Heidi's Blog - Que Sera, Sera

27 May 2024 02:10 am, by Lufcheidi


Leeds United v Southampton | 26th May 2024 | Wembley
Championship Play Off Final


So, we have finally reached the end of our football season but not with the result we all wanted. After the stress of getting tickets and an 18-hour day leaving home at 4am this morning, the game at Wembley didn’t live up to our expectations. We came close to getting back into the game with a fantastic shot from James and I still feel that if we had equalised, we would have gone on to win the game. I said I hate the colour red, and it has come back to haunt us again but well done to Southampton for getting back up to the Premier League at the first attempt. We will have another season staying in the Championship but as fixtures will be out in three weeks, the Euros take place and once we know where our preseason tour will be held, it won’t be long before we are back on the terraces again.

To be honest I didn’t feel disappointed at the end just resigned to us not winning another play off game. I did think it would be third time lucky with them having beaten us twice already this season, plus our lick had to change one day in the play offs. I think we could have done with having Collar back leading the fans today. We have over 200 songs and chants that we recorded for our CDs, and it would have been lovely to have lots of different ones sung today. Even though we had scarves put on our seats again today, we could not create that 12th man siege we had at Elland Road. We may have had a wall of noise, but we needed to be singing songs in my opinion. I was also sad that we never did a “one Don Revie chant” as it was the anniversary of his death today.

I was privileged to have seen the greatest Leeds United team under his tenure and he and that team are why our worldwide fanbase is what it is today. I was touched to be told that I was a credit to Leeds United today because of what I do with my blogs and photos, so I want to say thank you for the compliment which is appreciated. Last week saw a BBC Radio Leeds interview on Tuesday morning, an appearance on Calendar Friday evening with my granddaughter, a telephone interview on the coach today with BBC Radio 5 Live and a zoom interview whilst in the pub with BBC London. I didn’t realise we were on the TV in the pub until afterwards.




Just as the teams came out the heavens opened with torrential rain, and we got soaked. It was lovely to see young Riley leading the team out as mascot and hopefully he had an amazing day.

Southampton’s keeper was the first one called into action with a save from Gnonto and Meslier did well to push the ball away from a free kick. With their player in acres of space, I assumed their player was offside but with no replays etc. and no shouts from our players, I’m assuming one of out defenders played him onside. This turned out to be the only goal of the game. The second half saw Southampton try to double their lead before we brought on Dan James in place of Gnonto. With his shot hitting the upright and their keeper making a fingertip save in the dying moments of the game, what a fairytale ending that would have been for James if they’d have both gone into the net.

Going to Wembley for the play offs has once again been a waste of time and money, despite the good day out with our fans. To me, that means that for next season the only way we will achieve promotion is for us to go up automatically, so we need to aim for being champions. Enjoy the summer break and thank you to everyone who loves reading my blogs and enjoys having their photos taken.

LUFC – Marching on Together!

Team: Meslier, Ampadu, Rodon, Gray, Kamara, Rutter, Summerville, Gnonto, Firpo, Gruev, Piroe

Subs: James for Gnonto (66), Roberts for Kamara (74), Anthony for Summerville (74), Joseph for Firpo (83)

Unused Subs: Darlow, Cooper, Byram, Shackleton, Gelhardt

Attendance: 85,862 (36,462 Leeds Fans)
Referee: John Brooks
Booked: Summerville, Ampadu



View all Showing latest five comments of seventeen...

CUSSIE01 wrote on 29 May 2024 08:51 pm

Thank you again for your blog & photos Heidi, it’s been a long season for all Leeds supporters and yourself in particular but as someone who only gets to a few games each season I’ve loved reading all your stories after the games. Have a good summer & we’ll go again next season.

Lufcheidi wrote on 29 May 2024 07:16 pm

Chilli D wrote: Tue May 28, 2024 11:57 am Great blog Heidi.
We go again.
MOT
Thank you. Should have known it wouldn't happen for us but we still lived in hope.

Lufcheidi wrote on 29 May 2024 07:16 pm

YorkshireSquare wrote: Tue May 28, 2024 11:21 am Was the same after Watford. Pubs full of Leeds fans having a laugh and Watford fans sat looking sorry for themselves.
And we were destined not to go up again. What have we done wrong apart from supporting Leeds United?

Chilli D wrote on 28 May 2024 11:57 am

Great blog Heidi.
We go again.
MOT

YorkshireSquare wrote on 28 May 2024 11:21 am

Lufcheidi wrote: Tue May 28, 2024 11:15 am Thank you. Been hearing so much about Southampton fans coming out of the ground at the same time as us and not savouring the moment. We’d have been celebrating for ages if we’d got promotion. Sounds like many are worried about being battered week in week out and in reality I know those feelings were there for me. It feels so different than under Bielsa as I knew we could challenge for the top despite the gap in wealth. We are not in that position now though sadly and realistically not going up is probably the best way for us to get into that position. We need automatic champions next season to be be able to compete on the pitch.

Was the same after Watford. Pubs full of Leeds fans having a laugh and Watford fans sat looking sorry for themselves.