In an effort to avoid upsetting their delightfully quirky owner, Leeds United have been forced to go out of their way while knocking out the matchday programme for this weekend’s Championship tie against Nottingham Forest.
Due to Massimo Cellino’s all-pervading superstitious mistrust of the number 17, the front cover of the aforementioned programme has been customised to suit…
Just take a closer look at the top-right corner…
Yep. Issue ‘16b’.
Cellino’s fear of the number 17 (heptadecaphobia to give it its proper name) is deep-rooted and dates back to his time in charge at Cagliari, where he noticed that the team had only managed to avoid defeat on the 17th day of the month on one occasion in 20 years.
This eventually led to him having every No.17 seat torn out of the club’s stadium and replaced with a 16B.
Former Leeds goalkeeper Paddy Kenny too has felt the wrath of the hoo-doo – reportedly being released from his contract in 2014 after Cellino discovered he happened to be born on the 17th May.
They’re not all locked up, are they?