Leeds United 1991 season ticket holder on standing in Howard Wilkinson's Elland Road spot for derby

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Simon Wood was a season ticket holder when Howard Wilkinson guided Leeds United to the Division One title but on Sunday he will stand where his hero stood.

Wood manages Leeds United Women, who are set to take on York City at Elland Road in a local derby clash in front of around 4,000 this weekend. His team are promotion chasers, sitting third in the the FA Women's National League Division One North and they can't wait to show what they can do on what for him and others in the squad is hallowed turf.

"It's an honour to play at Elland Road for us, as a women's side," he said. "It's something we haven't done for a number of years. So to get the opportunity to play at the club stadium, and not just the club stadium, but one of the most historic stadiums in the UK, is a real honour for the players. They're looking forward to showcasing their ability and showing what they're about. But the fact that we can get a big, big attendance to come and watch us is fantastic as well. So hopefully we can put on a good display for everyone."

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Wood's memories of Elland Road began at the start of the 1990s. He admits there will be big emotions as he leads his team into the derby.

"It's a wonderful place," he said. "I was brought up a Leeds United supporter and my first game was 1991 when we first came back into the First Division. My first season ticket was when we won the First Division under Howard Wilkinson. So there's a lot of memories in the stadium that I hold. So when we step out on Sunday, it'll be a real nice moment for me personally. It's a real privilege to lead this team. So all in all, it'll be quite an emotional time. But I think when it comes to match day, it'll be focus as normal, get the three points, and then hopefully enjoy the occasion afterwards more so than before it."

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Wood came in last year and was faced with a rebuild job in order to try and guide Leeds United out of a division that boasts just a single promotion place. Last season they finished sixth but after a major focus on recruitment in the summer, they are challenging. And though this game taking place at Elland Road obviously means a lot, it is just another step towards the ultimate dream.

"We've brought in some really, really good footballers, and we're hoping they push us on this year, because with the backing we get from the football club our aspiration is to play in a higher league," he said. "We're currently third in the league. We've got a game in hand over second. We're one point behind the leaders now. So we're in a good position in terms of our league form. We've won five on the spin. So this is almost a perfect time to go to Elland Road with everyone feeling high and everyone feeling like we can go and do it. It's a tricky division to get out of. It's a very competitive division and there's no easy games, not even at this sort of stage of the season. Every fixture, you need to be 100 per cent on it and at your best to compete in this league."

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