Leeds-born Thackray says she was given no selection about who to help.
“My household are all Leeds mad. I got here out of the womb, and was handed a Leeds United shirt,” she informed BBC Sport.
“My first correct reminiscences of soccer had been the late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, so my favorite gamers had been the likes of Lucas Radebe, Alan Smith, Lee Bowyer and Mark Viduka. That David O’Leary period was the time for me the place I used to be connecting with the crew and we had been taking part in the perfect soccer of our lives.
“I acquired to see us beat AC Milan at Elland Road and stuff like that, so it was an important introduction to soccer. Let’s simply say issues fell off a bit after that.
“Folks describe what occurred subsequent as Leeds within the doldrums however we nonetheless had some gamers who stood out, and most of them had been most likely those who got here via our academy.
“My heroes throughout these years had been individuals like Sam Byram and Jonny Howson -Howson’s dad and mom stay across the nook from mine and it was at all times fairly unusual to see him on the grocery store and issues like that.
“It’s only a disgrace that we can not appear to maintain maintain of our homegrown expertise, most lately with Archie Grey going to Tottenham. It is one more reason we have to be again within the Premier League.”
Leeds missed out on promotion final 12 months once they misplaced to Southampton within the play-off ultimate, however they’re presently prime of the Championship desk.
So will they be again within the prime flight subsequent season?
“We now have to be, actually,” added Thackray. “It feels likes do or die as a result of, if we do not go up this time, the membership may collapse and we may face one other 20 years out of the Premier League
“I believe we are going to do it, though I’m not certain whether or not we are going to maintain on to prime spot as a result of Sheffield United look actually robust.
“Ending second is ok although. Us going up is all that issues, actually.”
Chris Sutton and Emma-Jean Thackray had been chatting with BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.