It's probably apocryphal because memory plays tricks, but I seem to remember sitting in the back of my dad's car on the way to somewhere like Workington or Barrow many years ago when I was a youngster.
He hadn't been up there for several seasons and the road layout had probably changed anyway. As we approached the town centre there was uncertainty as to the way to the ground and all the usual landmarks seemed to have gone astray. We looked round for clues or road signs and weren't having much success when he spied a car in front with a sticker in the back window supporting the home side.
'We'll follow them' he said, 'They must know where they're going'. The bloke in front must have thought that we were going mad as we risked running red lights and other traffic just to stay behind him. Alternately Dad was saying, 'Yes, I think I recognise this bit' or 'I'm not sure if this guy knows a short cut but I can't see a crowd.' Eventually the car in front started meandering through some country lanes and into a small village on the edge of town before disappearing into his drive at high speed.
We sheepishly drove straight past, trying to avoid his undoubted glare, totally lost and miles from the match.
Not surprisingly he didn't invite us in for lunch.
Benjamin Scott
Originally published in 'Headingley Rugby Voices' Recollections of supporters, compiled by Phil Caplan.
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Memory added on September 22, 2012
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