EFL NEWS

While many clubs count legendary musicians among their fanbases – Ozzy Osbourne follows Aston Villa, Rod Stewart often turns up at Celtic and Mick Hucknall is a Manchester United diehard, to name just three – few can claim their celebrity plays as prominent a role in proceedings as Leeds United’s. That’s because Simon Rix, bassist for local rockers Kaiser Chiefs, also happens to be head of the club’s supporters’ trust.

Lifelong fan Rix was asked to take on the honorary position several years ago, but quickly found himself unable to stay away. “I really wanted to get involved – I couldn’t help myself,” Rix recalls to FFT now. “I started joining in with the email threads and message boards, lending a hand on ticketing, fundraising, murals, stewarding and fan safety. It’s a bit like being an MP.”

Not content with having his say in off-field decisions, Rix also co-hosts his own podcast called Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet – a reference to a tweet from the club’s account hours before the 2014 summer transfer window closed without any further business taking place. “It’s a weekly chat about the goings-on at Leeds,” he explains. “I’m probably supposed to be tougher on the club, but I’m one of those fans who always tries to see the positives. Thankfully, my co-presenters help to balance that out a little. Between the supporters’ trust and the pod, I think it’s fair to say I spend way too much time reading and talking about Leeds United. I’m obsessed.”

Anyone who still has doubts about the 46-year-old’s commitment to the cause clearly missed his participation in a 7,000-mile pilgrimage to honour a former Leeds boss in 2023.

“Marcelo Bielsa meant the world to this fanbase,” says the Yorkshireman, almost tearing u