To take the last one first.
According to Rich Walker's definition, I am a sad twat.
When I first saw McPhail play for the juniors yes, I thought he could be the
new Liam Brady. His vision, passing ability and all round play made him
stand out from his contemporaries and when he came on as a substitute at
Derby and one of his first touches of the ball was a fifty or sixty yard
pass into the run of JFH who promptly scored, I thought he looked a bit
special. Sadly, as time went on, it became clear that his inability to move
faster than a constipated snail and either make or ride a tackle was going
to render him virtually useless as a Premiership player at the least and
probably not much good at several of the layers lower than that.
I must confess to also having sung for Gregan. When he first came he was
overwieght, slow and not much cop as a midfielder and when he let Burnley
back into a game we were walking with a sloppy back-pass I thought, along
with every one else, "What the f......". However, when he was abused, along
with his wife and kids, by our own "fans" (?real fans), I started to feel a
bit sorry for him. Yes he was shit, but he wasn't any more shit than most of
those he was playing with and at least he was our shit and as such should be
encouraged not abused. So, when he was playing at the back this season and
turning what, in my opinion, were reasonable performances for the level at
which our club is now performing and people started singing for him, I
joined in.
You see, I thought that was what real fans did. Encourage the team and
individuals in it so that everybody felt glad to be playing at ER and
therefore performed better. Marching on TOGETHER and all that.
So, am I a real fan?
Well, I've been going to Elland Road, on and off since I was eight and now
I'm sixty four. This coming season will be my fifty seventh. I haven't
always had a season ticket and rarely go to away games though I'm pleased to
say that I've been to more away games in the last two seasons than I've ever
been before.
Like some listers have been saying recently, when the kids were small I
couldn't always get to matches. Financial constraints and family
committments often prevented it. Does this make me less of a fan? I don't
think so, others may not agree. The welfare of Leeds United is always very
dear to my heart. A defeat, even when there have been so many recently,
still hurts and can put me into a foul mood and victory can still provide
more elation than almost anything else in my life. I was smiling for a week
after our semi-final win at Preston.
When it looked as if we were going to go out of business I quite literally
missed sleep with worrying about it. The current Mrs. E thought I was barmy
but I could not imagine life without Leeds United to think about, read
about, worry about and get excited about.
I can't wait for August to roll round and I still get that same feeling of
excitement I've had since I was eight every time I come up from under the
Kop and see the green of the pitch.
So yes I'm a real fan and a sad twat and I still think Blackwell has done
well for two seasons bearing in mind the point at which he started. He may
or may not be the man to take us further, the first three months of next
season will tell us, but I think he's earned the right to be the one to give
it a go. If he doesn't cut the mustard early doors then Cuddly Ken will have
him out the door, and if he does prove up to the job then we've nothing to
worry about have we?
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oh alright then :-)
