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Gruev's visit and special gesture for lifelong fans
Yorkshire Evening Post
|November 29, 2025
A Leeds United midfielder has celebrated a new off-field role with a surprise visit to a trio of lifelong Whites fans.
REACHING OUT: Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev took time out to meet lifelong Leeds United fan Barry Thornton.
Ilia Gruev has previously worked alongside Community Integrated Care, one of the UK's largest health and social care charities. The Bulgarian international has now become an ambassador for the charity and marked his new role with a pair of surprise visits to homes in the city this week to spend time with Leeds fans Barry Thornton, 88, Leslie Swithenbank, 71, and Jim Martin, 86.
Gruev also paid for TV subscriptions so they can follow Leeds matches from their homes.
All three receive help from Community Integrated Care to live independently and Gruev heard about their memories of following the club he joined in 2023 from Werder Bremen.
This story is from the November 29, 2025 edition of Yorkshire Evening Post.
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