Popular Aren’t We?
It’s March, and Leeds United’s season is still well and
truly alive. No, you haven’t read that wrong. Usually the clocks going forward
is just a blessed relief because we are one hour closer to the end of the
season, now we are simply enjoying every minute of this 2016/17 campaign, but
we are still rather keen to get to the climax and find out if Leeds United can
do it.
February was a mixed month for the lads, with three wins,
two defeats and a draw from our six games, but at the end of it we are still
well in contention, and a win from the first game in March – 3-1 away at
Birmingham last Friday night – has hopefully set us up for another good month.
Undoubtedly now we are facing the business end of the
season, and those waiting for the wheels to come off at Elland Road may have to
concede defeat and accept that this team is the real deal. I have had my doubts
myself, I must admit, and I’m sure most Leeds fans would confess that they were
waiting for the traditional woeful Christmas to put paid to any flimsy
promotion hopes, but if anything that was our strongest period yet. The odd
defeat has never been far away, but it is clear that there is a significant
backbone to this side, and even without looking at individuals, Garry Monk has
put together a team that works for each other, is supremely organised and has
an incredible spirit. No game ever seems lost and our ability to dig in and win
points without playing spectacularly well has been very evident in recent weeks
and is a very useful trait to have.
The benefit of having an organised team with a strong
backline can’t be underestimated, and that’s what a largely unchanged defence
gives you, and with Pontus Jansson and Kyle Bartley, with goalkeeper Rob Green
behind them, we are always fighting to stay in games. When the attack is
mis-firing and not quite getting its game together, as has been evident in many
games recently, at least a strong defence keeps you in with a fighting chance.
Then it just needs someone to provide Chris Wood with a sniff of a chance and
hey presto, Leeds have bagged the points again.
As a consequence of Leeds staying in the top six, we have
seen some very busy matchdays at the Old Peacock, and long may that continue.
The Yorkshire derby with Sheffield Wednesday brought another 30,000–plus crowd
and two more Saturday afternoon home games in March should see plenty more
pints being passed over the bar to you thirsty lot. The lunchtime Kick-Off v
The Owls put paid to any plans to have our resident band The Snapp playing in
the beer garden, but a 3pm start against Queen’s Park Rangers on March 11th
and a massive game against Brighton & Hove Albion the following Saturday
(5.30pm Kick-Off), should both be preceded by plenty of stomping tunes from the
band, weather permitting.
Undoubtedly, with a successful Leeds United we see a
knock-on effect at the Old Peacock on non-matchdays, and there is definitely
more of a buzz about the area. People call in for a pint after they have been
to buy tickets or stop off at the superstore, and not only that, they are happy
to talk about Leeds United again and not just sit disconsolately staring into a
pint as they might have done a year ago, or indeed at any time over the last
few years.
Of course the last time Leeds United were in this
position, chasing promotion to the top division back in 1989/90, the landscape
was very different. In those days people would call in for a pint after
watching the boys training on the Fullerton Park pitches at Elland Road, and on
the odd occasion they might even catch a drink with the players themselves.
Messrs Batty, Speed and a certain Vinnie Jones were all regulars after training
and our old pool table was the scene of many a competitive scrap on an
afternoon. Now sadly, the players are cocooned away at Thorp Arch, and passing
fans are unlikely to catch a glimpse of their heroes, but it is fantastic to
still see that fans see the Peacock as an extension of the ground and a landmark they have to
call in and make use off as they are passing.
No Leeds fan will need reminding that the 1989/90 season
ended with a triumphant promotion and was followed two years later by that epic
Division One title win. Believe it or not but the 1991/92 championship triumph
was nearly 25 years ago, with the anniversary of that dramatic 3-2 win at
Bramall Lane coming up at the end of April.
It’s enough to question what the hell we have all been doing
with our lives, but 25 years later it is certainly something worth celebrating.
Leeds United are putting on a celebration dinner at the Elland Road Pavilion
and we look forward to seeing a few dicky-bows on display that evening, as
plenty of people can’t resist stopping off for a pint at the Peacock before
these events. And we were delighted to hear that the people at The City Talking
were behind a new film, DVD and book to commemorate the 25th
anniversary in the form of ‘Do You
Want To Win?’ which was announced last week. Daniel Chapman is writing the
book, and as one of the guys behind The Square Ball – who are all Peacock
regulars on matchdays – we are confident it is going to be fantastic and worth
supporting. The film has a premiere event at the Everyman Cinema in the Trinity
Centre next month, so check that out as well and you might just see some famous
faces.
In the meantime we are looking forward to the two massive
home games coming up this month, and by the end of March we should have a much
better idea how Garry Monk’s men are set for the play-offs. Certainly the
tickets are flying out of the ticket offices at Elland Road, so if you are
passing don’t forget to pop in and say hello, and check out our food menus too for a
midweek bite to eat. See you soon.
