Leeds United Supporters Club Malta featured in Leeds United Magazine

Leeds United Supporters Club Malta and Leeds' ambassador in Malta Hilary Attard were featured in the June edition of the Leeds magazine. The article is being reproduced here:

FANZONE

LOVE LETTER FROM VALLETTA

There is a Maltese-shaped corner of the Mediterranean that is forever Leeds…

Arthur Graham scored a hat-trick and Paul Hart made it 4-0 in the UEFA Cup 1st Round first leg away victory over Valletta on September 19, 1979.
That was the first time Leeds played a Maltese side in European competition (the second was the home leg two weeks later, which we won 3-0) and our first game in Europe since the ban following clashes with police in Paris during the European Cup final of 1975.

It was also the first time Hilary Attard saw his beloved Leeds –and he did so in an official capacity.
“It was a pleasure and an honour to be involved with the squad from their arrival at the airport until they left Malta with a handsome 4-0 win,” he said.
“After the match Iaccompanied the full squad with their directors to a great dinner dance where they met all the Maltese supporters and my great friend and Number 1 Leeds fan, Gary Edwards.”

How, living in the sumptuous surroundings of the Republic of Malta in the heart of the Mediterranean, did he start to support Leeds?

“I read a big article in a football magazine called Goal in 1968 on how Don Revie transformed the side from a Second Division team to a real championship contender.
“It was so inspiring that I caught the Leeds United bug. It bit me over 35 years ago and I have been infected ever since. I am so proud of this infection that I don’t want to be healed!

“I am a Maltese Leeds United fanatic by the grace of God and a proud adopted Yorkshireman.”

That enduring love was cemented recently with him setting up the Real Malta Leeds United Regional Members Club.Why the‘Real’?

“It hurts me a lot when Leeds fans join us just when we are winning. During the Champions League adventure they used to turn up in numbers. For this reason I formedthe ‘Real Leeds Malta Fans’ in order to separate the genuine and occasional fans. Leeds United is a quality side so all Ineed here is quality not quantity”

Attard is known as the ‘Leeds Ambassador’ on the island, having been featured in the Maltese Times as the Number 1 Maltese Leeds fan. He’s also received a memento from the Mayor of Leeds for all his hard work in promoting Leeds United on the island.

Attard describes Elland Road as “the Holy Grail” and makes the lengthy pilgrimage at least twice a season. And whenever Leeds are live on the box the Maltese Whites gather at the Cherry Tree Pub in StPaul’s Bay.

Among the 50 or so Malta Whites in regular attendance is Mark Briffa and his dad Chris, who says he owes his love for Leeds to Bobby Charlton!

“Back in the ’60s,” says Chris, “all my friends were into Man United and Bobby Charlton. I wanted to be different and knew that Bobby had a brother Jack that played for another club. I decided to support that club andthe rest is history.”

In our promotion winning year of 1990 Briffa senior recalls how he responded to the news that we’d won at Bournemouth to go up.

“I listened to it on the radio. Iwas so ecstatic I collected my kids, packed them in the car and drove off around my hometown of Sliema hooting my car horn incessantly. It was a one-car Leeds United celebration!”

Andy Starmore

To join the Real Malta LURMC contact Hilary Attard by email at hilary01@ maltanet.net