Leeds Rhinos fans cling to their rituals to cheer on their team hundreds of miles from Wembley

The Rhinos have won on their last two visits to the famous arch, as they were roared onto victory against Castleford Tigers and Hull Kingston Rovers by their army of supporters in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

There had been hopes of fans attending today’s final in limited numbers but a return to stricter measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in recent weeks put paid to those plans.

It means that most of the Rhinos faithful will be watching their side attempting to win a 14th Challenge Cup trophy against Salford from behind a television screen.

Leeds fan John Hall, who has travelled to every Cup final since 1977 – barring the 1983 contest – will be trying to keep his usual final tradition alive.

With his wife Dianne, they will have breakfast at their local Morrisons, usually they would visit Ace Cafe in London, and that will be followed by a couple of pints in the West End, which is something they usually enjoy at Station 31 in Wembley.

Instead of heading into Wembley, they will go home and watch the contest while proudly adorning their Leeds Rhinos shirts.

“I have been down to every final since 1977, apart from 1983 when Featherstone Rovers beat Hull FC,” said Hall.

“We are just trying to keep it like we would have done in London but using local things.

“We got our hopes up at the beginning of September when they said they would be looking to bring fans in by October, so we thought we would have been going.

“I think it will be an open game, there will probably be plenty of points in it but I think we will just shade it because we have got that little bit more experience.”

Matt Dearnley and his teenage son Finley had attended the last four of Leeds’s Challenge Cup finals together but will instead watch today’s showpiece from the sofa.

The father and son are sad to be missing the final but Matt also feels for the players, who will play in one of the biggest games of their careers without supporters.

However, it could be a day of double celebration for Matt, who also celebrates his birthday.

“We will just be watching it on the TV and then heading out for a meal, hopefully to celebrate,” he said.

“It is my birthday, nothing normally happens on my birthday because the season is already over so this would have been the first time I could have gone on my birthday.

“Me and Finley have been to the last four finals that Leeds have been to, we always try to get there if Leeds are there.

“I feel bad for the players, more than us, because at least we can watch it on TV.

“Luke Gale has never been to the final as a player but the first one he gets to, his parents can’t go and watch him.”

Another Rhinos fan, Phil Abrahamson, had already booked the day off from work in the hope that supporters would be allowed to attend the final.

A season ticket holder at Leeds, he had applied for the ballot to attend the Rhinos’ Super League fixture with Catalans Dragons at the end of last month.

A series of pilot events were due to take place across the top flight, with 1,000 supporters set to be in attendance at matches, but those plans were soon dashed by the Government’s decision to delay the return of fans to sporting events.

Abrahamson will be watching from his sofa as Leeds aim to win another Challenge Cup, proudly wearing his Rhinos jersey with Rob Burrow’s name on the back.

“Originally, they were going to hold the pilot events, so you had to apply for it by email and I had got the acknowledgement back on that and was getting a little bit excited,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the Government decided to pull the plug on everything. With Leeds getting to Wembley, I had booked the day off, hoping and praying they would allow some fans in.

“Wembley is a big stadium and I thought they might even allow 5,000 supporters in but sadly it didn’t happen.”

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you

James Mitchinson

Editor