Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. As it's the 42nd anniversary of my first game, I thought this would be the ideal time and topic to jump in.

Like a lot of people on here, I tagged along with my dad and got bitten by the bug at an early age. My earliest memories are of the sound of the crowd and the smell of embrocation, rather than any specific action on the field. I have been lucky to see some fantastic players over the years but I just missed out on seeing the legendary Mick Shoebottom, though I went to his testimonial game against Gt Britain. I made my first trip to Wembley that season but missed out on the championship win, thus setting the tone for the next 32 years!!

I did have the pleasure and privilege of watching John Holmes, a true rugby league magician, the most unselfish player I've ever seen and we've always been lucky at Leeds to have had exciting backs on the books. Of the large number of games I've seen, a few stand out; the two 70 nil games against Saints and Wigan in an atmosphere I'd never felt before at Headingley, the World Club Challenge against Manly, a game possibly also against Saints which Leeds won despite Schoey being sin binned and then sent off after talking back to the referee on his way off the field and yet another Saints game (the same game, even?) in which Bobbie Goulding missed an easy last minute conversion which would have won the game. It was always fun watching Graham Murray's '99 team and who wouldn't go back in time to relive the 2004 season again?

So many memories, the good ones just about managing to dim the bad ones!

That was in 97, after schoey's time. Fantastic game that. Week before we lost by a point to wigan at home 16-17. Gouldings kick was just to the right of the posts, still can't believe he missed it.

Ah, thanks for the memory jog. I almost felt sorry for Bobbie but I got over it.

This explains a lot as to why you are so defensive of the coaching set up. That's not a put down by the way, I just mean it explains a lot.

As for the thread. I have been going since the challenge cup final of 78, and do have a memory of being picked up on to the pitch by David Ward at the end of the game. As for other memories, I can honestly say I rarely remember matches at all. Always being one to look to the future rather than the past. I remember the odd moments, such as what an other posted about Ford catching Offia. I also remember fondly the performance of Craig Izzard against Widnes at Headingley, or Sam Backo's kick and chase agains Hull in Yorkshire cup (I think). But I rarely ponder on past moments.

Yes i did.Was around the time i first started going on a regular basis.Still got a load somewhere signed by the players.

I think my best memory of Headingley pre SL was when we beat Wigan 33-28 in late 94.A real see-saw battle in front of a packed out 20k crowd,brilliant atmosphere.quality on display was high class with Hanley,Cummins,Schofield,Robinson,Offiah,Betts and Tuigamala all scoring points. Probably my last good memory of the Dougie Laughton era too as we went on to get a stuffing in the CC final in 95 and then went into decline.

Strangely 2 of my strongest memories are of games we didn't win.

1994 - 46 all draw with Sheffield...I'm still not convinced i've felt such frustration at a game in all my life. Even as a 13 year old, i spent a long time with my head in my hands!!

2003 - Losing 16-18 to Bradford. The game where for the first time i genuinely felt like we were ready to challenge with the exciting young team we had. Cracking game, great atmosphere and oh so close to a win.

Probably the most notable victory in my head is the challenge cup win over Wigan after Barrie Mac had been sent off early doors. I can still sense the deathly silence that greeted the red card, and the noise that greeted the final whistle.

My first Leeds game was actually an away fixture, CC tie at Wakefield, 81/82 season. Memorable only because I got jumped by 8 or 9 Wakey "fans" on the way back to the train station and got the crap kicked out of me. The chip in my front tooth continues to remind me of the experience.

All good fun.

So many. Weirdly most of them are when we weren't so good! Colin Maskill taking over the kickng duties and slotting them Sinny style, to be roundly booed by the South Stand when missing one. Supersub Paul Medley, ET (he just looked like a superhero!), Craig Izzard finally a Leeds prop that could break a tackle/offload, Creasser looking like a world beater til his shoulder always packed up and Gary Spencers mum telling an eleven yr old me off for shouting to get ET on!! Happy days...

Good thread this. I always enjoyed going to Headingley, my first regular trips coincided with Bradford Northern having a pack of nutcases who regularly pummelled the overpaid and overrated Leeds forwards. I often used to go to Headingley to support the opposition when Northern didn’t have a game too such was my dislike of Leeds back then. I remember some great days watching Leeds lose 0-38 to Widnes in the late 80s and a 0-17 reverse to a Geoff Bagnall inspired Wakey was a good un too. I was at the 26k crowd for the Widnes game in the cup mentioned earlier. That was the cup FFS and 26k there! Those were the days!

Despite my partisan roots I really loved the atmosphere, the “green green grass of headingley”, changing ends at half time, walking across the pitch at full time, that seems like another age. I used to enjoy the southstand or sitting on the wall in the paddock by the dugouts, especially if Peter Fox or Alex Murphy were coaching, it was like a pantomime. I remember when the electronic scoreboard was put in, that was hi tech! A big improvement on that Youngers sponsored one at the Eastern end that you could only read from directly in front!

Nowadays it’s lost some of its magic but I guess that’s just me getting on and the rose tinted specs coming out. Also the hatred of Leeds has totally gone. I must be going soft.

Some nice flashbacks there.I almost forgot about the changing ends at HT and walking over the pitch.It Just reminded me that we as kids used to play on the pitch with a mini rugby ball for ages after the game had finished and nobody really bothered.Cant see the kids of today being allowed to do that!

Does it really? Do explain, how seeing Andy Hay score a hat trick and Iestyn Harris destroying a woeful Huddersfield team in 1999 made me so apparently "defensive" of Brian McDermott in 2013.

I said it wasn't a put down and I meant. It just explained a lot.

You started watching in 1999, coincidentally a very good side, who the previous year played in the first Grand Final, and the year you went won the challenge cup final. A year later another challenge cup final, and just three years later challenging at the top, and another challenge cup final, the start of the dominant era.

You had none of the 80's and times of the 90's, waiting years and years for success. That's why I have no time for McDermott, as I don't want to go back to those days, I want the success to continue. So desperate, that my eyes are open in seeing how we are regressing.

Like I said nothing was a go at you, but you just can't have that same desperation. Consider yourself a lucky charm that the success came with you.

Oh and my favourite game, winding me dad up saying John Basnett will have a good game this weekend... Followed by a lecture about John Atkinson and Alan Smith.

1999 was the first time I got to Headingley as a 12 year old. Before that I remember watching the 94 & 95 CC Finals defeats, Wigan putting 60 plus on us in a Premiership final. The woeful 1996 season, Bradford knocking us out at the semis in 96 & 97 and Murray's term being bookended with disappointing defeats at home against Cas in knockout rugby. I also had two more CC final defeats to watch. Three playoff campaigns (2000-2002) where we were a clear level behind Saints, Bradford, Wigan at the time and dispatched without ever truly looking like contenders.. Saw us become the first team in 2003 to finish in the top 2 in SL playoffs and NOT make the GF and also consecutive CC semi defeats to Saints in '01 & '02.

Even after the 2004 success I witness double final defeats in 2005 and poor exits from both competitions in 2006.

Whilst I might've seen a few good moments, up until 2007 I'd mostly seen disappointments too.

Even after 2007 we've kept a nice stock of defeat and dissapointment with plenty of WCC and CC final defeats to counteract the grand final success. We can't just win most of the finals we play in like wigan, or saints up until october 2007, we have to lose plenty as well.

No doubt we'll get another healthy dose of CC final defeat over the next 5 years, just to keep us ticking over.

Last 8 CC finals: LLWLLLLLL