The Sea is like a cruel mistress. You can love her, you can hate her, but you can never trust her. Always taking but never giving. This is quote from a film called Maidentrip made in 2013, but you can imagine Johhny Depp saying it as Captain Jack Sparrow in discussions with Mr Gibbs, so here is the gratuitous Pirates photo from Yahoo
She is a thing of beauty, offering you mystery, hope and longing. Drawing you towards her, tempting you. There is a strange enchantment, you just cannot keep away. It cannot be explained but once seen, you watch and you keep coming back. She can give you the comfort of a lapping peaceful wave, but turn into a torrential tidal wave that will thrash you to smithereens.
Much like the sea, Leeds United is too, a cruel cruel mistress.
I’ve never had a mistress, but I have had Leeds United for decades, when would I have the time? I shower my club with love and devotion. I lavish most of my money and precious hours, days and months on Leeds. And what do I get in return? Last season – that’s what I get!
Yet here I am! Back for more.
Happy New Season everyone.
It’s back. 9 more months of being kept prisoner to the actions of 11 men running up and down a bit of (sprayed) green, heavily watered pitch. With the added bonus of all the shenanigans of those in the Ivory Tower that is Fortess Elland Road and it’s keep, Thorp Arch. Stockholm Syndrome every week (twice a week if we are lucky!) for the next 36 weeks.
We are likes slaves, chained to the fortunes of these few. And like anyone under the spell of a cruel mistress – we will want it. We will want it so badly, that we will pay whatever it takes to be able to bask in it’s aura. Blood, sweat and tears. And depending on how desperate you are to watch us at an away game – a kidney or some other body organ which is spare. Whatever it takes to be there. Unless you are one of these lucky ones. If you can count forking out £850 lucky.
https://www.leedsunited.com/en/news/202324-away-season-tickets
I know this is from last season, but there isn’t a link to this seasons info, so it will have to make do.
Some of you won’t understand why I use the phrase “cruel mistress” to describe what some of you believe to be the love of your life. Who am I to call your first love “cruel”?
I am the one who sat through the dross of the start of the season hoping to God that we would have a full clear out of the legacy of SkinnyJeans’s and the 3 amigos X2 madness. I oohed and aahed over our unbeaten form after the losses at Preston etc. after Christmas / New Year. Then I sat through the last 10 games post Internationals, where we just seemed to pass backwards and sideways for eternity. I sat by helplessly whilst we lost our ground, when we were finally top after that Leicester game. The seemingly undaunting task of simply equalling the form of those below us, was that bridge too far.
Then THAT Norwich game away. THE Masterplan. Hold them at Carrow Road and beat them at Fortress ER. Even at 3 -0 up, (free) scarves awaving, I was still worried that we’d play it out from the back and get caught. But we didn’t. 4 -0. A resounding win of epic proportions. Then Wemberley, Wemberley. No comment, besides good day out before the game. Then torture.
Leeds United, she’s a cruel, cruel mistress. That – nobody can deny. Aaargh Captain Jack.
It is true to say that I have fallen in and out of love with Leeds United many, many times. Far too many times of late. Yet however cruel the mistress she is, I have repeatedly come back for more. Many of you are the same as I. Even though many won’t admit it. As I have got older, I have failed to get any wiser to her charms.
Progress
Football’s changed and continues to change. For the sake of “progress” ? We are told, we need to keep evolving and keep up with the times.
Whilst I agree the game thankfully has not changed, in as much it is still 22 men chasing a round thing, trying to get it in between two sticks for 90 minutes. The game has changed with “rounder” (can that actually be a thing?) balls, goal line technology / VAR and extra subs. The concerns round concussion and “elf and safety” have added more protection. Unlike football boots, which are a far cry from what we had in PE in the 70s! These new boots are as light as a feather. If I had these when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have any ankles left against the studs we used to play in.
I accept that in the old days, the only time millions used to watch a game live on the telly was 3pm on F A Cup Final day on the BBC. Now, everyone can watch every game all day, every day. In the old days, football was for the masses. Modern football is for the whole world, which is a good thing, I know. Tales of old, tell of people struggling to find out the results in Australia. Ah, the old days of listening to the results on the transistor radio. Or at least walking round the house with the radio, waving your arm in the air, trying to get reception. AM / FM. We were wired for sound.
The actual format of the game hasn’t changed. Or at least it hasn’t yet, from two halves of 45 minutes. But who knows? I have no doubt that in the future, it may become four quarters of the game, interdispersed with flamethrowers, cheerleaders and musical breaks. The way in which football has changed however, is that it is much more of a business.
We laughed at B*tes when he said that football was about more than 23 games (in relation to ER). Flipping ‘eck – he could see into the future and he was right! I never thought I would say that!
Football as we know it has changed. It IS a business now. Gone are the days of Jack Walker etc. buying Blackburn the league for the love of the game. Small Sovereign states are now buying the PL for the wealth that football generates from advertising, gambling, selling rights and all the rest that the consumeristic greed that ensues from a global brand. Football IS more than 23 games. It is football agents and fees, FFP, European (current) and Global (planned) leagues. Our modern game is the belittling of our domestic cups and winter breaks to “rest” players (play abroad for £££).
In 1888, none of the original 12 would / could have ever dreamt that over a century later, this is what it has become.
What to do?
As fans, and matchgoing fans at that (so far anyway), what can we do?
Nothing really. We just have to sit by and hope to God that we can still be that which we have been – matchgoing fans. But how long for? How long before £££ becomes more important than fans at games?
There’s talk that some of the PL clubs have already done away with concession prices for matches. Most will remember the days when Leeds had dynamic pricing. Reasoning? To encourage us to buy tickets early, cos we were a bit sh*t, and no one was going in those days. Yes – that DID happen. Leeds were rubbish and no one really wanted to go. You could walk up to the gates, well ticket office at least, at ER and pay on the day! Although it cost you more than if you’d bought it a week earlier. Yes – the ticket office WAS open most days of the week. Honest!
Leeds have already given up the under 11s prices. So, as far as I know, they will have to pay the same as under 16s? How long before they get rid of the over 65s concessions?
Complain and explain
As fans we are a bit like the Royal Family, never complain , never explain. I’m JOKING! We do complain, but we rarely get an explanation.
However, we don’t complain, we MOAN. We daren’t complain.
Who complains at a cruel mistress? No one. Lest they withdraw their favours and your privileges. We fear the repercussions and consequences of complaining. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Although I don’t think Newton was talking about football when he said that.
It’s now been a fair while since we had someone purporting to be the “voice” of the fans slating our players and demanding the removal / resignation of the Board. Whilst we know, these social media campaigns etc. are ephemeral, I fear that this was the start of the end of constructive dialogue and any discussions with those in power at Leeds United. It feels to me that information is just being dispersed not discussed.
I don’t know who / if anyone representing fans is actually having any discussions with Leeds United. Certainly there have been decisions / changes at Leeds of late which don’t look like there has been fan involvement, but I could be wrong. Although, we have FINALLY got a yellow away shirt – hurrah!
The decision way back when of making the Pavilion corporate only was a poor one. NE corner fanzone is a poor substitute, especially for families and when it’s cold and peeing it down. This season better facilities have been promised though. Don’t even get me started on the digital tickets! I can only hope that the turnstile queues are better this season.
But it seems more and more that things are simply being announced. Increases in season ticket prices (twice in succession, and again next season), removal of under 11 pricing, removal of superaway category, games behind closed doors pre season etc. And then, last night, they announced that Sheff Weds tickets will go on sale today, at 1pm. 16 hours notice to get time off work, to try for a £45 (plus £1.50 booking fee) Sheff Weds ticket. Fantastic!
Things happening behind closed doors that we don’t know about, without a doubt. I’d hasten to say that had we got promoted, things might have been a bit different. Probably? No, definitely. But we didn’t get promoted. We are still here. This must have been our Plan B? Surely?
It’s difficult though. You’d like to think that during the closed season, there might have been some discussion at least. Possibly may well have been, but I haven’t seen anything official on the website. It would be nice to know who / if anyone representing fans is involved.
My feelings personally are that it is up to the Club what they spend their money on and what they are going to do. After all, it’s their money. I don’t want any fan sat on the board inputting into that. Most of us can’t agree on what went on in the game we just watched, so there is no hope whatsoever that one person can speak on behalf of all fans.
However, anything that actually affects us, like facilities, pricing etc. I would like there to be at least some discussion or email survey or something. Not like the whole Swillington fix that Ridsdale did. No one I knew voted for us to move away from ER. Absolutely no one. That was rigged. Thankfully it never went through. I mean a proper survey, or just some feedback. All electronic unfortunately, so the digitally excluded would be – well – excluded. Just something. Anything.
Hopefully there is a Parliamentary Act in the offing, which does enable at least some dialogue. That’s a big job though. Undoubtedly, the views of the millions of fans who will never get an opportunity to go to ER and are happy to watch it on the telly, will outweigh the views of the 36,750 who can actually watch it live. There is no doubt about that. But it doesn’t mean that matchgoing fans don’t count. No one likes to feel that they are being ignored. The club know we will be back for more, every season, no matter what happens. We will forego our friends and family just to be at her mercy.
So, you see, Leeds United is a cruel mistress. Happy new season everyone! Let the fun commence!
