The long walk from the Lowfields and Gelderd Road. The intricately painted bollards and electricity boxes that tell tales of Leeds past and present. The distant chanting of familiar songs which increase in decibels with every step.

Oh, the things that we miss most about watching our beloved United. Nothing tops the feeling of a matchday. Climbing up the steps of the historic Elland Road to a sea of pure white shirts that sways side to side, occupying the stands.

Sliding through the rows of seats to your destination for the next 90 minutes. Blockbuster Bielsa. Champagne Football; the works.

Sadly, Covid-19 has robbed us of that precious commodity. Football a diminutive topic amongst a virus that has rampaged and brought despair throughout the world.

But it’s still here. Under peculiar circumstances, yes, but nonetheless it’s here.

And for us Leeds fans, it’s marked the return of the Premier League. 16 years of anguish washed away as a squeaky-clean United have claimed their rightful place in the top division of English Football.

36,000 are used to passing through the turnstiles at LS11. However, this season has marked the return of couch football.

The Government is constantly reviewing plans for the safe return of fans to stadiums, but the current situation looks rather bleak unfortunately.

So, as we all become accustomed to watching our beloved team from afar, who better to ask how it’s done than our international LUFC clan?

Our club has a rich history of foreign talent that has inspired floods of devotees to follow the White, Blue and Yellow of Leeds.

Aussie icons like Viduka and Dorigo. Numerous Norwegians such as Alf Håland and Eirik Bakke.

A plethora of memorable heroes that were loved in their native homelands and in turn inspired generations to follow United, through thick and thin.

Fans like Espen were there during the highs of the Champions League, and through the purgatory of life in League One too. A journey, he says, that has done nothing but strengthen his love for our great club.

“You have the ‘supporters’ that lost interest when we were relegated, and only wanted to support a club on a superficial level. And then, you have the supporters who have experienced the full rollercoaster,” Espen says.

Other Norwegians can relate to Espen’s story. They too became totally and utterly engrossed by all things Leeds. The youthful outfit that dared to compete with Europe’s elite in the early 2000’s the catalyst for many.

Whilst others opted for the more fashionable teams like Liverpool, impressionable youths such as Frederick Birne chose the colours of LUFC.

“English football in Norway is big,” Frederick tells me. “Everyone obviously has a local team that their hearts are most affiliated with, but the real passion for almost every football fan in Norway is towards English football.”

That passion has seen countless crusades from the land of Nordic warriors to the inner city of Leeds. Supporter clubs such as Bergen Whites ensuring the Norwegian flag is flown high at Elland Road.

Their unwavering love for Leeds is just the same as the locals. At least, that’s what fan Kim Lund confesses.

“The passion is real and Leeds United is a really big part of my life, I’ve had a lot of weekends ruined over the years, tears have been shed and furniture has been broken.

“But when we fly high nothing feels better. Leeds is a way of life and I wouldn't have it any other way.”

For others, the path to supporting United wasn’t so clear. With no family to help sway their affiliations, other factors influenced them.

In-fact for Brazilian White, Victor, it was the mega popular computer game ‘Championship Manager 03/04’ that opened his eyes to the world of Leeds.

What on earth made a fellow from Cerea Brazil support a former Northern Mill Town in England?

“I enjoyed the combination of colours and the squad was pretty good also.”

“I then discovered that a band I really enjoyed listening to, Kaiser Chiefs, was full of Leeds supporters. I was surprised when I found out that the team was playing the third tier of English football.”

The Latino love-in doesn’t stop there, with more South American fans hopping on board when Bielsa announced his arrival upon West Yorkshire like a Messiah consigned from above.

“I started watching Leeds games after Marcelo became manager and I felt a feeling that had not happened to me with any other club (excluding my club from Argentina). And that's where my passion for Leeds came from,” says Argentine Alejo.

Alejo is one of many new Argie Whites following the Bielsa Revolution. Crazily, Leeds were the second most watched team in the Land of Silver, only Barcelona + Messi pulling in more viewers than the Whites.

There’s many anecdotes for why people with no natural connections to LUFC chose to support the team. So vast that it’s hard to put them all into a 1000 words.

From Varun Mani in India listening to the sound of the Elland Road crowd over dodgy radio signals to create his own vision of being in the ground.

To Angus Osbornes grandad lying that he descended from the Duke of Leeds to convince his grandson to start supporting the Whites all the way from New Zealand.

Alex Nemeth ensuring his wedding in the USA wouldn’t be one to forget with ‘Marching On Together’ being blasted out.

Or a lone Leeds lad who ensures we have a following in the apex of the Himalayas.

Through teletext and broken streams. 5am rises and midnight matches. Taunted by friends and stared at by strangers when donning the shirt.

One thing all fans have being connected by is, Leeds.

As Pat from Australia put it perfectly, “With this club there’s a genuine connection, built on legacy, loyalty and history.”

If you aren’t one of us then you’d never understand.

So when you tune in to watch the Mighty Whites this season, whether it’s Beeston or Brazil. Let’s continue to enjoy the ride, because boy have we earnt it.

Written by Alfie Douglass. You can follow Alfie on twitter at @AlfieDoug