Full name | Leeds United Football Club |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Whites United The Peacocks |
Founded | 1919 |
Ground |
Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds |
Capacity | 37,890 |
Owner | Eleonora Sport Limited and Aser Group Holding |
Chairman | Massimo Cellino |
Manager | Garry Monk |
League | Championship |
2016–17 | Championship, 7th |
Website | Club home page |
Leeds United Football Club is a professional association football club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1919 following the disbanding of Leeds City F.C. by the Football League and took over their Elland Road stadium. They play in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.
Leeds United have won three First Division league titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup. The club has also won two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups. The majority of the honours were won under the management of Don Revie in the 1960s and 1970s. Leeds lost the 1975 European Cup Final against Bayern Munich and reached the semi-finals of the tournament's successor, the Champions League, in 2001.
Leeds play in all-white kits, leading to their nickname being 'the whites'. The club's badge features the White Rose of York together with the monogram "LUFC". The club's anthem is "Marching On Together".
Leeds United's predecessor team, Leeds City, was formed in 1904, and were elected League members in 1905. At first they found it hard to draw big crowds to Elland Road but their fortunes improved following Herbert Chapman's arrival. In 1914 Chapman declared; "This city is built to support top-flight football", but Leeds City were forcibly disbanded and forced to sell off all their players by The Football League in 1919 in response to allegations of illegal payments to players during the First World War. In 1919, Leeds United was formed and they received an invitation to enter the Midland League, being voted into it on 31 October, taking the place vacated by Leeds City Reserves. Following Leeds City's disbanding, Yorkshire Amateurs bought their stadium Elland Road. Yorkshire Amateurs offered to make way for the new team under the management of former player Dick Ray.