Football life in Leeds has an interesting history and an inspiring modernity. In general, the city is very sporty and football is given a lot of attention here. The city residents adore sports, active recreation and cheering for their favourite teams. Learn more at ileeds.
As Wikiwand.com notes, there are several football clubs in the city. Due to the popularity of the Rugby League, almost all football clubs in Leeds have A.F.C. in their names instead of the more common F.C., for example, Leeds Woodville A.F.C., which is one of the first Victorian teams.
Leeds football history
Leeds City Football Club was founded in 1904. The following year, the team became a member of the Football League. Throughout its history, the team played in the Second Division and rarely got promoted. The club constantly struggled with financial problems and always suffered from the debt burden.
In 1912, the club was headed by Herbert Chapman. Having built a strong team, he significantly improved the position of Leeds City. However, when the First World War began, football temporarily took a back seat.
In 1918, the players managed to win the unofficial English Championship, beating Stoke City in two matches. However, the scandal that happened then put an end to the team’s hopes for a successful future. The club made a number of illegal payments to some of the players. Leeds City wasn’t the only team involved in such affairs, but former defender Charlie Copeland, who was dissatisfied with the lack of a new, more profitable contract, reported the case to the local authorities. As a result, the club was excluded from the League, disbanded and sold at an auction of players in October 1919.
Despite such difficulties, the team managed to win the affection and love of the fans. Those people gathered on October 17, 1919, the day of the auction, to express their protest and find a way out of the situation. Considering the circumstances, it was decided to create a new professional club that would replace the disbanded Leeds City. This is how Leeds United F.C. appeared.
Leeds United’s successful application to join the Football League marked the renaissance of football in Leeds. The election took place on 31 May 1920 and the club came first with 31 votes, followed by Cardiff City with 23 votes. Both clubs were admitted to the Second Division. In the end, Leeds United achieved its goal, joined the Football League and began its own history from scratch.
In 2006, a men’s adult team took the club’s initial name, Leeds City. There is also a women’s team that uses that name, but none of them can officially claim to be the revival of the old club.
Photo source: Mightyleeds.co.uk
Leeds football teams
Leeds is known for its football clubs and it isn’t only Leeds United that makes it famous in championships of various levels. Some of them are
- Guiseley A.F.C.
- Farsley A.F.C.
- Yorkshire Amateur A.F.C.
- Garforth Town A.F.C.
- Leeds Carnegie F.C.
- and others.
Guiseley A.F.C.
They are the second-largest Leeds team in the National League system, playing in the North Premier League. The club joined the Yorkshire League in 1968 and remained there until 1983. In the early 1990s, the team won the FA Cup against Gresley Rovers at Wembley Stadium. This achievement was accompanied by winning the Northern Counties East Football League title and promoting the club to the First Division of the Northern Premier League.
Farsley A.F.C.
The club was founded in 2010 after the reformation of Farsley Celtic F.C. It managed to secure promotion to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East Football League. The original club appeared in 1908 on the initiative of local residents of Farsley village. Farsley Celtic played in the local leagues before moving to the Yorkshire Football League in the 1940s.
In 2007, the team announced a possible name change. The reason was Farsley was a little-known village, so the club’s fan base was too small.
Yorkshire Amateur A.F.C.
The club appeared in Leeds in 1918. This happened almost at the same time when Leeds City ceased to exist. The team became one of the original founding members of the Yorkshire Football League in the 1920s and played at different home grounds. The team also became the first football club from Great Britain to travel to Eastern Europe, Latvia and Estonia.
1931–32 was the most successful season for the club, as the players managed to reach the 1st Round of the FA Cup and semi-finals of the Amateur Cup of England as well as became champions of the Second Division of the Yorkshire Football League. Nowadays, they play in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East Football League.
Garforth Town A.F.C.
The club was founded in 1964. The team joined the West Yorkshire League in 1976 and acquired their own ground in Garforth. In 2003, the club was bought by Simon Clifford, the man who brought Brazilian coaching methods to the United Kingdom. The club came into the limelight in the 2004–05 season when it signed a contract with Brazilian footballer Sócrates. The athlete was obliged to cooperate as a player-coach.
The team takes part in the championships of the Northern Premier League.
Leeds Carnegie F.C.
The club was founded in 1970. The team entered the Yorkshire Football League and remained there until 1980. Then Leeds Carnegie F.C. joined the Northern Universities League and became known as Leeds Polytechnic. The team changed its name to Leeds Met Carnegie in the early 1990s, following a change in the club’s main facility. In 2004, it left the Northern Universities League and reunited with the English football pyramid within the West Yorkshire League.
Where can you enjoy football matches in Leeds?
There are many pubs, bars and various outdoor areas in Leeds, which are just perfect for watching a match of your favourite team and cheering. High-quality food and excellent drinks will complement the pleasant experience of watching the championships. Some of them are The Brotherhood of Pursuits and Pastimes, Toast Bar, Griffin and Wapentake. Those are just a small part of establishments that offer to watch the long-awaited sports broadcasts in Leeds.
While watching broadcasts, visitors can order their favourite drinks and food. It can be beer, gin, ale, delicious hamburgers, pizza and other snacks. The comfortable atmosphere in the bars allows you to relax after a hard day’s work, chat with like-minded people, take a look into the world of sports life and not miss any significant event. In such places, local residents and guests of the city get quality relaxation and vivid impressions as well as have the opportunity to recharge mentally and physically.
Loiners are actively involved in amateur football. This game is genuinely loved and appreciated by many here. Local sports events are very popular and attract a large audience, while sports pubs, bars and restaurants are always crowded during the championship broadcasts.