As we headed to Millwall, it was almost 8 years to the day that we arrived with heavy hearts to a mourning Elland Road for the second leg against Galatasaray in the UEFA cup semi final in 2000. It was a season that began so brightly and one that, up until the New Years day clash at Sunderland, a youthful Leeds side had played some of the best free flowing football in recent memory. Whilst it remains difficult to detach oneself from the off field incidents, we had been privileged to witness some truly remarkable football matches. The likes of the 4-3 win at Coventry and the stunning 4-4 draw at Goodison Park remain forever etched into fans minds:

Alongside the football played, the players also showed fight and bottle, traits that had been lacking for a long time. As if to demonstrate this, the players were tearing up visitors to Elland Road and not rolling over away from home, hard fought wins at Spurs and Chelsea were testament to that. We had hit top spot in October in a thrilling game at Watford, in which a wonderful goal from Michel Bridges set us on the way to the 3 points. We had quickly become realistic title contenders however, such was the effect of the Woodgate/Bowyer incident, this changed in an instant. As we had no knowledge of the facts surrounding the incident, the team and supporters tried to stick together...

"Innocent until proved guilty" was the mantra as a siege mentality was beginning to form in the face of frenzied media speculation. Such was the nature of the league, poor results in the aftermath meant that it wasn't until just after the tragic events in Istanbul that the club dropped out of the running for the title. Everything related to football became secondary as we tried to get our heads around the senseless loss of lives. It was simply a shattering experience and one that its hoped no other club has to go through ever again. On the field, it would have been easy for the team to give up, but after taking beatings from Villa and Arsenal, they regrouped and took the fight for 3rd spot all the way to the final game of the season at West Ham. That hard fought game ended 0-0 and cemented the Champions league spot. Many a glass was raised that night, mainly to the memory of 2 Leeds United AFC fans who should have been around to see it happen. During this week, as the arbitration process slid into 4 days, the news that the panel would not deliver a verdict until after the season had ended sparked predictable outrage. A change of heart saw a commitment to reveal all by May 1st. Every man and his dog has had an opinion on the matter, yet many seem to be remarkably ignorant on the subject they are talking about...

Some claim we were rightly docked 15 points for going into Administration, not even realising that we were docked 10 points last season. Others can't understand why the club have chosen this point of the season to appeal, blissfully unaware the club have been trying to get this issue resolved since last year. Its difficult to read anything into why the panel are taking so long to come to a conclusion of what appears to be a black and white case. Whilst this may point optimistically towards the club having a half decent chance, it could just as likely be that we have not and they are just crossing the t's and dotting the i's on the final report. Meanwhile rumours of the outcome continue to do the rounds, as do veiled threats from other clubs about what they will do if the arbitration is settled in Leeds United's favour. So with this distracting shitstorm swirling around we set off to Millwall. A drive to Cockfosters, a tube to London bridge and a train to South Bermondsey was the final route taken and upon arrival to London Bridge we were met by a huge police presence. Sharing a train to the ground with Millwall fans was a tad daunting, but the army of police on the platform at South Bermondsey quelled anyone's thoughts of a pre: match rumble. We wound our way to the ground down a narrow walkway protected by huge spiked fencing on both sides...

A late own goal gave us victory here in 2005 and the near 2,000 strong travelling army, in yet another "Highest attendance of the season" for the home crowd, would have happily taken a repeat of that. No one likes Millwall of course but regardless of what they say, they do seem to care. Clearly in a bid to foster good local relations, the club went the extra mile and invited the London branch of the Galatasaray supporters club to the game and insisted they mingle with the home support. During the course of the game, these fans were able to continually give the Leeds support both free geography lessons and fantastic safety advice. Any lingering doubts we had that Galatasaray play in Istanbul or that we should look out for Turks carrying knives were firmly removed. With the team once again without the services of Beckford, Macca made three changes to the side that slept through Tuesdays Yorkshire derby. So with Casper in goal, Sheehan returned to join Lubo, Fraser and Huntingdon at the back. Prutton was drafted in to help out Kilkenny, Skipper Howson and Johnson. Upfront, Elding was given a chance to shine alongside Freedman. With the ground as loud as I can recall an away match since Swansea, the home players began at a frantic pace and proceeded to put in a shift that belied their league position and must have had their fan base questioning just why they have not played like this all season...

Frankly, in that first half, we couldn't match them for passion, pace, endeavour and quality. With the aid of a lino that stuck his flag up whenever the crowd behind him growled, Millwall were quickly benefiting from a set of officials who didn't want a rough ride. Free kicks for Millwall came thick and fast with Brkovic only just missing with the first effort. He then forced Casper into a smart save for the next one. Great running from the hosts was complimented by fast free flowing football which we simply couldn't cope with. Brkovic shot wide and this was swiftly followed by Craig firing over when it seemed easier to score. The Leeds midfield was near none existent, ball retention for Kilkenny and Johnson appeared impossible and in the centre, both Prutton and skipper Howson were chasing shadows. Freedman was the only player in a Yellow shirt looking capable of changing the flow of the game, but we seldom got the ball to him and when we did, he was surrounded by Blue shirts. Millwall smelt blood, and were playing as if their lives depended on it. Brkovic was becoming a pain in the arse, but at least he had not brought his shooting boots as he put another chance over the bar. We had little chance to breathe before another flowing move was deflected for a corner and it was Karacan whose near on free header flew just sent over the bar...

As we prayed for the halftime whistle, Savage was quickly followed by Simpson to be thwarted by Casper. On halftime, we had a rare attack. Elding had struggled through the game with both a lack of service and when he did get it, a lack of control. However our only "flowing" move of the game fell at his feet from 16 yards and he fired just over. Halftime was like water on a burning beach and we finally found entertainment singing to the Leeds subs to "Give us a dance" and "Give us a ball" to which they were more than obliging. After clinging on we assumed that Macca would find some words of wisdom to lift the players and it worked. Well, for about 45 seconds when our first attack of the half came to nothing. Millwall quickly picked up where they had left off and proceeded to once again cut us open at will. If this was a boxing match, it would have been stopped. Karacan's superb strike beat Casper, but came back off the bar and seconds after that let off, Simpson then took the piss only to fire just over. You would have imagined this would have fired up the home support, but yet again, all we heard were the Galatasaray fans. Whilst we expect little sympathy in this matter, it has to be said that if this was Leeds, Liverpool or Man City fans singing "Munich" songs on this scale, there would have been a national uproar. It was after this latest let off that things started to shift...

In the main it was down to the off the ball movement and running of Freedman and a change in tactics that saw us look to hit on the break. This was allowing Fraser and Sheehan to get into the game and we suddenly had a couple of half chances. Freedman dragged a shot just wide and a sudden burst of confidence was found after Millwall, for some reason, took off Brkovic. Still, we were in need of a miracle and in need of divine inspiration. On 70 minutes, the "Jesus like" Prutton provided it. A cross from Johnson was cleared to Prutton's feet and his superb volley found the bottom corner from around 20 yards, causing pandemonium in the away end. Macca decided to shut up shop and took off Elding for Hughes as the hosts rallied. However, we now had something to cling on to and a tactic that was working. After Casper, who's handling and kicking had been exemplary today, had snuffed out another ball into the box, off we went looking for an unexpected cherry on the cake. It arrived on 76 minutes and when it arrived, it left us rubbing our eyes that this was Leeds United we were watching, not Arsenal. In a flowing move towards the Millwall area, the ball fell to Hughes, his first time ball was sent out to Johnson on the left. Johnson had clearly learned from his midweek fuck up and rolled the ball back along the 6 yard box to the onrushing Hughes who smashed home sending us fucking mental...

Hughes celebrated with some more dodgy dancing as the atmosphere in the ground got even worse. As we celebrated and rammed the Turkey chants down the home fans throats, they responded by fighting with anyone in their way as they somehow believed that they would inherit super human powers and jump from top tier of their stands to ours for a good old fashioned rumble. To our right, one fan produced an old Leeds shirt and gave us comedy gold by pulling out a lighter and trying to set it on fire, only to repeatedly fail and after finally kicking it around like a football he was dragged out by the old bill. Whilst the game continued we looked for a third, Freedman with another chance and Prutton looking to add to his opener and though Millwall had a couple more threatening opportunities, suddenly, attacks were breaking down and we were able to pick them off and break. The announcement, as the board went up for 4 minutes, was that we were to be held back for a while, this sparked a mass exodus from the Millwall support who it appeared tried to tell us "See you outside". A Sheehan Free Kick was the near on last kick of the game and the final whistle brought great celebrations from players and fans alike. It has to be said, in all my years supporting Leeds United AFC, I can not recall a more satisfying "Smash and Grab" result...

All that remained was to get back to the car in one piece. We were held outside the ground and on the narrow walkway to the train platform for the best part of an hour, before bringing the London tube to a standstill as we were frog marched from London Bridge to Kings Cross with little trouble from a good spirited Leeds support. We saw only a handful of skirmishes of what looked like Millwall v riot police at London Bridge. We got the news of Brighton's late winner back at the car, but it could not dampen what turned into a fucking great day. So we have one foot in the Play Off's but we have to be honest and say that we were very lucky today. Whilst this sort of performance shows the spirit in the camp, it will not certainly not get us to Wembley should results go our way over the next couple of weeks. Next up is the much anticipated trip to Yeovil and we still have the right to ask, just how can the police say we can play Millwall at 3pm on a Saturday, but yet are forced to play Yeovil on a Friday night. We have a long fucking trip to mull over the answer to that...

Leeds United AFC... "We're not famous anymore"... Keep Fighting...