Elland Road, the home of Leeds United, the place that we all crave to be during pre-season and even during the week before a game. For too long it wasn’t officially the home of Leeds United. Andrea Radrizzani quickly saw to that, the summer of 2017 will down in history for being the year it was back in our hands.
The £20 million spent by Radrizzani to buy back Elland Road is seen as the start of a project in his eyes and that is only exciting and good new for Leeds fans. Tonight you will see a few chances at the club, some small and some more obvious and it is only the beginning for his plans. New signage around the ground will be visible, the South Stand has a timeline of the history of Leeds United along the wall, images with the likes of Mark Viduka celebrating a Champions League goal loud and proud along Elland Road. This type of decoration will also be on the East Stand in the coming weeks although I’m not sure when they are to be put up, famous players and names all around the stadium to remind both home and away fans about our proud history.
Inside Elland Road things will also be obvious. The pitch has been made slightly smaller, less obvious but around the pitch will be digital advertising boards. Yes, welcome to the new era at Leeds United. The advertising boards will help Leeds attract bigger and better advertising from potential investors, there is little doubt about that and more money into the club which is crucial and a key part of Andrea Radrizzani’s plans. The new chairman’s area will also be visible in the West Stand after being moved back from the East. New glass will enclose the area, the Leeds United crest clear to see on the front, and another small thing completed in time for tonight.
One thing you may see if you are coming in via the motorway west is the new roof on the West Stand. The stand looks old when you are arriving but Radrizzani is trying to improve it with modernisation, whilst keeping the history obvious. A new entrance in the West Stand has also been built, similar style to the glass in the chairman’s suite, with the Leeds logo on. Inside is a picture of a more recent Leeds legend, Jermaine Beckford celebrating a goal in the famous Leeds home shirt, and this is all we know from the outside, we haven’t actually been in yet. A new tunnel with the players down each side was revealed for the friendly against Oxford, something the players seemed very interested in.
See you there.
