A brief account of only my second ever visit to Elland Road

I take full responsibility for our defeat yesterday. After all my years of following Barnsley and either choosing not to go, or not being able to go, I finally got to see the Reds at Elland Road yesterday. It was inevitable that after so many decent results there in recent years it would end in defeat, and so it did. So, sorry about that - it was all my fault! My only other visit was around 1971 during the Glory, Glory Leeds United years. It wasn't to see them though - it was to see my other favourite team at that time, Coventry City. This was old First Division days of course. I have no memory of the game or atmosphere, but I imagine it was as hostile as yesterday's.

That's my first point about yesterday actually - the atmosphere/experience. Outside the ground I saw no trouble but, then again, I chose not to wear anything Barnsley-related so I was unmolested on my mile-long walk from the car to the ground. But having arrived at the turnstiles the unpleasantness started. There were plenty of young lads there giving it large with plenty of bad language to add to it. They were obviously not challenged except for being subjected to the same search that I was. Now I understand WHY there is so much security at football grounds these days (or should I say at SOME football grounds) but as a sixty-plus, mild-mannered good citizen, I object to being patted down by a teenager in a day-glow jacket and then having my bag searched airport-style at a table. I know they are not allowed to use any common sense or discretion but I wish they would! I presume men and women in their seventies and above were subjected to the same treatment?

Once inside the ground I had the feeling it wasn't going to be a pleasant afternoon on any level. We were crammed into the old John Charles stand and, being up on row Q, the view was restricted as I was so high up and the long media gantry was in the way every time the ball went high above the players heads. You might say "so what?" but I like an unrestricted view of a match. Then we came to the thorny issue of some people standing up from the start. On the row immediately in front of me there was a group of big lads who seemed more interested in chanting, shouting and making gestures to the Leeds fans behind the goal, all done while standing of course. As we were attacking the furthest end from us this meant that they were barely watching the action at all and, of course, it meant that my row, and the three or four behind were also forced to stand.

It got to about the 20th minute and one of the steward supervisors made a feeble attempt to get them to sit down, but they naturally ignored her. Not long after a guy on their row had a go at them but they ignored him as well despite a heated exchange. I, along with a couple of others, tried to make the point that they were spoiling it for others and they just laughed it off although they did go half way by sitting on the edge of the upturned seats. This was a start but why make it an unpleasant atmosphere for those who want to occupy their seats? I have no problem with jumping up when something happens but to stand up from the first minute is not acceptable for me, and for plenty of others. Luckily the offending crew went somewhere else after half time so the problem disappeared.

So, what about the match itself? I've been absent for most of September so have missed everything since Rotherham and I can see that things are getting tougher for us. I think the intimidating atmosphere got to some of the players or maybe we just played into their hands. Lets be honest though - Leeds were very poor in that first half. I said towards the end of it that I couldn't believe we were losing to such a poor outfit. They scored against the run of play and kicked the ball out often and, of course, they had that useless lump Chris Wood up front. We just couldn't get a proper grip of the game though and, although we had odd spells of decent football and pressure, these didn't last long enough.

When we went 2-0 down early in the second half (he did well to spring the offside trap by the way) I feared a 4-0 tonking but we managed to get back into it with a lucky own goal. Kpekawa did very well to get the low cross in but he struggled for much of the game. Hammill had a right old go at him at one point in the second half for not doing what he wanted and this, of course, is where we miss Aidy White's link-up play down that left hand side. The young lad will get better but he's not up to standard yet.

I'm wondering how long it will be before Jackson gets a go at centre half, but that would be hard on the two lads there at the moment. Presumably MacDonald would be the one to give way but he was impressive yesterday. His tackling is very good and he is quick but maybe his reading of the game off the ball is suspect. Something needs to change anyway because we can't allow teams like Leeds to take a two-goal lead. I repeat - they were poor. We didn't deserve to lose that match but perhaps a bit of naivity is creeping into our play and this will be exploited time and again until we learn how to play the big crowds and the experienced campaigners.

Nobody really stood out because they all did good things while making mistakes throughout. Scowen looked busy and aggressive and he was unlucky at the end with one of two chances that were cleared by the last man close to their goal line. If only both of those had gone in - we would have shut that raucous crowd up good and proper and, I think, deservedly so. In truth a draw would have been fair but they didn't deserve the three points. After a poor start they are picking up while we are going in the opposite direction. I see no reason why we can't get at least four points from our next two home games and, maybe, all six.

It took an age to get out of that stand at the end and then there was the ludicrous situation of another bottle neck on the level below. Perhaps they wanted us to spend money at the bar which seemed to be still open? When I eventually got out (shades of Chesterfield last season) it was a miserable walk back in the rain to my waiting car. It's been over 40 years between my two visits to Elland Road and I can't, in all honesty, say I'm looking forward to another visit. Football is supposed to be about pleasure and entertainment. Yesterday it was more about attrition with thousands of rival fans taking more delight in baiting each other than watching a football match. That sort of thing leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

 

Great report mate, as for the standing I think it should be agreed that if you want to stand all game it should be at the back, or in a specific section not in front of people which is just rude, I stood up for the game yesterday but everyone in my block was standing so it wasn't really obstructing anyone

 

I agree and the one immediately in front of me was making a similar point. The thing is though that none of us are able to choose our seats in situations like this so it is pot luck who your immediate neighbours are going to be.

I have nothing against those who want to stand up except when it is done selfishly. You say that everyone around you was standing, but you have no way of knowing if all of them WANTED to stand up have you?

 

No you can never know for certain but I was sat in or around alot of people my age and younger and they generally like to stand up if anyone was complaining it was me, I was freezing and when everyone sits down it's warmer but no one wanted to so you can't really sit down when everyone else is stood up

I know how people feel though, we had a group of lads 2 seasons ago that sat on the back of their chairs and threw teddy out when we asked em to sit down, thankfully they were only there one season

 

Having just watched the ten-minutes highlights package on Player it's worth revisiting the subject of the Hammill/Kpekawa link up play. That move that led to our goal involved both of them and Hammill played a clever ball between their defenders to allow Cole to run on and deliver a brilliant cross. If the defender had not diverted it into the goal Winnall was there to do so. It was a good exchange of passes leading up to that, so praise to both of them for it.

And on the subject of SSW - again, not his most effective game. I would rather see him in the team than out of it but he and Marley need more game time together to rediscover their understanding. It will come, I'm sure of it and Sam should be in doulble figures by the new year (hopefully!).

I'm sorry now that I spent so much time talking about the crowd, as opposed to the football but it was one of those dispiriting afternoons that was topped off by a disappointing result. Saturday afternoons can't always end in smiles - I know that from long experience - but I can't stand all this aggression between fans. It's not just us - it's at every ground in the country, and at every level. Even non-league grounds can be unpleasant places to be if there is a sizeable away following. The game just attracts that kind of neanderthal behaviour I suppose.

 

As I get older I get more aware of how I don't enjoy being in these situations. That's why, unfortunately, the number of times I attend away games is dropping off as the years go by. I am sure as hell glad I didn't go yesterday, and saved my £37. No regrets.

 

Same here but it was "only" £25 for me yesterday. I feel envious sometimes of family members who have got to see great away wins in recent times but I just know that when I venture out it will end in disappointment. Hudds and Leeds already this season - maybe I will stick to home matches!

 

Just by way of another illustration of the morons football attracts, on my way out from land road yesterday I got talking to one kid asking him if he thought their second was offside. His reply:
"Ar dunt know kid. Ar dint see any ut gooals. Tony reason Ave bin today wor to smash sum f****** leeds cu*** eeads in".

Waste of a skin.

 

Sadly he won't be the only one. Like I said above, so many that I could see in the rows below me spent most of the first half turned towards the Leeds crowd behind the goal making all the usual cretin-like sounds, making the usual hand and arm gestures, etc etc. Assuming these fools had paid £37 for that privilege you have to shake your head and wonder why!

I'm sorry but I just don't understand it at all. All clubs have them, just the same as all clubs have decent, fair-minded people who want to enjoy the match and will leave ecstatic or deflated depending on the result. The latter group (I belong to it) would never dream of inflicting any kind of verbal or bodily harm on anyone else, either opposition fans or our own.

There are a few on here who will be sneering at my words but that's up to them. If they don't have the wit or intelligence to lead a decent life then nothing anyone says on a fans forum will make them change their ways. I'd just prefer to occupy a different part of the ground to them. Actually, I'd rather inhabit a different universe altogether, but you can't have everything, can you

 

Totally agree Prince.
The other baffling thing which bemused me was when I went for a pee mid way thru the second half and there must have been 20 or so people watching the match on the telly so that they could sup more beer. Astounding.

 

Noooooo....really? Find that SO hard to believe

 

I kid thee not.

 

There are many grounds where this is the norm, I remember a trip to Maine Road - early 80s, they never saw a minute of the game as far as I could see.

 

Not saying there is anything new in it - just don't understand the behaviour. It's moronic, nothing less.

 

Neither do I mate, they must have money to burn with ticket prices at Leeds.