanted to think it would take that long but I suppose if you consider it as a complete starting from scratch it’s easier to recognise what we’ve achieved in the last few seasons. I believe in Grayson as a manager, and yeah there are other more experienced managers but you’d struggle to find one as passionate about the club. If I only ever read the spin-doctored stuff on the website or listened to Bates on Yorkshire Radio I might even think the old sod himself actually cared about us too. We’ll get there. We’ll do it without too much moral or financial support from our chairman but we’ll do it.
Somma or Becchio?
Looking at the injury record you have to be glad we’ve got both. I’m writing this the day after the Palace game and the way Becchio ran straight to the physio after scoring was pretty moving, it was great to see him getting right back into his stride, but hopefully we’ll have that to look forward to with Somma too. Generally we’ve got some good attacking players, and as and when the defence and midfield come together to the same degree we’ll be flying.
And finally if you could pick any player that has ever wore the white jersey in the clubs history to play today who would it be?
Well I quite liked Gradel to be honest. Seriously, it’s a tough one, of the players I’ve seen in my time Radebe is an obvious choice. I wouldn’t turn down Batty, we could definitely do with that kind of bite in defence, and I always had a lot of time for Gordon Strachan.
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Totally agree sentiments regarding favourite goal v Leicester in 89/90 season. That goal/game is without doubt my greatest moment ever as a Leeds fan. The feeling after Strachan’s winner will stay with me forever. I would love to see a copy of that game again. If anybody knows where I can get a copy of it then let me know.