Watford - 22nd October - 24/25

October 23, 2024

Leeds United v Watford

Tuesday 22nd October 2024 - Elland Road, Leeds

2024/25 Season


Due to traffic issues, we were late getting parked up, so it meant we didn’t get to visit the usual places before the game. I’ll blame it on not realising it was a 7.45pm kick off too, but by the time we got in the stand the teams were all ready to start the game so had missed the mascots coming out. With my head still being all over the place I’d not given any thought to the game facing us.


Team: Meslier, Struijk, Rodon, Firpo, Bogle, Tanaka, Aaronson, Piroe, Gnonto, Ramazani, Rothwell

Subs: Solomon for Ramazani (injured 14), James for Gnonto (72), Joseph for Piroe (72), Byram for Solomon (90+6)

Subs not used: Darlow, Bamford, Crew, Debayo, Schmidt


Leeds won the game 2-1 with Ramazani (4) and Aaronson (7) scoring the early goals


Attendance: 34,968, approx. 900 Watford fans

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Booked: Firpo, Tanaka


No sooner had I got to my seat before Leeds scored our first goal. The ball looked to have been caught by their keeper as he scooped it back out, but the ball was deemed to have been over the line. Gnonto saw his shot go past the wrong side of the post but before we knew it, we were two goals up with our second goal scored three minutes later. A run by Gnonto on the wing saw a great cross pushed out from their keeper which Aaronson followed up and put into the net. Their keeper made another save from Gnonto but then we took our feet off the pedal when maybe we should have gone for the jugular. Watford saw Meslier make a great save with one of their first attacks not long before the break to deny them a goal.


It was great to see Paul Reaney on the pitch at half time getting a great reception from the fans. He was 80 years old today and part of the legends from the greatest team I have ever seen under Don Revie. It made me realise how many years have passed since then when it doesn’t seem that long ago.


The second half saw Watford get straight back into the game when they scored more or less straight from the kick off. Their man got the better of Struijk and Firpo but there were still plenty of our players in the area as he got the ball into the net to pull one back. Even on watching the replays I still couldn’t make out how the ball hit the back of the net. We really need to change the ball from white as it’s so much harder to follow the ball for me. My granddaughter’s team played with a fluorescent orange ball at the weekend which was so much better. Watford then went on the attack as we seemed at sixes and sevens with our heads still in the dressing room as their shot went narrowly over the bar. It took quite a while I feel to get back onto the attack, but I still wasn’t too worried. We started getting back into the game and Bogle saw his shot canon back off the post and Piroe hit the rebound, but the keeper caught the ball at the second attempt. James put a great cross into the box which saw Joseph in space head the ball only to see it go straight to their keeper. James then saw his shot saved by the keeper. We had decided there would be nine minutes of injury time due to Watford players throwing themselves to the floor and time wasting so many times. Although eight minutes was put up on the board, we played nearly 10 minutes more but at least we got the win and another welcome three points despite making it harder for ourselves than it needed to be.


We head to Bristol on Saturday which will be an early start for us as we leave at 5.30am from Leeds. It’s a good job people are just telling me what time to be there etc as I didn’t even realise it’s an early kick off either. It’s not surprising really as sorting everything out in the background takes over. We are still overwhelmed as a family by all the support with cards and flowers received as well as all the hugs and condolences coming our way. These are all gratefully received so when I saw someone before the game who lost his dad just before we lost Phillip, I made sure he got a hug too. Leeds fans will always look after each other and that is why they are special. We are having a celebration of Phillip’s life the day before we head to Swansea and we know with the amount of people who have already said they will be coming, that he will get a great send off.


See you on Saturday, LUFC – Marching on Together!

After game celebrations Bristol City H 28.4.25

April 29, 2025
After Game Celebrations Monday 28th April 2025 - Elland Road 2024/25 Season What a night and it wasn’t finished there because at the final whistle, the fans carried on singing as the team came out to celebrate being promoted to the Premier League. This is how to celebrate as we stayed for a good hour after the end of the game enjoying the atmosphere and the moment and what a moment it was. This was the night that we were robbed of when we were promoted under Bielsa, and it shows how much we relished the chance to celebrate in style tonight. We even wore the microphone out at the end of the game! It still feels quite surreal that we have been promoted when we had two games still left to play. With one game left, we are back in pole position at the top of the league. I want nothing more than to get 100 points and win the league at Plymouth at the weekend. With both us and Burnley on 97 points it will go to the wire but make us even prouder Leeds by staying at the top.

Alexis mascot & fans Bristol City H 28.4.25

April 29, 2025
Leeds United v Bristol City Monday 28th April 2025 - Elland Road 2024/25 Season First of all, I want to thank Leeds United and Joe Rodon for giving my granddaughter Alexis an amazing experience as a mascot tonight. Coming out to the sight of scarves waving all around the ground that had been donated by the club plus the tremendous noise of us singing Marching on Together is a moment she will never forget. After the last year we have had as a family culminating in my husband’s death and the subsequent grieving for him, I don’t think I can underestimate what this evening has meant to us all. Alexis was like a giddy kipper especially as she hadn’t got too much sleep last night as she was so excited. We headed to the ground very early to ensure we didn’t have any traffic issues. Luckily, we arrived in good time and after waiting with her at the West Stand main entrance, my granddaughter Hannah and I then headed into the ground although separately. I can’t remember the last game I’ve been into a home game so early, but it gave me a chance to catch up with other fans before kick-off. It was a proud moment seeing Alexis come on to the pitch with Rodon. A big thank you to everyone who told me they appreciate my posts today because as always they are gratefully received which makes it worth doing.

Bristol City- 28th April - 24/25

April 29, 2025
Leeds United v Bristol City Monday 28th April 2025 - Elland Road 2024/25 Season That'll teach me to take so many photos last night as it's taken until 9am to whittle them down. All photos will be on my website very shortly where I share my love of Leeds United with fans around the world. First of all, I want to thank Leeds United and Joe Rodon for giving my granddaughter Alexis an amazing experience as a mascot tonight. After the last year we have had as a family culminating in my husband’s death and the subsequent grieving for him, I don’t think I can underestimate what this evening has meant to us all. Team: Darlow, Ampadu, Rodon, Bogle, Gruev, Tanaka, Piroe, Gnonto, Solomon, Aaronson, Firpo. Subs: Bamford for Piroe (81), Ramazani for Gnonto (81), Joseph for Aaronson (86), Guilavogui for Tanaka (86), Byram for Firpo (89). Subs not used: Meslier, Gray, Cairns, Wöber. Leeds won the game 4-0 with Tanaka (21), Gnonto (55) and a Ramazani brace (82, 90) making it a convincing win. Attendance: 36,310. Approximately 1,900 Bristol fans. Referee: James Bell, Booked: Tanaka. Leeds started off well attacking the South Stand and could have taken the lead three times in the opening minutes. Their keeper made a couple of good saves then from a corner we caused problems in their area before Solomon sent a great cross into the box for Tanaka to put the ball into the net. Having had a goal by Solomon disallowed for offside shortly before (replays later showed this was a correct call), it was nothing more than Leeds deserved. When Solomon was put through again, their keeper managed to sit on the ball and catch it at the second attempt to prevent us taking a greater lead. From a corner, Tanaka headed into the side netting but despite al the pressure we went into the break with only the one goal in front. There was a great atmosphere below the stands and luckily it was only a beach ball that hit me in the face as someone said I should have headed it. At least it created a laugh. The second half saw Leeds batter their goal, but they somehow survived the onslaught when first Firpo then Gnonto were denied a goal and Bogle saw his shot hit the post and bounce back. Leeds saw a fantastic pass out of defence from Piroe that went straight into the path of Gnonto who ran forwards and put the ball into the net to increase our lead. Ramazani had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes after replacing Gnonto, as another attack saw Bamford win the ball and set Firpo up to send a perfect pass into the centre for Ramazani to score. Now there was no way back for Bristol. To be honest there was only one time in the first half when Darlow did a kamikaze run off his line that Bristol came near, but we were able to thwart the attack. We hadn’t finished though as another perfect pass from Gruev set Ramazani on his way to score a second goal on the night and be the crowning glory which he celebrated with a somersault and back flip.  See you on Saturday for the last game of the season. LUFC – Marching on Together!
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