A wee boys dream…Claire Irving gets a special tour around Elland Road for her nine year old son’s birthday
It’s the week before Christmas. What a day to have a birthday eh? However, everyone who’s ever been nine and still remembers that far back will recall, and hopefully internally smile at that feeling of utter delight when the day finally arrives, no matter how close it is to Christmas.
Not only is Son #1 nine, but Leeds United are playing at Elland Road against CHELSEA on his birthday. So it is with the bravery of a boy who is learning that not all of life is a game, who is almost philosophical when told that his debut at Elland Road in the stands, with the singing, the rude words, the theatre of manliness and all that goes with it [he was particularly looking forward to the trip to the sweet shop], has been cancelled for him.
Having thought it ‘in the bag’ for the last month, his Daddy began to look for alternatives which, at such short notice, and so close to Christmas, is quite a feat.
Unable to replace the tickets, him indoors [not a naturally ebullient football fan] came across a little part of the website where you can book a tour of the ground. And there were spaces available. And it didn’t cost the earth. So he bought a tour round Elland Road for him and Son#1 on the last day of school, which started at 3pm. Remember how exciting it was to have your dad come and take you out of school, EARLY? Very exciting. Not only that, oh no, then there’s changing clothes in the car, the putting on of the Leeds shirt, the buying of the juice and sweets and the arrival at Elland Road.
Mecca to any little boy who supports Leeds United.
They were met by Brendan Ormsby [look him up, he’s an ex-skipper, one ‘hero’ point in the bag there straight away] who apologised profusely for being late, and then continued to explain that he’d just done a radio interview as Leeds were completing on a big deal – one for the dad’s there and another ‘hero’ point in the bag. This in itself made them feel at ease immediately and so from there it just went from great to brilliant for both of them. They were the only ones on the tour and spent an hour and a half in the company of a man who was down to earth, charming, answered any question from either of them with deep integrity, and made Son#1 feel as though he was the most special little boy in the world.
The tour took them round all the nooks and crannies you could imagine plus a few that were a surprise, but the highlight, the tour de force for Son #1 was walking onto the pitch and sitting where the manager, players, journalists and physiotherapists plonk their arses on a regular basis. Many, many ‘hero’ points bagged and kept as lifelong memories right there.
He was living the dream.
I spend my time observing with glee, and sometimes unabashed horror, the minutiae of life. Sometimes I put this into some sort of artform or another. Sometimes I just encourage other people to do it.
Catch me on my latest true love, Twitter @irving_claire