Blind football fan's guide dog retires from Leeds United duty

Nikki Allan attends Leeds games home and away, always accompanied by her faithful and much-loved guide dog Rita.

But Nikki has announced that the home tie against Birmingham on Saturday, October 19 was Rita's very last game as her support.

The pair have been watching Leeds games together for eight years and have not missed a game in the last four seasons.

But this isn't the last Elland Road will see of Nikki, who has been going to games from the early 1970s.

She says a "young pretender" will take Rita's place at Elland Road for the fixture against QPR on Saturday.

Fellow Whites supporters flooded Nikki with messages on Twitter, saying that Rita would be dearly missed.

One supporter said: "I have only just started enjoying Rita at the games since sitting near you for the York game and then more recently in the 'cheesewedge'.

"It was lovely to see how she enjoyed the game. I assume she is retiring? If so I wish her a long and happy one."

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