Headingley memories (An off season special)

Wow – good thread and some great memories.

I started watching Leeds in 1976. First match v Fev Rovers in Yorkshire cup final. For some reason my dad stood me in the Rovers end! The only words that I recognised were the swear words (and there was a lot of them). I really became hooked though in 1980. The start of bleak period in terms of winning trophies, but there were some standout players and matches.

ET – best attacking fullback I have ever seen.
Paul Medley – will never forget his rampaging runs in front of the south stand. What a hand off. Petty Mal Reilly didn’t rate him.
Gary Schofield – love him or hate him he was a legend and carried the team single handed for many years.
Terry Webb / Steve Martin – first Aussies I saw play for Leeds.
Craig Izzard – Best import I’ve seen.
Ellery Hanley – the best rugby player I have ever seen – even at Leeds he was a class above.

Lowest Point – Semi Final v Widnes at Swinton. Cross bar incident! I have never felt so upset after a rugby match.

Best Atmosphere – again CC against Bradford (cant remember what year) – I believe Neil Hague dropped a last minute goal to secure a 17-17 draw. I think there was 21k there and I remember chants of ‘Northern’ echoing around the ground before these were engulfed a huge wall of ‘Loiners’. Up until that point I had only ever heard 10 people in the centre of the south stand sing!

High Points – they were few and far between. Yorkshire cup v Cas and did we win the John Player v Saints?

I seem to remember the attendances at Headingley were never that great for league matches especially in the early 80s. However Hull and Hull KR supporters nearly always filled the south stand!