Post by WyomingWhite on May 16, 2006 16:00:47 GMT -1
Super-supporter Gary signs up United heroes for his wedding day
By Paul Robinson
LOVE MATCH: Gary and his bride-to-be Lesley are looking forward to their wedding at Elland Road on Saturday, June 3. Everything is in order. There’s just the one small matter of a Championship play-off final to be sorted out
HE may be tying the knot next month – but Leeds United superfan Gary Edwards today confessed he's more nervous about the club's play-off final than his wedding.
Gary, 50, is one of the 33,000-strong United army heading to south Wales this weekend for the meeting with Watford which could send the Whites back to the Premiership.
And he says he won't be able to concentrate properly on the build-up to his big day with long-suffering partner Lesley until Sunday's match is out of the way.
Gary, a decorator from Kippax, Leeds, said: "Getting married is a piece of cake compared to the play-offs.
"I was a bag of nerves before the home game with Preston and although I'm breathing more easily now, I expect I'll be in bits again by the time the weekend comes around."
The wedding itself will have a definite footballing flavour to it.
Not only is it taking place at United's Elland Road ground, but Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell and playing stalwart Gary Kelly have both said they will be attending.
Looking ahead to the June 3 bash, the groom-to-be said: "Hopefully it'll be a double celebration – first for the wedding, and secondly for promotion!
Elland Road also provided the location for Gary's proposal to Lesley in April last year.
He got down on one knee in the centre circle before a game with Ipswich, after the couple made an appearance on Trisha Goddard's TV talk show.
They featured on an edition of the programme looking at what people have to put up with because of their loved ones' obsessions and hobbies.
Gary told how he had not missed a single Leeds game since 1968, and had even travelled as far afield as Spain and Japan for friendlies.
And it was Gary's turn to be surprised at the end of the show when he received a phone call from Kevin Blackwell. The Leeds boss ordered him to take to the pitch the next Saturday with a microphone and tell his fellow fans about his feelings for Lesley.
Gary went one step further, though, by popping the question in front of 30,000 cheering supporters.
Aww.
(by the way - anyone noticed this chap is the spitting image of Dave Lee Travis aka The Hairy Cornflake?
By Paul Robinson
LOVE MATCH: Gary and his bride-to-be Lesley are looking forward to their wedding at Elland Road on Saturday, June 3. Everything is in order. There’s just the one small matter of a Championship play-off final to be sorted out
HE may be tying the knot next month – but Leeds United superfan Gary Edwards today confessed he's more nervous about the club's play-off final than his wedding.
Gary, 50, is one of the 33,000-strong United army heading to south Wales this weekend for the meeting with Watford which could send the Whites back to the Premiership.
And he says he won't be able to concentrate properly on the build-up to his big day with long-suffering partner Lesley until Sunday's match is out of the way.
Gary, a decorator from Kippax, Leeds, said: "Getting married is a piece of cake compared to the play-offs.
"I was a bag of nerves before the home game with Preston and although I'm breathing more easily now, I expect I'll be in bits again by the time the weekend comes around."
The wedding itself will have a definite footballing flavour to it.
Not only is it taking place at United's Elland Road ground, but Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell and playing stalwart Gary Kelly have both said they will be attending.
Looking ahead to the June 3 bash, the groom-to-be said: "Hopefully it'll be a double celebration – first for the wedding, and secondly for promotion!
Elland Road also provided the location for Gary's proposal to Lesley in April last year.
He got down on one knee in the centre circle before a game with Ipswich, after the couple made an appearance on Trisha Goddard's TV talk show.
They featured on an edition of the programme looking at what people have to put up with because of their loved ones' obsessions and hobbies.
Gary told how he had not missed a single Leeds game since 1968, and had even travelled as far afield as Spain and Japan for friendlies.
And it was Gary's turn to be surprised at the end of the show when he received a phone call from Kevin Blackwell. The Leeds boss ordered him to take to the pitch the next Saturday with a microphone and tell his fellow fans about his feelings for Lesley.
Gary went one step further, though, by popping the question in front of 30,000 cheering supporters.
Aww.
(by the way - anyone noticed this chap is the spitting image of Dave Lee Travis aka The Hairy Cornflake?
This is detailed in the second book and provides several laughs.