It was always a Boxing Day tradition for my Dad and my uncles to go the game at Headingley on the morning then back home for a big family lunch together. I started tagging along at the age of 6 and got hooked from there.

The next 6-7 years (until I was old enough to get to games under my own steam) must have been torture for my poor Dad. Born and raised a Cas fan, he had to spend every other weekend ferrying his son up to Headingley to watch Leeds as well as over various other parts of the north of England to away games.

No, I've got an even bigger one now, holds about 250ml of the finest malt. It used to suffice for about 10 tries but now I have to share it.
Only when I'm not driving of course!!
This week it will be Yamazaki - a 12 year old Japanese single malt.
If we lose it'll be a proper scotch for the next game.

My dad was an old fashioned Bobby who used to work at Headingley on match days, he used to 'smuggle' me in, in the era of John Atkinson and John Holmes. I remember him getting in bother with his bosses once for throwing his helmet in the air when Atky scored one particularly good try, from that day on we have paid to get in.
Forty years later, he is well into his 70's now, he still has a Season ticket, not only does he still take me to matches, he also buys Season tickets for his 3 teenage grandsons, and now my 11 year old daughter has a season ticket too.

I had one of them when I was younger although not much fun in the rain.

My Great Grandfather was groundsman on both sides of the Northstand, which meant my Mum used to live with him inside the ground during the summer holidays, inside what is now the Taverner's Suite. Guess I didn't have much choice about supporting Leeds RLFC and Yorkshire cricket.

Sorry to here the news.

As for how I got into rugby league and Leeds. I was born into it. My great grandad joseph was watching Leeds back in the late 1800's when they were still a new team so to speak. He then started taking my grandad joseph and that was then passed onto my dad and then onto me. I am told my first match was the last game of the season when I was just gone one years old. I started goig to home games on a regular basis then from the age of 6 and have been a season ticket holder since I was 10. I used to go to the saturday morning blue and amber training sessions too. I was a sad day when my dad had had enough of standing in the south stand when I was around 14 and we moved onto the Eastern Terrace and have been there ever since, obviously jumping onto the Carniege Terrace now.

As for the future, any child of mine will be force fed rugby from the day its born. This worked on my sisters who are also leeds and rl fans but only go to a handful of games. My little nephew who is 2 has now started asking to go see Ronnie Rhino at headingley so we are looking at maybe taking him to a couple of games this year when they are small crowds such as Catalans, Crusaders and Bradford

If you hadn't typed that I'd have added it to your post myself

So, heres my story...

rlhttps://jerrychicken.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/the-first-game-of-rugby-league/rl

My best mate at primary school was a lad called Mick Dewhurst (who sadly passed away a couple of years ago). His dad, Robin, used to get us in for free.

His dad presumably being the ex Leeds player from the sixties and coach in the early eighties Robin Dewhurst?

Or just a crazy coincidence.

Stood in the Paddock with the old man and my 2 uncles.The smell of wintergreen wafting from the old changing rooms.

One Saturday afternoon on the way back from the kids Saturday special at the Lounge picture house in Headingley, walking past the ground when an "A" team match was on. Watched that and then started going to first team games the following year, 1979 and started playing for the school team the same year. Been following Leeds ever since.

At the time I had no idea who he was - he was just 'Mick's Dad' who got us into rugby free.

My dad took me to my first game in 1993/4 which I believe might have been Whitehaven v Bramley and I was hooked from there.

Nowadays, I like to pass on this knowledge to those less fortunate than myself, such as Lawrie L!

My son is now a big rhino fan and is continuing the tradition of bringing up his two sons as Rhinos. I am looking forward to the day that we go together with the 4 grandson and they become the next generation of supporters.