Marching On Together

After working on our Leeds United chapter, it was an honour to be invited to attend a performance of “Marching On Together” at Leeds Playhouse. The show was about an older Leeds United fan who was living with dementia and found joy and community in supporting the team – it was right up our street. We thought it was a good opportunity to show off our exhibition boards, particularly the story Leeds United’s fateful European cup final in 1975. We spoke to a specially invited audience of LUFC fans and invited them to share their experiences of supporting the club. Here are a few of their stories:

“It’s in my blood”

Kev’s Story

Kev is a committed LUFC fan who has followed the club all over the country, travelling alongside other supporters on the coach.

I've been watching Leeds United, since 1971 when we played Chelsea - on the television. One day my dad took me to Elland Road to see Leeds versus Hajduk Split in the Cup Winners Cup semi-finals. Clarkey scored, we won 1-0. April 73, I think it was. I've still got the programme to this day, I’d never part with it.

Football is my life. It's in my blood. My favourite era was 89/90 when we got that promotion and we won at Bournemouth. I always say that was my favourite season because it was the year my mum died and she helped me buy my season ticket. So I always associate that with my mum. It was a special time and we won it. It was a great era, great days, great, great time.

I've met most players over the years, I've had photos taken. I've had chats with them. One of my favourites was Johnny Giles. I met Strachs. I shook hands with Billy Bremner. He was great, Billy were. God bless him. Met Norman Hunter. What a lovely fella. On the pitch, you know, no prisoners, but what a lovely fella to talk to.

“I love the drama of it”

Dean’s Story

Dean is an actor and was appearing in the show. On stage he plays a fan, which chimes with his own experience. 

I’m a lifelong Leeds fan/ sufferer. First game was Barnsley at home in 1997. We won 2-1. I remember it really clearly. Going with my dad, sat in the East End. Football has always felt very exciting. I'm an actor now, I'm in the play that's currently at the Playhouse, and I equate the two quite closely. I think that football has lots of drama, it's an opera, it's a pantomime, it's a soap opera. Both what goes on behind the scenes and in the off-season, but also just in games as well. People fall into the floor, goals going in, last-minute winners. These are almost scripted feeling moments. And so I love the drama of it, and I always have done. But the emotion that I think you can get from football, the ups and downs in that 90-minute glimpse of life is unparalleled with any other 90-minute that you'll be able to feel.

The immediacy of when the ball hits back of net, your life can change for a few hours, a weekend. These moments stay with football fans forever, and it's important. Football is more important than I think people want to admit, and I think it's because it's a sense of belonging, it's a sense of togetherness, it's a sense of tribe, it's a sense of us versus them. I'm so glad Leeds, as a city, has re-embraced the game - after Marcelo Bielsa came to the city and brought beautiful football and brought the city back together.

“The best part about my job is seeing people smile”

Rachel & Sophie’s Stories

Rachel and Sophie work for the Leeds United Foundation, running health activities for children, families and older people.

Rachel: I absolutely love it. I think the social aspects of our roles and the sessions that we provide are very rewarding. Seeing people that might be socially isolated and then coming into the stadium to participate in activities. It's so important just to improve people's lives really.

Sophie: It's not even a job really, that's how much I enjoy it. It's fantastic and I think for me, the best part about my job is seeing people smile. That's got to be the best part. Or seeing people who are struggling maybe because they have a degenerative illness or condition - and seeing them smile or seeing them take part in an activity that they wouldn't normally. It's those little, small snippets of enjoyment.

Thanks to People’s History writers Richard and Ruth; Thanks to Leeds Playhouse and Leeds United Foundation