Rise of Leeds United:
Kasper Schmeichel drove down the side of the John Charles West stand, just 6 years later he was a Premier League champion. It was less than an hour before the big kick-off against Sheffield United and the stadium was ready and exuding the feeling of a Gladiator Colosseum without the added exuberance of Russell Crowe. There was Gary Speed warming up his players in training, and yet less than 20 years earlier he had paraded this hallow turf with the first division trophy. Oh, for the good old times. The goalkeeper was Shane Higgs who had been signed from Cheltenham Town by the long-suffering self-confessed Whites fan and indeed manager Simon Grayson. He looked composed as he comfortably saves an early ball in the opening exchanges, whilst Grayson continues looking studious as ever on the touchline. With the scores goal-less at half-time the game becomes more fierce in the second half, and the intensity and edginess of supporters transmits a spell onto the players. The match is a complete sell-out and not one empty seat can be seen in the main stand opposite the dugouts. It is a crucial local derby where anything goes and anything happens. When Robert Snodgrass breezed down the right side and to the byline, he did not realise that the person he would be passing it to namely Bradley Johnson would be playing together in the Premier League very soon. In fact, 4 of those who played in that game would go on to be part of the same team at Norwich City. Johnson then passed the ball into the net coming from nowhere just inside the 6-yard box, and then the fans in the John Charles West stand piled onto the pitch. A few were being dragged away by the vain attempts of stewards in the delirium, as celebrations took over. These moments were often rare since the 2003, but they were to become more a fixture in the coming years. There was just enough time for Robert Snodgrass to be sent off, but this would not affect the result as the 10-men held on for the remaining four minutes and injury time to secure a victory.
Comments