Why Leeds United ?

[Sheepy]

That is a great post.. although the reasons are only true to a certain era, but still a great read.

My reasons for supporting Leeds are boring, born n bred here, simple as that. But I'll tell ya one thing about me, when we get beat, I always keep wearing my shirt, or wear a scarf out, or have a badge on my coat, its like defiance, other fans crawl back under stones, but I'm more saying 'yeah we've been beat, yeah we're number 2s, but guess what, I'm still proud & you'll never get us down or kill our spirit'.

I think its a Leeds mentality.

I've been wearing my Leeds shirt and colours quite a lot over the last 10 years or so, but y'know, Leeds and Proud I am, always have been, always will be.

[daib0]

yep, I think we can and should be realistic as football fans. One year luck might touch your team, and another mine. Patience is hard to learn, but good things always come along in our lives and it's often worth the wait. I never get angry with opposing supporters after we lose, that would simply make me feel worse. There's always the next game. And if it's that bad, well next season!

[simonwleeds]

Why Leeds? Because of my Dad!
My Dad and I never really got on together, he bullied me from an early age.
I recall watching The Big Match with him in the early 70's, when I was around 5 years old. West Ham and Leeds came up and Dad said great I'm a West Ham fan. I remember thinking 'oh, I want Leeds to win, and I think they did, 3-2. And so since then...........We are Leeds!

[NottinghamWhite]

Welcome to the forum Simon

[Lee]

I had no real interest in football up until the age of about 16. Yeah I played a bit for the school and local Juniors but only did it as my mates were in the team. I never had a club to support. All that changed in 1986 when me and a friend we're in Leeds just hanging around the town centre like you do when your 16. We spotted a load of folk walking under the arches under the train station and getting on the P2 buses (now R2 for some reason). Anyway, we thought why not go and see what the fuss was all about.

Having no idea what stand to go in we just went in the nearest one to where the buses stopped at the time. It was the Lowfields Road lower. We got there with about half an hour before kick off so it was still fairly quiet so we went into the enclosure (like a zoo in them days) nearest the away fans. Little did we know that the enclosure we were in was the now infamous end pen. You probably know it better as the mental pen.

Anyway there we were, two 16 year old lads in this pen that was filling up rapidly and by the time kick off came it was indeed mental. Fans jumping up and down, being passed back to the the top of the pen and my favourite spreading out making a gap and then someone running into it to be followed by everyone wading into them (playfully).

From then on I was hooked, going to every home game I could afford and when I got a job that paid more than the obligatory YTS wages I bought a season ticket and have had one ever since.

I've seen a hell of a lot following Leeds (maybe not as much a Phil) but still a lot. Debuts for the likes of Batty, Speed, Strachan, Kelly, Kewell, McAlister. The list is endless. I was at Bournemouth for the infamous invasion, Cantona's hattrick at Wembley, Strachans goal against Leicester "have you ever seen a better goal" . I even made it to the Champions league semi final at the Mestalla.

All of the above is why despite all the down and downs I will always be Leeds. MOT

[dlw10]

I had no real interest in football up until the age of about 16. Yeah I played a bit for the school and local Juniors but only did it as my mates were in the team. I never had a club to support. All that changed in 1986 when me and a friend we're in Leeds just hanging around the town centre like you do when your 16. We spotted a load of folk walking under the arches under the train station and getting on the P2 buses (now R2 for some reason). Anyway, we thought why not go and see what the fuss was all about.

Having no idea what stand to go in we just went in the nearest one to where the buses stopped at the time. It was the Lowfields Road lower. We got there with about half an hour before kick off so it was still fairly quiet so we went into the enclosure (like a zoo in them days) nearest the away fans. Little did we know that the enclosure we were in was the now infamous end pen. You probably know it better as the mental pen.

Anyway there we were, two 16 year old lads in this pen that was filling up rapidly and by the time kick off came it was indeed mental. Fans jumping up and down, being passed back to the the top of the pen and my favourite spreading out making a gap and then someone running into it to be followed by everyone wading into them playfully.
From then on I was hooked, going to every home game I could afford and when I got a job that paid more than the obligatory YTS wages I bought a season ticket and have had one ever since.

I've seen a hell of a lot following Leeds (maybe not as much a Phil) but still a lot. Debuts for the likes of Batty, Speed, Strachan, Kelly, Kewell, McAlister. The list is endless. I was at Bournemouth for the infamous invasion, Cantona's hattrick at Wembley, Strachans goal against Leicester "have you ever seen a better goal" . I even made it to the Champions league semi final at the Mestalla.

All of the above is why despite all the down and downs I will always be Leeds. MOT

Enjoyed reading that! Great memories!

[buzz]

In the mid 70's a classmate was asking everyone who they supported whilst thumbing through the latest copy of Shoot - I picked Leeds because they were all over that particular issue so they must be a good team!

[kk_white]

Being Irish, I can't claim any Leeds heritage or blood. But as a kid in late 1981, looking for a team to support, my older brother would not allow me to follow a certain team in red (best decision he ever made) cos he already supported them. He took a look at Shoot magazine and pulled out a L'pool squad picture and stuck it over my bed. Minutes later my father passed by, grunted, removed the pic and went into his bedroom. He returned a few minutes later with an old bag containing 2 scarfs and 2 pennants from Leeds championship winning seasons, plus a brilliant framed pic of the 1969 champs. I was hooked immediately. Got bloody relegated 6 months later, but stuck with the mighty whites ever since. Hard being a fan of a second div team when all your schoolmates were following the big guns, but it toughened me up no end. MOT.

[Stockport White]

Not been on this board for a couple of years so thought I'd drop by.

Moved to Beeston in 1971 so Elland Road was on my doorstep.

My dad first took me to a game either that year or the year after and it was against Everton. We then became fairly regular visitors to ER until 1976 when we moved across the hills to Manchester(!). Got plenty of stick and a couple of beatings as a Leeds fan but never gave in.

Pan forward 30 odd years I set up the Stockport Whites RMC about 6 years ago which brought to gather a lot of fellow supporters from Cheshire and South Manchester. We travelled to many away games and had some great days out and met a lot of good people on the way. We then disbanded the RMC as we were thoroughly sick of Bates and Harvey but a good number of the original members still travel together.

Have since got married (into a family of City die-hards!) and now live approx 3 miles from Old Trafford cricket ground.

Sad to say but I have generally become more and more disillusioned with LUFC and football in general; I'll never give up on my team but I just don't get to upset these days about results.

[Gommie81]

I went to UK in 2001 from Namibia. As a boy from a rugby mad nation, I never really followed football. Got a gig as a barman at Fulham in 2001 and they played Leeds in a FA cup game that Sunday. Was a rough game and I loved the way Viduka, Kewell, Harte and Radebe stood up to the Fulham guys, something a rugga supporter could relate to.

I made the decision that if I am going to be in the UK for 2 years(which became 6 years) I will have to follow football as well and Leeds with their style of play (and it help them having a South African as their defender) made a good fit. I went ER road 4 times (not enough I must say) and saw them each time they went to London. Loved the Leeds history and still follow them (even though now it is on the internet)to this day