It was during their 1974/75 season in the English 1st Division that I became a supporter of Leeds United. It was my classmate Hock Chai (a really good midfielder and occasional center-forward in school) that got me hooked on Leeds. I haven't caught up with Hock Chai for many years. When I do, I will ask him if he's still a Leeds fan. I still am, despite their recent travails.
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Not that I'm in a philosophical mood, but can being a supporter or fan of a sports club or a sports hero be telling on a person's character? I haven't given the matter much thought. I tend to think that supporting Leeds gives me a primal need to be part of a tribe (in the Elias Canetti-sense of tribal behaviour). But I haven't really examined the psychology of fan-behaviour.
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Can we learn anything from being fans and supporters (especially hardcore supporters) and, apply it to political affiliations? Or, use it to gain insight into why people quit from political parties that they have been such an integral part of? Or, to explain motives for leaders hopping from one political party to another? I'm just playing around. Firstly, I don't think we can derive any lessons from sports fan behaviour and apply it to politics. Secondly, I have no intention of adding to the boisterous voices and thoughts expressed about the merits, ethics and morality of quitting political parties, shifting alliances, hopping from one political party to another, crossing the parliamentary aisle ... matters which have so dominated Malaysia's media and blogosphere in recent weeks. I don't believe I can contribute to that obssession for the reason that a fast-developing political situation demands what newshounds call a "scoop". The only scoop I do is to scoop the pile of poo that my pets release around my house (though I suspect that many newshounds may feel as I do - when scooping dog poo - as they "sniff" around for scoops in Malaysia's political scene!). So I'll leave it at that.
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Anyway, Leeds United in the 74/75 season was managed by Don Revie. Revie is revered by Leeds fans for the manner in which he completely reorganised the club and its players. The story is legendary and well-told by Leeds fans and historians in sites like http://www.leedsunited.com/ and, in particular, http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/. I cannot do better than that. But I do visit those sites often just to re-live the days when, as a young teenager (in an era when "live telecast" was reserved only for major events such as the World Cup Finals, FA Cup Finals and European Cup Finals) I stayed up for the European Cup Final of the 1974/75 season where Leeds played Bayern Munich in foggy conditions and .... lost 0-1 amidst controversial refereeing decisions and bad fan behaviour.
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The long and short of it is that Leeds United played this 2007/08 season down in, what is called League One. This is the old 3rd Division. Not only that. After suffering the ignominy of relegation from the Premier League and languishing for 2 seasons in the Championship League (old 2nd Division), last season (2006/07) Leeds was relegated to League One and, went into receivership (for which the English FA penalised it with a 15-point deduction).
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Tonight, Leeds plays Doncaster Rovers at Wembley Stadium in a play-off for promotion from League One to the Championship League. I know, what an underwhelming feeling and oh! so far from the madding crowd and rarefied heights of Top 4 Premier League clubs this is. But despite being in the "gutter" of English football, us Leeds fans can take some measure of comfort for staying the course and, being true to the cause that Leeds is, despite adversity, ridicule and (worst of all) wry sympathies from itinerant Arsenal "supporters".
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I like Gary McAllister, who is the current manager. Liverpool fans will remember Gary for his scintillating contribution to Liverpool's cup campaigns 2 seasons ago. But, Leeds fans remember him for his spell in Leeds during the 1990s when Leeds won the last League Championship of the old 1st Division in the 1992/93 season (after that the Premier League was formed). His spirit and commitment has brought into the Leeds dressing room a team spirit and zeal that should give them an edge over Doncaster Rovers tonight. Gary was preceded by Dennis Wise (ex-Captain of Chelsea) who really brought a great spirit from the "siege mentality" that he instituted amongst the young Leeds team of today.
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Unlike the itinerant fans of clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Selangor (!!!, I was a hardcore fan in the 1970s when Soh Chin Aun, R. Arumugam, Wong Choon Wah, Mokhtar Dahari and Santokh Singh played), this is the sad life of a Leeds fan. You learn to dig deep into your character and soul (yes! just ask hardcore fans) to seek meaning to sustain your loyalty. That's where History gives all that you are a meaning and, a context, to explain your emotional attachment to a cause that appears to be a "lost cause". The situation may appear to be bleak, the situation may have been bleak some for time now, but, we will draw great spirit and comfort during the long, cold winter of discontent if we have a sense of History.
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Maybe the political hacks can learn from being football fans after all!
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