A survival guide is all but redundant for this affable East London ground
Leyton is not ordinarily a spot associated with tranquil, heartening and soothing Saturday afternoons, but perhaps it should be. Again masquerading as a Leeds United devotee, I embarked on a trip to the capital’s East End for a recent League One clash, and was pleasantly surprised by the genial, if rustic surroundings.
Based in South West London, I was fortunate enough to have a reasonable journey ahead of me at 13.00 on a chilly yet radiant afternoon. Transport for London demonstrated pleasing consistency under Mayor Johnson’s tight-knit reign, with the Northern and Central lines offering an admirably efficient service. As I whistled past some of the finer underground stations of Zone 2, I began to enjoy myself.
Arriving at Leyton in good time, I strolled down the town’s eclectic high street, stopping for a very well priced cup of tea. Ok, so this wasn’t Bond Street, but there was a certain charm to the selection of bookmakers, takeaways and mobile phone unlocking centres which dominated the thoroughfare. As I passed by a joyful wedding party, and onto the verdant park which intersects the entrance to the stadium, I merrily anticipated a storming Leeds victory to complete my mood.
Alas, this did not materialise. Leeds dominated possession yet failed to created major goal scoring opportunities. Eventually they scrambled a last minute equaliser, having earlier allowed Orient a soft opener. Despite this slightly disheartening performance, the noise was tremendous throughout, with Leeds fans orchestrating the majority of the boisterous libretto. One point of caution, though, would be to take extra care when celebrating goals – Brisbane Road, for all its charm, is a small stadium offering minimal leg room. A minor crush took place following the 94th minute own goal which gave the Yorkshire team a share of the points – thankfully the damage was minimal.
Despite this late scare, and indeed a dubious performance from the away side, I came away from Leyton realising that I’d experienced a thoroughly pleasant afternoon. What a splendid football experience this was. One that I would strongly recommend replicating if the opportunity ever arises.
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