Fan Article

First Real Away Game in 18 Months

Seeing as this was the first away game in 18 months for the fans, because of Covid, I thought I would post an article on the day… but don't be expecting one every away game, because there won't be one!!

Seeing as this was the first away game in 18 months for the fans, I thought I would post an article on the day… but don't be expecting one every away game, because there won't be one!!

The usual gang of myself, Dave, Steve and Jon decided to do this game to Elland Road by coach, the official travel club, courtesy of Eavesway coaches. The coaches were due to depart from Goodison at 11:00 am. My taxi (the missus) arranged to pick Dave up at 10:15 am, travel to Goodison and meet up with Steve and Jon. The usual route taking us round the Childwall Fiveways roundabout and straight down Queens Drive. After passing over the flyover by The Rocket, we hit slow-moving traffic, which became stationary just before the Jolly Miller pub. Then the penny dropped, Liverpool were at home with a 12:30 kick off. That, along with the fact that there were roadworks on Queens Drive (according to the signs anyway), made us think we would not get to Goodison on time, so we decided to turn back and wait for the coach at The Rocket.

We got to The Rocket at 10:45 am, believing the coach, from past experiences anyway, to get there around 11:15 am. It rolled up at 11:.45!. Steve and Jon told us the coaches left Goodison pretty much on time but had to battle their way through all the RS traffic. For anyone that doesn't know, the Park End car park is used by the RS when they are at home, so as well as that and the car park on Priory road, the roads around the vicinity of both Goodison and Anfield would have been almost gridlocked.

Anyway, we were finally on our way. Roughly 60 miles to Elland Road, so we anticipated arriving around 13:15-13:30. Making good progress, we pulled off the M62 onto the M606(?) which ends right by Elland Road. Anyone not familiar with Elland Road, I think it's the nearest football stadium to a motorway. You come off the motorway, go round a roundabout and you're there. We got to the end of the motorway about 13:20, you could almost reach out and touch the stadium, it's that close. Forty five minutes later we were still stuck on that roundabout. Even the team coaches, of which there were three, were stuck. They didn't get to the stadium until just before 14:00. We finally got off the roundabout, having done just 400 yards in 45 minutes!!

Our plan was to have a pint in the ground, but Leeds have built a new bar for away fans only right next to the away section, so we dived in there. Show your ticket on the door and in you go.

As for the match itself, I thought it was an entertaining game, with a great atmosphere. The first Premier League game Leeds have played in front of a full capacity for about 17 years. I thought the Blues fans contributed well to the atmosphere, and had to laugh when during one of our quieter moments, before another chant started, the Leeds fans start that “We forgot that you were here”. Funny because we'd forgotten about them completely for the last 17 years! Anyway, overall a draw probably a fair result, but FFS Michael Keane, pull yourself together!

At the final whistle, we made our way back to the coaches. We pulled away and straight onto the motorway around 17:45. It took just over an hour, about 65 - 70 minutes, to get back to The Rocket. Sixty miles in 65 - 70 minutes, yet unbelievably it took us nearly that long to travel four hundred yards round a roundabout!! The coach driver came on the tannoy and told us the reason for the hold up was that it was a new coach park for away fans and the police weren't sure how it would go? Definitely needs sorting out though. Next home game for Leeds is the RS, so let's hope the problem isn't sorted out too soon!!

We got off the coach at The Rocket and strolled down to the Fiveways pub. 2½ hours later, my taxi (the missus) picked me up. Home just in time for MotD.

Yep, it's great to be back and great to be back on the road with the blues. Just don't expect any more reports!

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