We’re all off to York!
Not for Leeds United the lucrative Far Eastern pre-season tour! No, this summer we will once again be entertained by York City at Bootham… sorry, the KitKat Crescent. Some website appear to think this fixture was started last year but I recall watched Peter Reid’s Leeds United side struggle against York before the fateful 2003-04 season.
York took the lead through a guy called Fox and a late goal by sub Eirik Bakke equalised. The Leeds side featured the main players but it was a sign of things to come. It turned out to be Nigel Matryn’s last game for the club, he was given away for a song to Everton the following week. A decision that haunted us when he returned to Elland Road and turned in a bravura performance and earned Everton and undeserved 2-2 draw. Danny Mills played that night before disappearing to the Riverside in a huff (and winning a trophy while we were relegated).
I recall he kicked a ball into the crowd during the warm-up which was gratefully kept by someone - later he was made to come over the the Leeds end to ask for it back by the coaching staff!
The game itself was frustating, we lost Mark Viduka early on when Reid gratefully subbed him after the referee choose not to send the petulant Australian off for clearly throwing the ball at a York defender after he had been fouled. Remembering his end of season double red-cards this game really was a foretaste of things to come for the fans. Alan Smith played but was frankly ineffectual. I remember little else except it was an impressive turnout from the Leeds fans and the York City fans really got behind their team during the game when they were, unexpectedly, the better side for much of the game and in the lead for a long time.
Both teams have fallen from grace since that game. We have both suffered double relegations and we perhaps epitomise the current poor state of Yorkshire football.
Still, I’m sure we’ll all be looking forward to seeing some football when the game comes around on Friday July 11, 7.30pm, even though it is just seven weeks after the play-off final!
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