A huge collection with more than half a century of Leeds United’s history has been donated to the city’s museum service.
The donation of The Whites highs and lows is now being catalogued and documented as part of a project exploring key moments in Leeds sporting history.
The programmes, which show the "important part football plays in society," are dated back from the 1960s up to the modern era.
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The highlights includes a programme from the club’s memorable Champions League semi-final first leg clash with Spanish giants Valencia in May 2001.
It also includes a historic matchday programme from the club’s January 1969 meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United. The season saw Leeds win the First Division title for the first time in the club’s history.
Leeds City Council states other programmes feature in the collection range from a young Kalvin Phillips on the front cover ahead of the team’s match with Norwich in April 2015 as well as one from the December 2011 game with Millwall, the first home match following the tragic death of club legend Gary Speed, and a programme from a friendly with Ajax in 1977 which was played as part of the Silver Jubilee.
Amy Thraves-Connor has been working on a placement with Leeds Museums and Galleries, examining the past, present and future of sport in Leeds and how sport is represented in the city’s museums collection.
Amy said: “There’s so much history there and it’s been fascinating to see how so many different elements of the club’s story have been captured in these programmes – it’s such an impressive collection and almost like a time capsule.
“The thing that struck me most was that not only are there some amazing memories from on the pitch, like during the Don Revie era and some of the club’s Champions League games, but you can also see the important ways the club has played its part in how life in Leeds has changed off the field too.
“Some of my favourites were the programmes which looked at the Rainbow Laces campaign and those which had some powerful anti-racism messages. From those you can see what an important part football plays in society as well as in sport.”
Once the programmes have been catalogued, a selection will become a permanent addition to the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection, with the rest being passed to the West Yorkshire Archives Service.
An exhibition on sport and play is also currently being planned for Abbey House Museum next year.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Leeds United have been such a massive and integral part of the city’s story for more than a century, and each new generation of fans have had their own experiences and memories of this extraordinary club.
“It’s wonderful to see the club’s heritage being preserved as part of our museums collection and to know that sport is being celebrated for the vitally important role it plays in life in Leeds.”
