Leeds United star Robin Koch is yet to play in front of supporters since joining the club at the beginning of the 2020/21 season yet once again made time to meet fans online through work being delivered by the Leeds United Foundation.

The defender was on hand earlier in the week to take part in an evening session with a group of supporters that are all former veterans, and they had the chance to ask questions and find out more about the players’ background and life in Leeds so far.

The Leeds United Foundation are continuing to work with veterans and their families as part of the Health and Wellbeing pillar in the charity, linking up with local organisations to offer support and resources to help with their mental health and any other support they may require.

As part of the Zoom session this week, the participants involved were able to discuss the type of support and activities they would find beneficial going forward, including weekly social sessions for members to catch up, share any problems and discuss the topic of mental health and the importance of always looking after your mental and physical health. There were also discussions around a weekly walking group to encourage regular exercise, along with programme and service referrals for those who need specific support in other areas, such as weight management and addiction issues.

Supporters that took part in the call with Robin enjoyed the chance to meet with one of their heroes, with the exclusive opportunity to speak to him directly,  especially being able to find out about challenges that he’s faced in his life and how he’s dealt with them, whether it’s speaking to friends and family or doing something active or creative to take your mind off any stresses.

The German international spoke after the Zoom session about the opportunity to interact with Leeds United supporters and said: “I love the opportunity to speak with fans, even when I go on walks around the city some people come over to me to say it’s nice to meet you and I have small conversations with them and then to do this Zoom meeting tonight was great.

"I think when we can have the fans back in the stadium it will be so special because since I've been here all of my teammates and people I've met in the city have said what it will be like with supporters back at Elland Road. The first day I arrived here I got the feeling how special this club is and how special the fans are.

“Tonight we just did a Q and A so the guys were asking me questions about my career, my time as a kid growing up and playing football, my life here in Leeds and then we spoke about difficult situations in my life and how I deal with those. I hope that some of the advice I gave can help at least one person."

If you would like more information on the various Health and Wellbeing programmes being delivered by the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Beth.Kerrigan@leedsunited.com.