Saturday 16th Aug 08. Oldham at Home.
Track of the match

We meet at the train station for the 25 minute journey into Leeds. A good number of Leeds fans are there plus a solitary Hull fan on his way to the KC (funny don't remember seeing him last year?) Anyhow he's confident that HC can reach the dizzy heights of 15th in the Prem and defintely beat Fulham in their first game in the top flight. Further along the platform is a cackling Hen party on the start of a dubious day out.
The general view amongst the gathered whites fans was positive, fueled by last weeks win and the demolition of mighty Chester but as the match proved this was definitely a case of early season optomism.
On arriving at Leeds station we encounter our first problem, not for the first time in the afternoon The Quiet One forgets his coat but worse still someone's moved the shuttle buses from their traditional perch under the arches! After taking directions from a Constable we safely locate the shuttle and find our way to ER and our first visit of the season to the members bar. Peter Lorimer was today's compere and the effervescent Andy Hughes was on stage along with Tom Elliot. Hughes give us the gory details of his wife's birth and the protracted labour that he apparantly has yet to recover from (hence not making the team) then Paul Reaney told a couple of good jokes, we sampled the pie and peas along with a couple of pints and everything was fine..............................stop reading now if you are of a nervous disposition because as from here on in it all goes a bit Pete Tong.
Firstly we never get out of first gear against a hard working well organised Oldham side and inevitably succomb, through some slack defending and marking, to a gut wrenching 2:0 defeat that brings all concerned crashing back to earth after last weeks heroics. Secondly we have a steward who resembles a youngish Albert Steptoe insisting that we "kindly sit down" every 2 minutes throughout the match. This gets me thinking...................I wonder what the job description for the stewards looks like? It must be something like this:
Objective: To stamp out any show of emotion or enjoyment that any fans might have during the match. Try and walk in front of as many fans as possible during the match to obscure their view. If the remote possibility occurs that you are required for any useful function during the game please remain rooted to your little yellow box seat and pretend you have not seen anything.
Personal Profile: You must either look a total inbred or something resembling a doorman from a 1970's disco. Anybody with any personality or common sense will not be considered for this position. A tendency to assume absolute power once you wear a uniform will be a distinct advantage.
Moving on.......congratulations to Paul from York for winning the crossbar challenge depsite having a flag tied round his neck. (highlight of the day)
We found two more characters to add to our list of "distinct" Leeds fans.........firstly Barry White was encouraging the singing with his little drum and strange shouts in the kop and we also came across Grandad Chav, 70 years old if he's a day, dressed in a hoody and baseball cap with a flag draped round him. I think he must of had 11ty pints when we saw him stumbling up the steps into the kop before the match.
So what about the game. We were disjointed and lacking any penetration form most of the match, Delph and Becchio made a marginal improvement when they came on. I can't remember their goalie making one save? Beckford was well policed by Gregan and the whole of the defence looked shaky again. All in all lot's of fodder for "glass half empty" brigade I'm afraid.
Anyway onto next week and Yeovil away 6am train from York after watching England & SA at Headingley the previous night..........can't wait.
MOT