My First Game with Dickie Isted

My name is Dickie Isted and I have supported the Mighty Whites since 1972.

Influenced by my Grandad at the time whose immortal words have stuck with me after watching them on the Big Match one Sunday lunchtime - "You want to watch this team son, they are fantastic". And so it started. I am from Sussex, some 283 miles from Elland Road.

28th April 1973, I was 7, my Dad took me down the road to The Dell for my first live game... the Mighty Leeds United were in town to face Southampton.

Significantly it was Jackie Charlton's last game and at the same time, his brother Bobby played his last game for our hated enemy Man U at Chelsea.

I can't remember much about the game apart from losing 3-1 and Leeds having goals disallowed for offside. Southampton comprised of Channon, Paine, Gilchrist, Stokes etc., and the crowd was just over 24,000.

I cried in the car all the way home, but proudly wore my newly purchased Leeds rosette from outside the ground. The match was on Match of the Day that night, so Dad got me up to watch it again... more misery.

Ever since that day, the addiction started and has continued to the present day. Travelling to Elland Road from Sussex, London where I worked in the 1980's, Bermuda 1989/91 and now back in Sussex.

Away games in Europe, play offs, League Cup, Charity Shield, Champions League all of this whilst my son started Academy Football aged 7 at Portsmouth. Then on to Southampton at 13 and his first Professional contract at 17, and now 20 at Stoke City with their Under 23's. He's Leeds too!

Dickie's young son Harry is currently on the books at Stoke City and plays in the clubs development squad.

There is a small group of Leeds fans in my village known as the Selsey Whites and I am involved with Selsey Fc in the SCFL Division 1.

I've not had a chance to see our boys this season live in the League but managed to scrounge tickets for the League Cup tie v Liverpool at Anfield (standing in the middle of the Kop with my mouth shut) torture!

Mind you over the years I've stood in Chelsea, Derby, Portsmouth, Southampton, Coventry FA Cup semi final, Crystal Palace, Millwall, QPR and Arsenal... any way to get in to see the Lads.

Thanks for the chance to put memories to you.

By Dickie Isted