A Night to Remember

I am not one to steal other people’s words as a general rule, but I hope no one minds a few quotes from Phil Hay’s report in the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“In a community made famous by thoroughbreads, the inhabitants of Cheltenham are of irrepressible ilk…
“Cheltenham Town are not a national treasure in the way that their annual (racing) festival is, but tradition plays a less influential part in football than it does in racing.
Leeds and Cheltenham are in different leagues historically and, before this season, the clubs have never shared the same division.
But after a 2-1 victory at Elland Road which was more emphatic than the final score, the unfancied squard possessed by Keith Downing had the satisfaction of being the first to beat United both on home soil, and in the shadow of Beeston Hill”.

If anyone wonders what drives the football fan to take time off work and travel the length and breadth of the country, then this match is the answer. One cannot beat the shared elation of being in the crowd that has just seen their team pull of an unlikely vcitory.

As recently as 1997, Cheltenham were in the Southern League. Leeds were members of the Premiership until 2004, and have reached the semi-finals of both European competitions since Cheltenham joined the league. Even if the two teams play on the same field, there is still a difference between them – this game was the lowest crowd of the season at Elland Road, but it was near enough three times the figure for the best crowd of the season at Whaddon Road. It should not be a surprise to learn that that game also involved Leeds.

I don’t know if Cheltenham can build on this result – hopefully the team will use it to drive their push to maintain their league position in final nine games of the season – but everyone knows that when the dust settles the public of this town will not head through the gates of Whaddon Road on a regular basis.

But for the moment, let us forget about the people who were not there – let us remember that we were there on the day that Cheltenham Town won at Elland Road. This is what it is all about