As a boyhood supporter who had a season ticket at Elland Road for nearly ten years and came through the club’s academy, returning to Leeds United as an Accrington Stanley player was one of the proudest moments of Will Hatfield’s career. Hatfield was a midfielder who played in Leeds’ academy with the likes of Tom Lees, Lewis Cook, and Kalvin Phillips. An appearance on the bench in Leeds’ FA Cup replay with Tottenham under Simon Grayson was the closest he got to a senior debut before he permanently left the club in 2012. Two years later, he finally got to fulfil his dream of playing at Elland Road when Accrington were drawn at Leeds in the second round of the League Cup.

“When I found out it was Leeds I was buzzing, especially at Elland Road as well,” Hatfield says. “All my family were there. My dad’s a massive Leeds fan who took me to Elland Road until I started playing on Saturdays. I had a season ticket with my dad for just under ten years. Going back there with all my family supporting me, warming up on the pitch, coming on in front of the Leeds fans — I’m sure I got a small clap from the fans when I came on, it was good to know they recognised me from a couple of years earlier when I was there.

“When I did leave it was very upsetting for me. It took me a long while to get over it, but I did. All along I’ve still always followed Leeds. I’ve always had a couple of friends playing for Leeds as well. I think pretty much all of them have left now — Aidy White, Tom Lees, Lewis Cook, Kalvin Phillips, Fabian Delph. There were a lot of players who broke through from the academy with myself.”

Souleymane Doukara had already put Leeds 2-0 with his first goals for the club by the time Hatfield came onto the pitch for what turned out to be a busy final fifteen minutes. Drifting in from the left wing, Hatfield drove into the penalty area and cut the ball back for James Gray to score for Accrington.

“That was nice, because I didn’t start that game,” Hatfield says. “I was a bit disappointed, but I came on and made a good impact. Then obviously Berardi tried to do a karate kick and got sent off, so yeah, it was good!”

Ah, yes. That tackle. After a summer of Massimo Cellino’s Serie B signings, it was difficult for Accrington to prepare for facing Leeds. Hatfield knew as much about players like Tommaso Bianchi and Zan Benedicic as us fellow fans did. But nothing could prepare Hatfield for the number 12 from Switzerland via Sampdoria, making his debut at right-back and going by the name of Gaetano Berardi, leaping into the air and ‘tackling’ him around his chest.

Appearing on The Square Ball podcast last year, Berardi remembered that tackle, laughing, “Yeah, but that was an accident.” Hatfield was thankfully left in one piece, so he can see the funny side too.

“I didn’t feel anything,” he says. “He never actually put his two feet together. He sort of wrapped his legs around, so I didn’t really feel much contact. I didn’t go down and make a meal of it. I was so surprised. I was just thinking, ‘What’s he actually doing? Why has he done that?’

“Again, being a Leeds fan, I didn’t want to start causing a stir and pushing to start a fight. Because I was young as well, I thought, ‘Do you know what, I’m just going to keep quiet here.’ If he did that to me now, ten years on, I’d make a bit of a meal of it and probably square up to him. You know what it’s like in football, handbags. I’d have liked a bit of argy bargy with him. I was only young and I didn’t want to upset the Leeds fans, so I just thought I best not do anything. It was a really strange one. I’ve never had that in my career since. It was funny how it happened.

“I’ve never come across him since. I didn’t see him afterwards or anything. I think he must have had a bit of a head loss. He must have just thought, ‘Right, I’m going to get him now.’ And he got me! I spoke to a few Leeds players after the game. Everyone was like, ‘I can’t believe what he did.’ I saw on social media a few people photoshopping pictures to show how high the tackle was. It was good times.”

Hatfield is speaking on the phone on his way home from training with Fylde. Now 31, he combines playing for the National League North leaders with a day job in recruitment. He has a big weekend ahead, with Accrington hosting Leeds in the FA Cup kicking off a couple of hours before Fylde’s home fixture against fellow promotion contenders Chester.

“I’m meeting the boys about 12:30pm tomorrow to drive to the ground,” he says. “It takes about 45 minutes, so I’ll at least have it on the radio. I’ll be keeping tabs on it.”

Accrington recently trained at Fylde, providing Hatfield with a glimpse of Leeds’ upcoming opponents. “What I noticed was that all the players were over six foot, so I’m sure it’ll be a very physical game, but I hope Leeds can show their class and pass the ball around the pitch and they won’t be able to get near us. Reading reports it sounds like we’re going to play a strong team so hopefully we can do the business.”

He may never have made his senior debut for Leeds, and he may have almost been decapitated by Gaetano Berardi, but when I ask Hatfield who he’s going to be supporting between his boyhood team and the club he made almost 100 appearances for, there are no divided loyalties.

“100% Leeds United,” Hatfield says. “No questions about that.” ⬢