Leeds make move to throw doors open to bigger travelling support

Agreement has been reached between Leeds and the various regulatory authorities, such as the police and local council, over the relocation of visiting fans to the West Stand.

In recent years, visiting supporters have, depending on demand, been split between the 1,750 capacity South East corner and the South Stand.

However, from the start of 2011-12, they will be housed down one side of Elland Road in the club’s main stand – meaning that if Leeds are not successful in their push for promotion, then fans of other Yorkshire clubs could bring an increased number to Elland Road next season.

A spokesman for Leeds said: “The reason the change is being made is, basically, down to the layout of Elland Road and the League rules that state a visiting club has to be offered a certain percentage of the ground capacity.

“At the moment, that means we have to offer the South East corner and, in some cases, half of the South Stand to away fans.

“The knock-on effect of that has been us having to split the South Stand in two for several games this season with a void area of empty seats in the middle.

“Ideally, we would like our supporters behind both goals and the new set-up will allow this to be the case with the away fans moving into the West Stand.”

The only Championship club to sell out their entire 2,814 allocation at Elland Road this season has been Norwich City.

Nottingham Forest also came close to filling the away enclosure with 2,546 supporters making the trip up the M1 earlier this month, while Millwall brought the smallest number of fans – just 566.

Of the Yorkshire clubs that have visited Leeds this term, Sheffield United led the way with a travelling army of 2,426, followed by Middlesbrough (2,378) Hull City (2,312) Barnsley (2,048) and Doncaster Rovers (1,715).

In the FA Cup (where clubs have to be given a bigger percentage of ground capacity), Arsenal sold out their 3,026 allocation for January’s third round replay.

A downside, however, for visiting clubs of having a bigger allocation next season is that, under League rules, Leeds will be able to charge a higher ticket price due to the away fans being situated in what is traditionally the most expensive area of Elland Road.

This season, for instance, a ticket in the West Stand for a Category A game costs £35, which is £5 more than a seat in either the South Stand or South East corner.

The relocation of away fans to the southern end of the 8,000-capacity West Stand up to the tunnel will come at the same time as the club’s modernisation of the East Stand – which includes 20 new executive boxes being built and an extended concourse in the upper tier – is completed.

Meanwhile, Robert Snodgrass insists Leeds have the mettle to ride out their current dip in form and clinch a place in the play-offs.

United have stumbled in recent weeks by collecting just five points from a possible 18 but still sit in sixth place.

The chasing pack are starting to crank up the pressure on Simon Grayson’s side with both Nottingham Forest and Hull City being just two points adrift with four games to go.

Burnley can also move level with Forest and the Tigers if they beat Middlesbrough at Turf Moor tonight in what is the Lancashire club’s game in hand.

It means the pressure will be on when Leeds host Reading on Friday night, especially as two of the clubs snapping at their heels – Forest and Leicester City – will have played each other just a couple of hours earlier.

Snodgrass, however, insists Leeds have what it takes to finish the season strongly. He said: “It is all in our hands. We are still in the play-off positions so it is up to us.

“There is more pressure and nerves because there are more things at stake. But, at the start of the season, we knew what we were setting out for.

“We were setting out for promotion. We are professional footballers and know what we are dealing with.

“We have to knuckle down for these last four games. We need cool heads and to stop conceding goals because our attacking force takes care of itself.”

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