Even with rose-tinted specs, Leeds had a certain 'earthiness' about it in the mid to late 70s that took a bit of acclimatising to. Aside from matches in 71 onwards, I was there as a punk-rocker from 76, and it was full of Tetley Bittermen and f***ing teddy-boys. S'funny, but I'd never realised there were hundreds of these evil old b***ards in drapes still skulking around in The Whip/Scabby Taps etc. I used to get the 4:10am mail train back to Harrogate, and believe me that the railway station was a f***ing scary place to be. Even worse for the poor sods who were going on the Bratfud train, all of whom were targets for the gangs of Tetleybittermen. I got attacked by 5 of them near the Queens Hall (now demolished of course and of course a car-park) and even though I decked 2 of 5, it put me off going into Leeds centre for about 6 months. Things changed when I took up with a load of Whinmoor boys - suddenly odds seemed more appealing in scraps, and getting your
retaliation in first meant more peaceful nights out became more the norm! The road system in Leeds and smog always made the place a bit grim, and the likes of Granary Wharf and canal-side living were but a twinkle in a wino's eye.
The football however was magical. We were hard, but only a complete ar*e could fail to recognise the beauty of the Whites in a slowly-dawning new era. I suspect the writer of the Scottish piece easily qualifies.
John
Hotshotlorimer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I also recall the city of Leeds in the 1970's being a less than "upbeat" place.I dunno, maybe I remember it differently to all of you, but to me the unpleasantness connected to that team was one of the reasons I found them so attractive. I rather like being unloved in a football sense.
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