The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
Elland Road 1979
Everyone knows their place in this now familiar weekly football ritual of rowdy working class youth arriving at Leeds, separated from their counterparts by police and fences.
From the collection of:
Overview
Well before so-called Islamic terrorists stretched police resources, tens of thousands of police were being engaged in that very home-grown ritual of the battle of the football bovver boys every Saturday. A decade on from its first stirrings, witness just how much of a weekly custom this has become for these boisterous working class youth, and many men, as they are escorted to Elland Road, where Leeds United, with the artful Tony Currie, take on Ipswich Town in 1979.
This is one of a series of films that were shot by West Yorkshire Police showing the control of football supporters at Leeds United, and of anti-fascist demonstrations, in the 1970s. This was presumably in order to guide their operations, and possibly for identification purposes. It was the era of the football train special. Fortunately the route from Elland Road to the railway station in the 1970s avoided built up areas; unfortunately it passed derelict areas littered with bricks. Both the numbers involved in violence, and its visibility, sharply declined during the following decade, and now there is the deterrent of the much higher cost of going to matches.
Related
Watch for free
Fight for the F.A. Cup Fight for the F.A. Cup
Sport 1963 42 mins
The best of the action from over 30 years of FA Cup finals at Wembley Stadium.
Watch for free
Minehead Town v Exeter City Minehead Town v Exeter City
Non-Fiction 1977 3 mins Location: Minehead
Minehead Town v Exeter City FA Cup
Watch for free
Football Football
Sport 1967 28 mins Silent
Clement Freud explores the importance of football to the people of Liverpool - be they backing Liverpool or Everton in the FA Cup.
Watch for free
Cup Final: Aston Villa V Sunderland at the Crystal Palace Cup Final: Aston Villa V Sunderland at the Crystal Palace
Non-Fiction 1913 5 mins Silent Location: Crystal Palace
121,919 spectators filled Crystal Palace as the league's two top teams, Aston Villa and Sunderland, met in the 1913 FA Cup final.
Watch for free
Cup Final Drawing Nearer Cup Final Drawing Nearer
Non-Fiction 1922 1 mins Silent Location: Highbury
FA Cup third round: Arsenal v Leicester City and Cardiff City v Nottingham Forest.
Watch for free
FA Cup winners Wolves play at Molineux FA Cup winners Wolves play at Molineux
Amateur film 1949 4 mins Silent Location: Wolverhampton
A lovely colour film showing the 1949 FA Cup winners Wolves back in action at their Molineux ground soon after their championship win.
Watch for free
Spy Ring Spy Ring
1965 1 mins Location: Leeds
There is never a dull moment in this International Spy Game of foreign spies competing to trick their way into sixteen different embassies.
Watch for free
Yorkshire Post: Sports Fan Yorkshire Post: Sports Fan
1973 1 mins Location: Leeds
An Olympic Games hopeful bundles into a Leeds newsagents, only to be met by a new shopkeeper from The Smoke, bemused by the Yorkshire Post.
Watch for free
The Big Country The Big Country
Promotional 1970 16 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Tuning into the biggest consumer market for television advertising in Britain with Trident TV.
Watch for free
Moorhouse Lemon Cheese Moorhouse Lemon Cheese
1966 1 mins Location: Leeds
Butter, eggs, and lemons, what else could better evoke the healthiness of the countryside than this delicious traditional desert topping?
Watch for free
Railroader Railroader
1964 1 mins Location: Leeds
The great Western way of dog eat dog as opponents try to dynamite each other in their pursuit of what really matters in life, railways and money.
Watch for free
Future Scientists Future Scientists
1966 1 mins Location: Leeds
With the subatomic world getting ever smaller, Waddingtons recognised that a microscope was just what was needed βfor the man of the future.β
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of childrenβs palliative care.
Watch for free
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.