Saturday the 8th of May, 2010. Match day 46 of 46 in Coca-Cola League One for the 2009/2010 season. For Leeds United, judgement day.
In pole position to gain promotion to the Championship on 83 points and sitting in second place before kick-off, it was theirs to lose. And as is often the case with Leeds, it wasn't done the easy way. Only a win on the final day of the season at home to Bristol Rovers would secure a top two finish, otherwise results elsewhere would have to go our way.
Before the game begun Elland Road was filled with a blend of nerves, expectation and excitement amongst the home fans. They knew this could be the day they'd been waiting for for the past three years. Or they may have to endure another play-off campaign. A packed crowd greeted the players with a raucous reception as the entered the field. The game began cagey and tense, it was like we just didn't want to lose it.
News was filtering through of other scores all game, as they had the week before away at Charlton, only this week, things weren't so good for us. Charlton were leading, while Swindon took the lead at Milwall early on, before a swift equaliser from the home side. However, by this point things were hotting up where I was.
A Leeds chance dispatched by talisman Jermaine Beckford, only to be ruled out for offside, halting my exuberant celebrations. But as we recovered from that disappointment, more drama was to unfold. An off-the-ball incident involving Max Gradel and Bristol left back Jones- I can never remember his first name, I despised him so much that day. Jones was on the floor holding his face from what replays later showed to be a mild stamp from Gradel to his foot, completely inexpicable in my view. Gradel was dismissed, but not without first fighting his own teammates and trying to get to the ref before going.
The second half kicked off calm once again, but early on, disaster. Jones, the villain for the day crossed the ball into the Leeds box and after some fairly poor defending, Daryl Duffy converted to put Leeds a goal and a man down. Things were not looking good. Play-offs seemed to be where we were heading. And as always, play-offs and Leeds United most usually ends in defeat.
Leeds boss Grayson decided it was time for change, and so brought on local lad Jonny Howson for Shane Lowry in a bold move which paid off. Big time.
Within 5 minutes of his entrance, the game had been turned on it's head. Bradley Johnson, now at left-back played the ball to the edge of the box, Luciano Becchio laid it off for Howson, who curled a beauty into the corner of the goal. Elland Road went beserk. Mental. Explosive. Electric. The atmosphere was incredible. Suddenly, the belief was back, we could win this, we could go up! Seconds after the restart, straight back on the attack Leeds almost scored again! No-one at that time, or at least no me, seemed bothered that Milwall had taken the lead, and therefore second place from us. We still needed to win. But, cometh the hour...
Another chance for Leeds but the ball collected by the Rovers goalkeeper. As he went to throw it out, with the noise from the crowd still unbelievable, Beckford managed to intercept slightly the throw, the ball fell to Johnson who powered into the box and played it square. At first, it seemed a defender would could it out, but who was on hand to put it away from 8 yards? Who else but Jermaine Beckford! It was euphoric. I was shouting, screaming, hugging people I'd never met before! As the crowd settled a little I even became teary-eyed at the overwhelming atmosphere. It is a goal I have watched back time and time again, and I will continue to. Even just now as I write this, I had to stop for 10 minutes just to see it a few times. Everywhere you look as it goes in is just incredible. Whether it's the Bristol Rovers defender on the edge of the box putting his hands to his head, Bradley Johnson jumping up and down, waiting for the ball to go in, the Kop just willing the ball over the line, or Beckford himself smashing home the promotion-winning goal!
The game from that point seemed over and done with. Bristol Rovers didn't really have any more to offer, Leeds were happy to hold onto their slender lead. And so they did, winning the game, sealing promotion, and finally escaping the third tier of English football.
Possibly the most exciting, thrilling, dramatic, loud, emotional, and most importantly, the best football game I've ever seen.
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