Meet the Leeds United fan who's going to put a huge Whites badge from Elland Road on the side of his house

A Leeds United mad dad has added a huge club badge from the side of Elland Road to his vast collection of memorabilia.
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Ben has tonnes of other Leeds United memorabilia in his house (photo: Tony Johnson).Ben has tonnes of other Leeds United memorabilia in his house (photo: Tony Johnson).
Ben has tonnes of other Leeds United memorabilia in his house (photo: Tony Johnson).
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After an electrical refit to make sure it looks its best, the badge now sits in Ben's home in Denby Dale, which has become a makeshift Leeds United museum.

He said: "I saw it and thought I need it, not want it - need it.

"It lights up beautifully. It's going to be like the Batman bat signal lighting up the village when I get it attached to the side of the house."

Dad-of-two Ben, who lives with his wife, Leigh, who is from Horsforth, first started collecting Leeds United memorabilia 23 years ago, with an Eddie Gray match shirt being his first purchase.

Ben Hunt with the Leeds United badge at his Denby Dale home (photo: Tony Johnson).Ben Hunt with the Leeds United badge at his Denby Dale home (photo: Tony Johnson).
Ben Hunt with the Leeds United badge at his Denby Dale home (photo: Tony Johnson).
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He said: "I thought to myself ‘nice’ and I’ve now got over 200 match worn shirts - the earliest from the 1950s up to this last season's.

"I’ve a shirt from every cup final we’ve been in since our first in 1965.

"I collect match-worn stocking tabs, player tracksuits, shorts, boots, gloves and I like to add weird or one-off top notch pieces to the museum as well."

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"The feedback from the exhibition was superb and Angus Kinnear spoke at the event about hoping to get a permanent Leeds United museum as soon as possible," Ben said.

"Well, I’m here waiting - it would be my dream job helping out with that!"

Postman Ben has had plenty of Whites fans pop round to admire the collection, meaning he has had to fork out for insurance and security measures - but he feels it's worth it.

"Ideally the team bus would rock up and Marcelo and all the boys would come and view them, then we’d nip round to the Dale Club for a session but can’t see that happening," he joked.

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He added: "My most treasured shirt is Paul Reaney's 1972 FA Cup final shirt.

"Then after that I don’t really have a second favourite, I love them all.

"Other random things I have in the collection are street signs, man of the match awards, FA Cup final medals and the actual ‘home’ changing room door - which has stud marks at bottom when a player, I’m told it was El Hadj Diouf, threw a wobbler after being sent off and kicked door through.

"I’ve also got the original Kop cat mascot head and costume."

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Ben has even featured on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow with directors' seats that were taken from the West Stand.

He added: "Items I’m missing and desperately wanting to add to the collection are the one-off players' centenary shirts worn versus Birmingham.

"I also need an all yellow Burton away shirt, any players shirts or tracksuits from the seventies or earlier, and to be honest anything Leeds that’s a one-off or of top shelf quality item that needs to be in a museum."

Ben wanted to thank his wife and two children - Bernie, 10, and Grayson, 9 (named after former Leeds player and manager Simon Grayson) for supporting his collecting.

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"If I didn’t spend so much on the stuff we’d go on more holidays etc but I always end up buying more Leeds United stuff," Ben added.

"And yes, that’s me begging the current players to just give me their stuff so I don’t blow all my money!"

To contact Ben about his collection:

Phone: 07879256663

Twitter: @leedshunter

Website: theleedsunitedcollection.co.uk

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