News - Page One

Recently added:
Upadated news page (see below).

Updated Branch Member Application/Renewal Forms...

Welcome to the Home Page of our little website. Everyone who joins LUSC does so out of personal choice. The SC is 90 years young and in 2011 our own Branch will be 50. We've always been an independent body as well as loyal to the "Whites". If you'd like to join us please follow the links for an application form or just email our admin address below.

FUTURE RECENT PAST IMPERFECT.
For the time being our euphoric post FA Cup ramblings from January are still open to view a scroll or three down this page. Just goes to show our dilemmas when writing editorial are ongoing and the old saying that you're only as good or bad as your last game. February ended and with a little respite from the 2 games per week marathon and glimmers of pre-Xmas form. Unfortunately the prolonged FA Cup run hangover saw our unbeaten home League record fall ironically to Walsall rather than any obvious aspirants to a top two place.

AND WE THINK YEOVIL IS A TREK?
After the Oldham match the Peacock "Shrine Room" seemed to abound with loyal SC Members from around Europe. Furthest flown were Fotis and Alex from Greece. Fotis is from Thessaloniki and Alex's city wasn't on our school geography curriculum and is a bit unpronounceable. 2 days later they were catching a train at an ungodly hour to Stockport International Airport and 2 flights later would land on Greek soil. Now if there is an uncrowned king of Leeds fans it must be Terje from Stavanager who has been coming to ER since the late '70's and doesn't seem to age! Publicity is not his style nor such flattery. He now has a season ticket and lately has been jetting across the North Sea twice a week in some pretty ghastly weather. Another "veteran" from Norway that night was Erik Thomassen plus wife and daughter. Last but not least was Ciaran Collins from Cork whose journey home included train rides both sides of "the water" plus a flight to the Emerald Isle.

HE DOESN'T GO TO SPECSAVERS!
There was a rare chance to meet a football VIP at the SC Exec Meeting on February 25th. Local lad Martin Atkinson isn't likely to appear on the Elland Road pitch because he is a Premier League/ FIFA List Referee. He took up the whistle at 15 and hasn't looked back since. Apparently his ears were still ringing from close proximity to a certain southern based motormouth manager who hails from up north. What came across powerfully in Martin's answers to an exhaustive Q&A session from Members was the very obvious - top refereeing is all about the maximum use of common sense. Since making the Football League List in 2003 he's certainly well travelled at home and abroad. Pressed to reveal the player who has impressed him the most when sharing turf, it wasThierry Henry. We enjoyed a riveting evening covering career influences and giving an insight into all facets of the job, match preparation, dealing with time wasting, awarding penalties, assessing injury time, filing reports and use of technology both on and off the pitch.

FRAMING FULLERTON.
Our Branch has just received it's Affiliation Certificate from the Supporters Club Executive Committee and we hope to have it on display in our meeting room in due course. Finding a place won't be easy. All exhibits have to be securely fixed and sometimes moved around to make best use of available space, a bit like a major art gallery. Unofficial curator, Keith finds that no sooner has one new item been screwed to the wall then he finds himself presented with even more to fit in. A classic case of "watch this space!"

BACK TO THE FUTURE.
Just lately our fans could be forgiven for thinking they were time travellers by having a taste of how things used to be. Instead of trekking to some fleapit at the other end of the country on a Friday afternoon because the local plod or club alike had had an attack of the vapours, "Simon's Barmy Army" have recently been back into Premierland where the stadium facilities are fit for humans and visitors get treated likewise. Yeah OK, so the Stretford Palladium isn't everyone's cup of tea, but you do get a decent seat under cover and there's an air of professional organisation. White Hart Lane has an added bonus, for if some lardy butted numpty stands up in front of you, two giant TV screens provide a fallback so you don't miss the action.

A TALE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS.
"And so it came to pass and the Children of Don did journey across the frozen Pennine wastes.Then Simon looked out on the land of the Ferg and he saw that it was flat. Whence a great white light did shine upon his technical area. So he gathered his disciples unto him and spake thus, have faith, go forth and smite thine enemy where it hurts but beware of the one they call "Orange". And they did his bidding going forth and the red tide did part beneath cliffs of steel and cucumber canapes. For the Ferg he was also smitten and turneth into a pillar of the chewing gum. And ninety six minutes they did pass and the Children of Don were freed from their curse of a score and nine years. Then Simon sayeth, from this hour my children I will lead you out from the wilderness of Devon and Dorset with rusty turnstiles, dodgy burger vans and rotting terraces which forsake ye all cover. Keep faith unto me for I will do thy bidding for together this day we hath seen a vision of the promised land. Amen."

REALITY CHECK.
Updating this website text always leaves us in a sense of fear that whatever newsworthy events on Planet
Leeds we choose to rabbit on about can be quickly eclipsed by something even more cataclysmic.
For example that "Great And Glorious Victory" (to quote Nelson) was followed in days by the Becks bombshell of wanting away and a rude awakening at the hands of Wycombe. Who wants to be a League Club Manager? In just over a year, Simon Grayson has developed a nice little habit of rewriting bits of Leeds/ footy history. Let's hope that not even a "Silver Paint Pot", throws a distracting spanner in his works.

LOADSAMONEY!
Two Premiership FA Cup pay days won't have done the Elland Road funds any harm. On a roughish rule of thumb at OT nearly 75,000 paid at least £41.00/ ticket (higher priced seats balancing out the concessions),
so gate receipts must have been about £3M. In t'Cup, after the hosting expenses are deducted by the home club, each of the two sides gets 45% of the nett proceeds plus their television fees. Now it can't have cost £1M to stage the game even in Stretford, so what did we actually clear? Apparently visiting club TV fees for the tie at Spurs have been reported in the press as being a cool £144k.

BRANCH TRAVEL.
On the away transport front with 2 games a week stretching almost to infinity there's hardly time to read the last match report and the coldest winter for some 20+ years has further added to the organising pressures. Only the few ex-Premiership grounds in League One have under-soil heating but, as moneybags El Man City found recently, it doesn't melt ice on the surrounding streets. At the time of writing our visit to Tranmere (put off due to mutual cup ties) will now take place on Tuesday March 9th. A quick look at our away mileage feature shows that over 4000 miles had been clocked on Branch trips before New Year and in this Division, 500 mile day returns aren't exactly uncommon. So by travelling with us, you save a lot of petrol.

WE'RE STILL GROWING!
Last summer your Branch Officials were a little anxious as how the UK economic climate would affect us. We're quietly delighted to report that our 2008-9 Membership figure has now been passed and numbers are still rising. Any non-Members visiting this website and wishing to join us can either follow the relevant links on the website or see Keith Gaunt who is on the door of the Supporters Club Room in the Old Peacock on home match-days. Keith is due great credit for recruiting many new faces to our Branch again this season.

DANNY'S HONOUR.
We have recently added a new feature to the site about the Fullerton Park Branch Betty Carlin Trophy. For the record the 2009 recipient and added to the "illustrious Roll" was Danny Brown.

NEW MEMBERS.
We are always pleased to welcome newcomers to our organisation. If you are visiting our site and would like to join please click here, where you will find a printable copy of our application form.
Subscriptions are still as quoted at the end of the "Welcome" message and we will also need 2 recent passport standard photos. If you need any other information simply send us an email to jp4luscfullerton@aol.com
To any existing Members scanning through this, may we appeal to you to help in the recruitment drive and also in making our new faces feel "at home".
New Members can if they wish come to a Meeting to join instead of posting their application. This is a good way of everyone getting to know each other.

AWAY TRAVEL.
You must have a valid LUMC card before we can order you any tickets. LU Ticket Services also require us to put season ticket and non-season ticket holders on separate lists so we must know if you are a current season ticket holder.
Tickets are ordered in batches of games by dates. At smaller grounds it may not always be possible to add on late orders. If you haven't travelled away in League One before please note that some grounds do not offer any seats for visitors or they may be very limited. Our coaches leave from outside the Old Peacock even if we share transport with another Branch. Parking at the pub is strictly at owners risk.
Please comply with the Pub Manager's requests when leaving your vehicle on the forecourt so that access is not blocked for customers whilst you are away.
If possible we will post departure times for League & Cup fixtures on this website. Alternatively you can always ring our 24/7 Information Line (0113) 2777786.

MEETINGS.
Please click here or call our 24/7 Information Line (see previous paragraph).

"ELLAND ROAR"
The LUSC Newsletter comes out at least once a month during the football season aiming for a mix of wit and news/ factual articles/ social events etc.
Printed copies are available pre-match in the Old Peacock and our own Branch emails it out to Members. We try to have some printed copies for meetings and on away trips.

LUSC "OWN BRAND" MERCHANDISE.
The Supporters Club has its very own badge which is used on polo shirts, ties and of course metal badges.
Fullerton Park Branch also has its own design badge available woven on to polo shirts and tops. These can be ordered but we do need a batch of at least half-a-dozen items requested from Members first to be viable.
Unfortunately we must insist on payment in advance for clothing items please.