Leeds in the 1980s: Why footballers went from playing to pulling pints

The players were learning to pull the perfect pint on a special course in Leeds for footballers who wanted to be publicans in the mid-1980s.

The 26 week long course fee, run by the Leeds New Business Course Support Unit, was £300 each.

Barnsley players Stuart Gray and Joe Joyce learned the secret of a good pint in May 1985 at Tetley’s training centre in Otley.

Tetley’s training centre manager, John Young, said: “In the Leeds and Bradford areas, customers are very particular about their pints of beer. It has to be clear and bright with with a creamy top and no bubbles.”

He added: “The skill of pulling a good pint is trial and error but basically you need a steady pull.”

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Also on the course was Bradford City striker Bobby Campbell who scored more than 100 goals for the Bantams during two spells with the club. Platyers from other clubs included York City, Sheffield United, Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town.

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The final part of the course had been postponed because the Sheffield players were away with the club and the York City players were on the TriStar jet which crashed on the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport. They were returning from a holiday in Majorca.

The day a holiday jet overshot the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport