Leeds United Football Club

Leeds United Football Club, often referred to simply as “Leeds,” is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Currently, Leeds play in English League One.

The staff at the Football Fan Base wish the club and supporters every success. So, here’s a comprehensive overview:

Before we continue, here’s a link to the club’s official website.

Leeds United Football Club: Foundation and Early History

• Founded: Leeds United was established in 1919, following the disbandment of Leeds City F.C., which was expelled from the Football League due to financial irregularities.
• Early Years: The club quickly became a prominent team in English football, joining the Football League in 1920. However, their early years were characterized by limited success, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that they began to make a significant impact.

The Don Revie Era (1961-1974)

• Manager: Don Revie was appointed as the manager in 1961, and under his leadership, Leeds United experienced its most successful period.
• Style of Play: Revie developed a team known for its disciplined, often physical style of play. The team earned a reputation for being hard to beat, with a strong defence and efficient attack.
• Major Achievements:
  • First Division Titles: 1968–69, 1973–74
  • FA Cup: 1972
  • League Cup: 1968
  • Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (predecessor to the UEFA Cup/Europa League): 1968, 1971
• Near Misses: Leeds often came close to more significant success, finishing as runners-up in the league several times and losing in the finals of both the FA Cup and European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League).

Post-Revie Years and Decline

• Post-Revie Struggles: After Revie left in 1974 to manage the England national team, Leeds struggled to maintain their dominance. The club went through a series of managers and faced a decline in performance.
• Relegation: Leeds suffered relegation from the First Division in 1982 and faced a period of inconsistency and financial difficulties.

The Howard Wilkinson Era (1988-1996)

• Return to Top Flight: Howard Wilkinson became manager in 1988 and led Leeds United to promotion to the First Division in 1990.
• First Division Champions: In the 1991-92 season, Leeds won the First Division title, which was the last season before the formation of the Premier League.
• Premier League Years: Leeds was a competitive side in the early years of the Premier League, regularly finishing in the top half and qualifying for European competitions.

David O’Leary Era (1998-2002)

• Champions League Run: Under David O’Leary, Leeds enjoyed a memorable run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in the 2000-01 season.
• Financial Issues: The club invested heavily in players, which led to financial difficulties when they failed to qualify for the Champions League in subsequent seasons.

Leeds United Football Club: Trophy Cabinet

Leeds have won the League Cup and the Fairs Cup. Together with their European appearances, Leeds United has a lot of history. However, they did fall from grace and are still rebuilding for their faithful supporters.

Leeds United was one of the big players in English football. Indeed, they have won the top flight three times. Leeds also won the FA Cup once in 1972. But, in 1973, they lost the final to Sunderland. The FA Cup Final of 1973 was a shock to the system, as Leeds United were flying high in the top-flight while Sunderland was a second-tier team.

This is some of the club’s best cups from the honours above:

• Top English League Champions (1968-69, 1973-74, 1991-92)
• Second-tier Champions (1923-24, 1963-64, 1989-90, 2019-20)
• EFL Cup Winners (1967-68)
• FA Cup: 1972

Leeds United’s trophy cabinet is pretty impressive with all the other awards and minor competition results.

Financial Crisis and Relegation

• Relegation: Leeds suffered relegation again from the Premier League in 2004. The financial issues compounded, leading to further relegation to League One (third tier) in 2007.
• Administration: The club went into administration in 2007, leading to a points deduction and further struggles.

Leeds United Football Club: Revival and Return to the Premier League

• Promotion to Championship: Leeds returned to the Championship (second tier) in 2010 but spent nearly a decade trying to regain top-flight status.
• Marcelo Bielsa Era: The appointment of Marcelo Bielsa as head coach in 2018 marked a turning point. His high-intensity, attacking style of play revived the team’s fortunes.
• Promotion to Premier League: In the 2019-20 season, Leeds won the Championship, securing promotion to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.
• Premier League Return: Leeds finished a respectable 9th in their first season back in the Premier League (2020-21).

Recent Years

• Post-Bielsa Period: Bielsa was replaced in February 2022 after a poor run of results, and the club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2021-22 season.
• 2022-23 Season: Leeds struggled throughout the season and were ultimately relegated back to the Championship at the end of the season, leading to significant changes within the club, including managerial changes.

Leeds United Football Club: Stadium

• Elland Road: Leeds United has played at Elland Road since their formation. The stadium is one of the largest football stadiums in England, with a capacity of around 37,000.

Rivalries

• Manchester United: Leeds has a fierce rivalry with Manchester United, often referred to as the “War of the Roses,” given the historical significance between the regions of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
• Other Rivals: Leeds also has significant rivalries with clubs such as Chelsea, Millwall, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, and Bradford City.

Supporters

• Fan Base: Leeds United has a large and passionate fan base, both locally and internationally. The club’s supporters are famous for their loyalty, especially during the difficult years in the lower leagues.
• When in full flow, the Leeds United fans are some of the loudest in the country. Moreover, the supporters are some of the most loyal around, having seen some highs and lows.

Leeds United Football Club Identity

• Nickname: “The Whites” due to their white home kit, and “The Peacocks,” a nickname derived from the former name of the pub across from Elland Road.
• Motto: “Marching on Together”—also the title of their anthem, which the fans sing passionately.

Leeds United’s history is one of highs and lows, marked by periods of success, decline, revival, and passionate support from their fan base.

Leeds United Football Club Promotion

Now is the time to promote Leeds United at the Football Fan Base. Indeed, we have massive soccer blogs and a huge Football Forum in which to have a little banter.

The Leeds United promotion party is well underway at the Fanbase; get a piece of the action!

** Information updated on September 2, 2024.