My Leeds United - falling in love with Whites again after shocking fall from grace

Leon Greenstone is an Employment and Sports Lawyer, Leeds Maccabi football coach, loving father and long-suffering Leeds fan.

The day Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at Bolton Wanderers back in 2004, I did a rather strange thing.

Trudging wearily upstairs, relegation tears bubbling in my eyes, I proceeded to lay out every single Leeds kit I’d ever owned.

A sea of white, yellow and blue – no pink and grey in those days.

I don’t know what led me to do it, but it felt instinctive, almost cathartic.

At the time, I didn’t realise I was in fact making some sort of shrine.

As a season ticket holder in the West Stand with my dad and travelling up and down the country to away games – this shirt shrine was something to cling on to amidst the sorrow of a truly shocking fall from grace.

Those shirts evoked so many wonderful memories.

Yet my mind immediately cast back to the initial sorrow I felt when I started out on my Leeds supporting journey – standing in the muddy away end at Oldham in lashing rain.

I still hate that plastic pitch.

The roller coaster started in 1987 as an excited “Super Leeds” flag-waving child, witnessing FA Cup semi-final agony against Coventry City.

Then, watching Shez [John Sheridan] curling in a beauty versus Charlton Athletic, in the play-off semi-finals the same year, only for final heartache to strike.

Yet I was lucky, because by 1990 my generation witnessed the rise of Sgt Wilko’s Whites and his “last champions” in 1992, with the dizzying heights of UEFA Cup and Champions League nights and Premier League clashes.

I thought it would always be like that.

Little did I know.....

The barren years drifted by, with a brief spark in 2010 under “Larry” Grayson, only to see that side all sold off – mostly to Norwich City.

Fast forward to 2020 and I’ve now 33 years of support under my belt and an eight-year-old son, Alex, who’s as daft about football and Leeds as I am!

That father and son journey is what led me to enjoy so many years of being Leeds and proud and now I’m on that journey together with my son, which is very special.

His first Leeds game was a friendly in 2016 v Atalanta, he met Lucas the Kop Cat and he’s been hooked ever since.

As season ticket holders in the East Stand we’ve witnessed so many fantastic moments together at Elland Road and a few away games now, too.

Celebrating wildly at Kemar Roofe’s injury-time winner against Blackburn Rovers, pogoing as Kalvin Phillips equalised versus Boro and the euphoria we felt as “Bill” Ayling’s balletic volley flew in to Huddersfield Town’s net.

I guess I’ve been falling in love with Leeds United all over again, as the eccentrically wonderful Marcelo Bielsa takes us close to a return to the promised land.

A land my son cannot even imagine we were ever a part of.

Alex sits starry-eyed soaking up footage of Don Revie and Howard Wilkinson’s United teams dancing in front of him on the screen.

He’s seen re-runs of European nights and O’Leary’s babies swaggering past so many big-name teams.

We sit in astonishment at the incredible feast of football Marcelo Bielsa has served up on his delectable Argentinian menu of Bielsaball.

We can’t wait to see us back where we belong.

The season being put on hold amidst the ravages of a global Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown has been very tough.

Fans and former club legends have sadly passed.

Whatever happens in these last six games after last night’s 1-1 draw with Luton Town, I hope and pray we get to the finishing line and a return to the Premier League.

All the fantastical dreams I’ve had of a packed Elland Road going wild with delight at full time, amidst crazy scenes of euphoria, will be on the sofa instead.

Just as they were in 1992, as I watched Liverpool beat Man Utd to secure the title for Leeds, dancing round the living room in delight.

I’ll hopefully be celebrating with my son and family, witnessing Leeds marching on together to the promised land, only this time there will be tears of joy.