FOOTBALL fans who live in the shadow of one of Britain’s best-known stadiums say it’s the best place in the city to have a home.
The homes on Wesley Street, which leads down to Leeds United’s Elland Road ground, are pretty much all owned by fans of the club and there’s hardly ever a for sale sign outside any of them.
6
6
6
Even the telephone junction boxes in the street are daubed with Leeds United badges, celebrations of by-gone players and famous chants.
Joyce Brown, an 85-year-old grandmother, has been a season ticket holder at Elland Road for 65 years and moved into her red-brick semi in 1963 when the houses were built so she could be close to her club.
Joyce even admitted that she and her now late husband Alan cut their honeymoon short so they could watch a game.
She said: “Me and Alan even cut our honeymoon to Blackpool short so that we could watch a game. This is the best place to live in Leeds.”
Alan, who died I 1995, has his ashes interned in the Elland Road pitch.
“Our love of Leeds United was the reason we bought this house,” said Joyce.
“I have seen some ups and downs at the club since I watched my first game as a 12-year-old girl.”
Joyce used to go to Leeds United games with her grandad. “But their situation, now, is upsetting me more than ever.”
She is not happy with the players who want to leave since relegation.
“Alan is at the ground behind the goalposts now. We are there together at the home games still,” she said.
Joyce can barely remember missing a game at Elland Road, other than the Covid gap, when no spectators were allowed in the ground.
“I find it hard to think of a home game that I’ve missed. I have missed some, but not many,” she said.
“It’s awful to say, but I have lived my life around Leeds United.”
Joyce gave birth to her youngest son Simon at home in 1966.
She said: “I was here and gave birth over the Friday and Saturday night to Simon. I wanted to go and watch the game against Arsenal on the Saturday afternoon, but the midwife wouldn’t let me go. We won 2-1.”
Simon Dyson, 31, has lived on the street since he was three years old and loves it.
The aluminium fabricator said: “I was near enough born and bred here and I’m a massive Leeds fan – you’ve got to be really.
“It’s a beautiful view waking up to the sight of the stadium.
“Supporting Leeds has its ups and down and it is a hard task sometimes, but I’ll never get tired of living here.
“There is never any trouble. You can hear the crowd and can tell when they’ve scored when I’m at home. I wouldn’t move.
“Parking isn’t a problem either because I have my permit. It’s all good.”
Dawn Oates, 55, lives right at the bottom of Wesley Street and her house boasts a Leeds United mural on the gable end facing the ground.
Dawn was born within a stone’s throw of the stadium in a back-to-back terrace house, which has since been demolished to make way for one of the club’s car parks.
She has also worked as the bar supervision of the unofficial club pub The Old Peacock – which stands opposite the ground – for the last 36 years.
Dawn said: “I have lived in the shadow of the Elland Road stadium for all of my life. I was born here.
“I’m a season ticket holder. I work, then go and see the match – it’s great.
“There’s no trouble now. Years ago, there would be away coaches turning up around here, but not now.
“I’m very proud to live around here. I leave for work and it takes me just five minutes and then I can pop to the game.”
Next door neighbour Julie Ridings, 62, doesn’t care for football, but her husband Tony is a season ticket holder.
“I’m not a Leeds fan, but my husband is. He’s a season ticket holder,” said Julie.
“The crowds don’t bother me. We’ve lived here for that long that it is just part and parcel of it.
“We moved here 39 years ago. It keeps him happy and quiet and so I don’t mind it. I don’t like football, but I like living here.”
6
6
6
