The collection, recently handed over to the city’s museums service by the family of a lifelong fan, is made up of hundreds of Leeds United programmes from the 1960s to the modern day.
Amy Thraves-Connor has been working on a placement with Leeds Museums and Galleries. She said: “There’s so much history there and it’s been fascinating to see how so many different elements of the club’s story have been captured in these programmes – it’s such an impressive collection and almost like a time capsule.
“The thing that struck me most was that not only are there some amazing memories from on the pitch, like during the Don Revie era and some of the club’s Champions League games, but you can also see the important ways the club has played its part in life in Leeds has changed off the field too.
“Some of my favourites were the programmes which looked at the Rainbow Laces campaign and those which had some powerful anti-racism messages. From those you can see what an important part football plays in society as well as in sport.
1. Catalogued
Now to be catalogued and documented, under a project exploring key moments in Leeds’ sporting history, a selection will join the museum collection, with an exhibition on sport and play planned for Abbey House Museum next year.
2. Arch rivals
Among the highlights are the club’s memorable Champions League semi-final clash with Spanish giants Valencia in 2001, and its 1969 meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United.
3. New kid on the block
A more modern example also features a young Kalvin Phillips on the front cover ahead of the team’s match with Norwich in April 2015.
4. Friendly
Other notable inclusions are the programme from a friendly with Ajax in 1977 which was played as part of the Silver Jubilee.
5. Stories
Researchers are scouring boxes of programmes, searching for those which help tell both the story of the club and how the team has influenced life in Leeds both on and off the pitch.
6. History
The collection includes pennants and trading cards, documenting several eras for the club and donated by the family of a lifelong fan of the Whites.