Festive Football: Leicester Forest with party hat and chips - the fan

Christmas is not all turkey and mince pies when it comes to football. In their own words, those involved with the game tell the Yorkshire Post's Richard Sutcliffe and Ian Appleyard how they will spend their festive break and the sacrifices they make.
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Dec 2010, 09:54 BST
Updated 22nd Dec 2010, 09:59 BST

The Fan, Gary Edwards

I have always loved the games over the festive period. We always seemed to play Newcastle on Boxing Day in the late Sixties and early Seventies.

In 1968, Leeds played Burnley five days before Boxing Day in what was an eagerly awaited fixture.

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Early in the season, Leeds had unexpectedly gone down 5-1 at Turf Moor, and this game at Elland Road had been ringed on Leeds's players calendars ever since. Burnley entered the arena and were mauled by a rampant United side 6-1.

The defeat at Burnley was to be one of only two defeats suffered by Leeds that season as they steamed through to win their first League title.

In the early Seventies, I sampled my first alcoholic encounter. Boxing Day is my Ma's Birthday and all my uncles and aunties would converge on our house.

I would then go to the local club with Dad and my uncles. Four pints of lager later, I would be stood on the Kop covering one eye with my hand so as not to see 44 players running around on the pitch.

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Another great festive memory came on New Year's Day 1972. Leeds travelled to Anfield and turned over the mighty Liverpool 2-0, goals coming from that legendary strike force of Allan Clarke and Mick Jones.

Just over a month later, we were back at Anfield this time in the

FA Cup. Leeds held Liverpool 0-0, before bringing them back to

Elland Road dispatching them once again 2-0.

New Year's Day 1987 saw Leeds making the long hike down to Ipswich Town. I have never seen so many green and pale pasty faces on our supporters' club coach as we trundled down the A1 at 6.30 in the morning. Everyone soon perked up, however, as we resumed festivities at Bury St Edmunds. Most of us didn't notice the ensuing 2-0 defeat.

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This long trip was nothing though compared to Plymouth Argyle's visit to Elland Road in 1988. I felt a tad sorry for the hardy bunch of travelling Pilgrims as they lost 2-0. New Year's Eve with chips, beans and a party hat at Leicester Forest doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

Related topics:LeedsYorkshire PostElland RoadBurnley