Leeds 1 Fulham 1
I know what you're thinking: "Burton you nutter - why are you blogging about a game from two years ago?" Child care duties have meant opportunities to get to new grounds have been few and far between of late. So when I stumbled upon a few photos of this game from 2016 on my phone, I thought I'd churn out a few words to go with them. Plus I imagine it be a while before I'm back in Leeds.
With some annual leave to use up I'd ventured north to visit my cousin at Leeds uni, swooping on an opportunity to take in a trip to Elland Road as well. Growing up in the 90's, Leeds were one of the big clubs of my youth. Winning the last pre premier league title in 92, then at the start of the next decade - shining brightly all the way to a champions leauge semi final courtesy of O'Leary and his 'babies' backed by the reckless Risdale. Implosion soon followed and after sinking to the depths of the third tier, Leeds remain where I found them two years ago, in the Championship.
After a nice coffee at the uni campus with my cousin, we then spent an enjoyable afternoon in various pubs in the centre before finishing up in Headingley. Feeling like I needed some exercise having spent most of the day driving and drinking (in that order), I decided to walk. I hadn't realised quite how far it was, about 4 miles and some of that was walking on the bank of an A road with no pavement. Eventually I arrived at the ground relieved to be in one piece and warmed from exertion.
From watching games at Elland Road on T.V., it had always seemed to me quite a modern stadium. My ticket however was in the oldest part of the ground - The West Stand, built in the 1950's - I had a nice spot, level with the half way line and just behind the dug outs. Opposite was the ginormous East Stand, completed in the mid 90's it towers over the rest of the ground. The filled in corners make Elland Road an impressive stadium with a nice mix of old and new. For this second tier lower mid table clash it was probably about half full.
Not surprisingly I don't recall a huge amount about the game almost two years on. Sitting just behind the dug outs I do remember the contrasting figures of the two managers patrolling the touchlines. Fulhams Jokanovic looked carved from granite, a mountain of a man with impossibly square shoulders oozing class as he strolled around the technical area in a sharp suit. The Leeds hot seat was then occupied by Steve Evans. Also wearing a suit, the now Mansfield boss didn't cut quite the same dash. I think he's lost some weight recently but even from 30 yeards away he seemed to radiate angry vibes and a general unhealthyness.
I also remember Fulham taking the lead before Leeds equalised through Lewis Cook later in the first half. Cook's goal was an absolute belter from 35 yards. Then still a teenager he is now a premier leagure regular with Bournemouth. I was surprised to see from Wikipedia that despite having now made over 100 professional appearances, the scorcher from this game remains his only ever goal to date.
As well as Cook's goal, the thing that stands out from my night at Elland Road was the half time entertainment. Hidden like a gem amongst the standard birthday shout outs and dizzy penalties, was the wonderful 'Piecam'. A genius fusion of pies, roving cameras and big screens that culminates in picking a lucky winner from crowd. Piecam goes like this - With the stadium announcer commentating, on to the big screen flashes a shot of the stand behind the goal, the cameraman then looks for people eating a pie, the pie eaters are encouraged to catch the cameraman's eyes by gesticulating and jumping around, once the camera man zooms in on someone munching on a pie that means they're the winner.
And the prize?
A dozen pies.
And the prize?
A dozen pies.
This innovative approach to half time entertainment left quite an impression on me. In the intervening years I've occasionally put #piecam in to twitter to follow the drama. A few months a ago when I looked, there was someone complaining that some of the dozen pies he won were out of date. For some reason I found this both funny and distressing. I'm pleased to report though that Piecam remains alive and well.
I remember nothing of the second half apart from their being a nice full moon over the stand which my crappy camera phone failed to do justice.
It would be great to pay another visit to Elland Road when there's a full house, perhaps back in the top flight. I imagine it would be some atmosphere.
