'We love this club, we love this team, we love each other' - meet the West Coast Whites Leeds United supporters club

We explore Leeds United's devoted following in Southern California in our latest We All Love Leeds feature.
A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.
A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.

Leeds United boast one of the most passionate and loyal fan bases in world football.

No matter how far you go or where you travel, you're never a great distance from a club crest, scarf, car sticker or even welcoming a friendly salute, such is the outpouring.

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It is a football club that has tested the very core of its support during ups and downs on and off the pitch in recent history.

The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.
The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.

Those far and wide, though - just like the city of Leeds - have remained steadfast and unwavering in their loyalty to the team that plies its trade in Beeston.

In the Yorkshire Evening Post’s We All Love Leeds series, we look at those supporters groups from far and wide around the world.

We examine their passion for Leeds United and get to the root of what makes the club so special to follow from all corners of the globe.

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This week, we speak to Hannah Bradley, a member of the West Coast Whites Supporters Club.

A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.
A Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club flag.

Tell us a little bit about who you are and where you are from...

My name is Hannah Bradley, I’m from Huntington Beach, California. I’m 27 and a lifelong Leeds United supporter.

Why are you a fan of Leeds United? What drew you to the football club?

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I blame my parents, who are both from Harrogate. They moved to the states right before I was born in ’92 and instilled Leeds United obsession in me immediately.

The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.
The Leeds United West Coast Whites supporters club at a meet-up.

I believe I went to my first game at Elland Road by the age of 5, and I’ve been in love ever since. Even the 4am kick-offs in the early 2000s listening over the internet radio still didn’t phase me!

What is so special about being a Leeds United supporter?

There’s so much. The history, the legacy, the culture. The supporters absolutely make it special and make Leeds United incomparable.

Whenever I speak to my American friends over here about the supporters and their devotion to Leeds United, I constantly reiterate that there is no sport in the United States that has supporters as dedicated.

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There are ‘die hard’ fans in the states, but it does not come close to the obsession that comes with being a Leeds United supporter.

The stalking of flight logs and trackers, photos of Victor Orta at the airport or out having a meal, constant photos of Marcelo at Costa Coffee or in Morrisons. Leeds United supporters help make Leeds United lovable.

Tell us about the supporters club? How did it come to be? How many members do you have?

The West Coast Whites Supporters Club were founded by long time Leeds fan Dave White, who is originally from Halifax and has been in Huntington Beach, California for a few decades.

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Per our facebook group we’re at 530 members. We meet typically at Cruiser’s Pizza Bar and Grill in Downtown Huntington Beach, about a four minute walk from the Pacific Ocean.

What makes it a great supporters club to be a part of?

We’re very lucky in Southern California to have a lot of Leeds United supporters who are actually from Leeds/Northern England originally, and moved to California for the sunshine.

It’s great to be able to see everyone weekly (just about) for matches. For the last 16 years, whenever you went into a sports bar in SoCal wearing a Leeds top, you either got met with a “Oh my god, Leeds fans still exist?!” or a “Who the heck is that team?” from the American’s typically sporting a Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Man City, or Arsenal kit.

It’s great to have a group of people who understand the obsession, the heartbreak of the last 16 years, and finally get an opportunity to celebrate being in the Premier League again.

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Do you hold any special events or meet ups for Leeds United games and fans?

We get together at Cruisers in Downtown Huntington Beach, California for Saturday and Sunday fixtures, which usually kickoff at around 9am. We’re not able to get pubs to open and serve alcohol for some of the earlier 4am kick-offs, but we will get there eventually.

What does it show about Leeds United's global reach that you can have a supporters club in California?

I think it just solidifies the belief that we have the most loyal, somewhat psychotic, supporters in the world. An eight hour time difference didn’t stop us from waking up to listen to Leeds play the likes of Hartlepool and Leyton Orient.

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Why do you think Leeds fans - no matter where they are from - are so passionate and loyal to the club?

It’s the history and the fact that it’s been passed down by generation for me. Both my mum and dad are obsessed with Leeds and I had no other choice.

Everyone is so proud to be Leeds, even in times when we didn’t like our owners, when we were in League One, when we hit a rough patch. We never have the meltdowns you see other clubs having where fans say they’re off to support someone else.

We love this club, we love this team, we love each other.

Have you ever visited Elland Road? If so, what was the experience like? Do you have a favourite game or memory?

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I’ve been quite a few times. I try to go to at least one game a season. I’m lucky that just about all of my family still live in Harrogate, so I come over to see them and take a few trips into Leeds or a nearby away game.

I had plans to bring three of my American friends with me to Elland Road this past March for the Fulham fixture – had the hospitality package and everything! I was so ready to bump into Beckford and tell him I adore him - but I guess I’ll have to wait.

One game that sticks in my memory at Elland Road was back in 2009, when Leeds played Exeter City at home in August. I was there with my dad, and Beckford scored 2 when we won 2-1.

For some reason I remember it being absolute limbs when he scored his second – I think we were battling back and forth for a bit and sitting at an uncomfortable 1-0 lead. Ended up winning 2-1.

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I travelled with a ridiculous amount of Leeds fans to Darlington two days later to see Leeds win again 1-0 in the Carabao Cup. That was a good trip.

From the US, Leeds drawing with Watford on December 10, 2011 with a 95th minute penalty from Robert Snodgrass is stuck in my mind.

I woke my university roommate up and she thought I was a psychopath for celebrating when “you didn’t even win.” The 5am kickoff for the legendary 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup in 2009 is also up there.

How has it been to follow the club in recent history? There have been plenty of ups and downs...

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The last couple of months have been the happiest I’ve been in my entire life. I was born in 1992, the last time Leeds won the top flight. I felt like a curse since – there were not a lot of highlights over the past 17 years.

I got enjoyment from the days of Viduka, Speed, Smith, Bowyer, Hasselbaink, Mills, Yeboah, etc. And to be honest, I still loved watching and listening to Leeds when Snodgrass, Showunmi, Becchio and Howson were on.

But it’s tough – it’s tough to see the love of your life struggle for so long, and you see glimpses of glory that never officially amount to everything. It's October, and I still can’t believe we’re playing in the Premier League. Still doesn’t seem real, does it?

How do you keep up to date with what is going on with Leeds United?

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Oh man, everyone on Twitter definitely helps. I love Leeds supporters on Twitter. We’re like a big happy family (most of the time).

I listen to a couple of podcasts, have the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Leeds United page favourited on my browser. Thankfully being back in the top flight allows us to get some more coverage over here in the United States, as well.

What are your thoughts on Leeds finally being back in the Premier League? How do you think it will boost the supporters club?

I know a lot of Americans, who may not have been fully invested in the Premier League/English football just yet, are taking notice of Leeds.

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I’m expecting a lot of new supporters from across the pond coming soon – our story is so enticing, and if we keep playing how we are playing now, we’re bound to get more.

Do you anticipate a boost in membership now Leeds are in the top flight?

Yes – a lot of my friends who didn’t have a dedicated English football team are now asking to come watch games with us on the weekend and where they can order the away kit.

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to mention about the supporters club? A funny or heartwarming story? A loyal fan?

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We’ve been lucky enough to have friends from the Las Vegas supporters club and Colorado supporters club come watch games with us the past few weeks.

I think our #1 fan is chairman Dave White, who is originally from Halifax, and absolutely COVERED in Leeds United tattoos. He’s got a portrait of Don Revie, the Bremner statue outside Elland Road, the Leeds badge, a portrait of Billy Bremner on his right arm.

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