The traffic was light on the journey north so I arrived at Elland Road a few hours before kick-off for the Leeds-Manchester United game on Sunday.
There was already a queue outside Graveley's fish and chip shop opposite the ground and the terrace at The Old Peacock pub was thronged with customers. Programme sellers were setting up their stalls on the pavement behind the Jack Charlton Stand.
I walked over to where the statue of Billy Bremner stands outside a corner of the stadium, arms raised above its head in triumph, reaching for the skies, a great captain made immortal in bronze and raised high on a marble plinth.