It is with great sadness I announce the passing away today of my father Harry Gillen. He followed Leeds the whole of his life, literally to the end, we took him his Leeds United calendar to his nursing home only yesterday and he was considering where it should be fixed for him to view.
Dad also shoulders the responsibility for my love of Leeds United, in that when I was as young as 6 he started taking me to games, standing on the open "Kop" in the boys pen with me (and the LCT bus drivers) - he took me to many away games even at that age, and I have fond remembrances of places such as Roker Park, eating bags of monkey nuts which they used to sell at that ground, or a midweek away game at Anfield where I frightened the life almost out of him as I wandered off into the mass of the Kop with a large Leeds United rosette on! Of course in those days no harm at all became of me and I helpfully returned to my dad by a large friendly scouse copper (as I recall). Dad and I went to see Leeds win their first "major" trophy, (having been the perfect examples of gallant runners up many times before then) at Wembley in 1968 - Leeds United V Arsenal won by Leeds 1-0 goal scored by Terry Cooper. Even in hospital recently, and knowing his life was coming to an end, he still talked with me about football - on Wednesday night we watched the goals on TV from Tuesday and he was well aware of which team he was watching, and pleased to see us score. I am almost convinced that he will have been watching over today's win. I'll miss him so much R.I.P. Harry Gillen _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] MARCHING ON TOGETHER
