Leeds United fans held up in Blackburn in dangerous scenes as footage emerges
Leeds United fans unable to get through to trains at Blackburn railway station are becoming “dangerously crowded”, Graham Smyth has said.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Smyth posted on X (30 November) after filming a huge crowd of United fans packed into one of the station’s concourses, trying but failing to access trains going to anywhere but back to Leeds.
After the Whites performed well below-par to lose 1-0 at Ewood Park, Smyth added that there is “anger” brewing at the transport situation from an already frustrated travelling fanbase.
Smyth said: “This is a pretty shocking situation. People trying to get trains that aren’t going to Leeds but unable to get through.
“Dangerously crowded bits. Anger at being held – and held for so long.”
Leeds United fans’ situation a damning indictment for authorities
It’s hardly surprising that public transport networks in and out of Blackburn have become somewhat congested given the Whites brought a 7,000-strong following to the North West with them.
As a result, it is surprising that more capacity on existing trains – or more services in general – weren’t planned in advance given it’s no secret that United fans will follow their team anywhere and everywhere.
While fans will eventually be able to make their way home, doing so following severe delays after an optimism-sapping defeat isn’t what most supporters will have had planned for their Saturday evenings.
Frustration with the result, frustration with Daniel Farke’s tactics and frustration with a farcical transport system can all boil over in such situations, and that often reflects badly on the average football fan.
However, gone are the days in which ‘football specials’ would be run to alleviate the chances of such incidents from happening, and it’s clear that in the future, fans across the country deserve a better deal.
In other Leeds news, Daniel Farke shared an instant injury update from Ewood Park at full-time concerning a star player.
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