Why Do Leeds United Have So Many Rivals And Who Are They?

Leeds earnt promotion back into the Premier League at the second attempt last weekend, which means that next season they’ll be facing off against some of England’s elite teams. There are a lot of teams that don't have the best opinion of Leeds, because of historic matches and rivalries to do with players, fans and managers all going head to head. By earning promotion, they will be leaving some hot headed encounters behind, but returning to others.

Manchester United

Two of the most disliked clubs in England, it comes as no surprise that Leeds and Manchester United fans hate each other. Their rivalry stems from the historic rivalry of their two counties, Yorkshire and Lancashire, which originated in the 15th Century with the War of the Roses. As two powerhouses of northern industry, the two cities maintained this rivalry during the Industrial Revolution until it manifested itself in football.

The rivalry between these two clubs was at its height during the 1970s when football hooliganism was on the rise and the two clubs were competing in the same division most seasons. Fan violence between the clubs’ hooligan groups was common as it became known as England’s most fierce rivalries.

Nothing beats the rivalry and venom of Manchester United Vs Leeds. pic.twitter.com/4LXDm0opYr

— Alexei (@MUFC_redarmy99) February 19, 2022

The matches between these two teams in recent years have been remarkably one sided, with Leeds having won just once in the last twelve attempts, a run stretching back to 2003. Leeds’ only win over Manchester United in this period was a 1-0 FA Cup win in 2010. The last time Leeds were in the top flight, they faced United six times, failing to win on every occasion, despite their opponents being in their worst state since the turn of the century.

Chelsea

Leeds’ rivalry with Chelsea is a strange one that first rose to prominence in the 1960s, when both clubs were battling it out for major trophies in England. A number of controversial matches between the two sides fuelled the ill feeling, which came to a head in the 1970 FA Cup final, one of the most brutal matches in English football history. Despite the physicality and intensity of the match, only one player was booked. The match went to a replay, which Chelsea won 2-1 in extra time.

A major factor between the two clubs’ dislike for each other comes from the differences between the fan bases. The idea of ‘northern grit vs flash cockney’ was seen as a direct cause for the rivalry by the official Chelsea biography in 2006. During the fight of football hooliganism, these two sides had two of the most notorious fan groups, and violent clashes between them was essentially a given at every match.

Leeds United THRASH Chelsea 3-0 at Elland Road to win their first Premier League game against the blues for 21 years.🔥 pic.twitter.com/5oQsK3LKbR

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 21, 2022

Since Leeds’ relegation in 2004, the rivalry has basically been a moot point. Their last stint in the Premier League saw them win just once in six games against Chelsea, a 3-0 win at home right at the beginning of their relegation season. The most recent meeting between the two took place last year, in the FA Cup fourth round. Leeds were beaten 3-2 away from home, meaning that they are now just one win ahead in their overall head to head.

Bournemouth

One of the strangest ‘rivalries’ on this list, many Leeds fans don’t tend to see Bournemouth as a rival, however most Bournemouth fans have a very low opinion of the other club due to a single match in the 1989/90 season. At that time, both teams were in the second division, with Leeds vying for promotion while Bournemouth were trying to stay in the division. The match took place on the May Bank Holiday weekend in 1990, and there were some reports prior to the game of Leeds fans already causing trouble.

The game ended 1-0, earning Leeds promotion while confirming the Cherries’ relegation from the division. Violence by Leeds fans continued that weekend, with damages to the town exceeding £1m, while a number of Bournemouth fans and local police officers were injured. The local newspaper reported that “spectators, including many young children, had to run to safety as missiles were hurled”.

FULL-TIME AFC Bournemouth 4-1 Leeds

Back-to-back wins for the Cherries thanks to Dominic Solanke, Antoine Semenyo and a Jefferson Lerma brace#BOULEE pic.twitter.com/fogFAT0hFe

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 30, 2023

As a result, Bournemouth police did not allow the football club to host any fixtures on Bank Holiday weekends for over decade, as Bournemouth was already a popular destination for a weekend retreat, and that a major influx of football fans would overwhelm the force. This caused a financial decline for the town, as tourism, associated with football fans, was a major industry for the area in the 90s and 2000s. The last meeting between the two teams was held on the May Bank Holiday weekend of 2023. In a perfect revenge story, Bournemouth’s 4-1 win essentially sealed Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, while the Cherries secured safety.

Rivalries Outside Of The Premier League

Leeds United obviously have a number of rivalries with more local teams, as Yorkshire and Northern England as a whole is home to many great football clubs. Bradford City, despite their locality to Leeds, are not seen as much of a rival to Leeds, as they have not been in the same division for a very long time. The last time they met in the league was back in 2001, when Leeds won 6-1 in the Premier League. Their last meeting was in 2014 in the League Cup. Bradford managed a shocking 2-1 victory in that match.

Huddersfield and Leeds, despite being close geographically, have rarely had overlapping stints in the same divisions historically. Huddersfield’s best days were in the 1930s, when they managed to win the top flight three years in a row, while Leeds’ were in the 60s and 70s. Despite this, the two have built a small local rivalry while competing in the Championship together over recent years. The last seven league meetings have seen three wins each and a single draw.

On this day in 2019… 🗓️

Leeds won 2-0 away at Huddersfield in the West Yorkshire derby!#LUFCpic.twitter.com/lHkSPh4V20

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) December 7, 2023

Often seen more as a rivalry by Sheffield United fans rather than Leeds fans, the Yorkshire derby is a match that Leeds could be leaving behind this season, if Sheffield United are unable to earn promotion via the playoffs. Sheffield and Leeds are the two biggest cities in Yorkshire, and Sheffield United and Leeds are also two of the most successful clubs in the area too, so it makes sense that there would be some bad blood between the two.