Leeds Fan Woody On Cawley and Hillsborough

With apologies for the delay in posting. This was emailed in response to my threads on the events at Hillsborough and went to SPAM. Happy to carry a first hand account which is not full of foul bile, and apologies Woody for the delay.

I'm very disappointed you published an article and then walked away from it within minutes so no one could discuss it on your blog leaving a one sided and factually inaccurate statement (in many parts) on the web for all to see. Such is the power of the web I guess but a very lopsided and biased action. You complain about the abuse you get from LUFC supporters but publish only comments from LUFC idiots that propogate your one sided deluded view on all our supporters. Every club has idiots (tell me West Ham don't and I'll chortle for the rest of the weekend because I know a few truly horrible hammers fans).

1) Leeds fans did sing Jimmy Saville chants - but actually a group of about 20 SWFC supporters started it to try and wind LUFC supporters up simple because Saville came from Leeds. Saville wasn't a LUFC supporter so we have no reason to feel ashamed simply because he was born in Leeds - I would feel no shame even if he did support LUFC as his actions and thoughts are his own and not mine and every LUFC fan feels as much disgust as any other fan over his action.

2) Bottles and cups were thrown by both sets of supporters not just LUFC (and for that I hope any identified will suffer bans). They surely will if they support LUFC as the club has zero tolerance for hooligans after our less than proud past where this is concerned.

3) Advertising hoardings and seats were damaged at Hillsborough by LUFC fans (yes I admit only LUFC fans) and again I hope any identified will suffer bans.

4) Dave Jones is less than intelligent for allowing his family to come to the game for a local derby in the week after Saville's paedophile past was reported - for the love of god any sane person could envisage the chants coming his way days before the game. I don't condone them and I didn't join them but you'd have to be a muppet not to expect them from a certain mindless minority of any club.

5) I think a grand total of 6 people stepped onto the pitch of which 3 congratulated Diouf and Tonge, 1 decided to mount the goal netting, 1 aimlesslessly ran up and down the goal line and one committed a cowardly attack on a professional football player. All should be banned and almost definately will be banned by LUFC (I feel sorry for the 3 who wanted to share in the players excitement on the pitch but rules are rules). Cawley carried out what I can best describe as a tango moment on Kirkland and YES I do think Kirkland went down easily and I personally think if it had happened to me I'd have dumped Cawley on his ass for doing it BUT it was probably more from the shock of it happening than the physicality of the attack. I hasten to add I don't think he 'dived' or made a meal of it or feigned injury but it was slap not a thump as has been reported by many newspapers and websites (I didn't see it from the stands but I've watched it many times since on the box).

 

No one is mentions why the stewards allowed the fans onto the pitch (they were lined up all along the goal line) or why they allowed Cawley back in the stands. From two people that I have spoken to who Cawley ran past into the rear of the stand they admit to being happy, jumping up and down and hugging everyone in site but didn't even realise Cawley had been on the pitch - one of those two people went to the front of the stand and pointed out Cawley to the stewards before the end of the match but the steward spoke to someone nearby and then refused to enter the stand. 100s of LUFC supported named Cawley to police at the match but I guess SYP decided it was less volatile to arrest him after the match than during it - SYP have already publicly thanked LUFC fans for identifying Cawley but of course you would not report that.

The vast majority of 5500 behaved extremely well on Friday night - grow a pair and just admit we have a fantastic, huge and vociferous away support that is being tarnished with memories from the past and actions by a handful of mindless idiots who will be punished by the club and hopefully by the courts. Cawley is too young to even remember let alone be part of the hateful days of the 80s when many clubs including your own had some truly vicious followers more interested in violence than football. Times have changed and nearly all LUFC supporters are grateful for that.

Woody LUFC