The history of Leeds United Football Club, a professional association football club based in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, dates back to 1919, when the club was established following the demise of Leeds City F.C.

Leeds had their most successful period under the management of Don Revie in the 1960s and 1970s. The club won the English league title twice, the FA Cup once, the League Cup once and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice and Charity Shield in 1969. They were also finalists in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1973 and the European Cup in 1975. Leeds later won another league title in 1991–92 under manager Howard Wilkinson followed by the Charity Shield also in 1992.

Leeds City Leeds United's predecessor club, Leeds City F.C., was formed in 1904, but was forcibly disbanded by The Football League in 1919 in response to allegations of financial irregularities regarding illegal payments to players during the First World War.

Formation of Leeds United

Shortly after the disbanding of Leeds City a new club, Leeds United, was formed on 17 October 1919, under the management of former player Dick Ray. They began playing in the Midland League, taking the place vacated by Leeds City's reserve team. Yorkshire Amateurs, who occupied Elland Road, offered to make way for the new team.

In 1920 Leeds United were acquired by Huddersfield Town's chairman Hilton Crowther. Crowther planned to amalgamate Huddersfield Town and Leeds United, but a public outcry in the Huddersfield press prevented this; eventually, enough money was raised in Huddersfield to buy Crowther out, leaving him to concentrate solely on Leeds United.

On 31 May 1920 Leeds United were elected to the Football League; they polled 31 votes and entered the Second Division along with Cardiff City, who won 23 votes.

Due to the connection with Huddersfield, Leeds adopted the home colours of Huddersfield for their first home kit.

1919–29

Honours Won: Second Division Championship (1923–24)

Leeds first manager was former Leeds City player Dick Ray, but chairman Hilton Crowther wasted no time in enlisting the Huddersfield boss Arthur Fairclough as his replacement; Ray was appointed as Fairclough's assistant.

Leeds' first fixture after their election to the league was against Port Vale, the club who had taken up Leeds City's fixtures following their expulsion. Leeds lost the game 2–0, but seven days later recorded their first victory in the corresponding fixture at Elland Road, which ended Leeds United 3 Port Vale 1. However, Leeds made little impact in 1920–21, their first season, eventually finishing 14th. Following seasons saw them consolidate their position in the league, finishing 8th in 1921–22 and 7th in 1922–23, before winning the Second Division Championship in 1923–24 with 54 points. The championship winning team was a strong one, with Jim Baker, Bert Duffield and Ernie Hart featuring prominently.

Leeds struggled during their First Division debut season in 1924–25 and finished in 18th place. The following 1925–26 season was even more of a struggle, and the club only just avoided relegation. The 1926–27 season finally saw Leeds relegated to Second Division, and Fairclough resigned as manager. His replacement was his former assistant Dick Ray, who had left Elland Road in 1923 to manage Doncaster Rovers.

In 1927–28, Ray's first season, Leeds were promoted back to the First Division, finishing as runners-up to Manchester City. The team did well on its return to the First Division, eventually finishing 13th in 1928–29.

The following season, 1929–30, Leeds finished 5th – the club's best position before the arrival of Don Revie. The half-back line of George Reed, Willis Edwards and Ernie Hart provided a strong defensive backbone to an attacking side spearheaded by Tom Jennings. The side was further enhanced by Wilf Copping, who joined in the close season.

1930s

Leeds were inconsistent; after their best ever finish, the club were relegated in the following 1930–31 season. The following 1931–32 season saw Leeds promoted back to the First Division, finishing runners-up to Wolverhampton Wanderers. On their return to the First Division, Leeds managed to finish 8th in the 1932–33 season, and 9th in 1933–34.

Wilf Copping left for Arsenal in 1934, and his absence made a big difference as Leeds slumped to 18th place in 1934–35. Dick Ray resigned as manager, and was replaced by Billy Hampson. Hampson went for experience and recruited former England internationals, such as Albert McInroy and George Brown. He also introduced promising youngsters Bert Sproston, Billy Furness and Eric Stephenson, who went on to play for England. In the 1934–35 season, Leeds adopted a half yellow-half blue strip, in tribute to the defunct Leeds City, and this kit stayed in place until 1948, with several variations on the colours being used between then and 1960–61. The club also adopted their first badge in 1934, using the city crest.

1935–36 saw the club achieve a respectable 11th place in the table, but 1936–37 brought another slump as Leeds finished 19th. 1937–38 saw an improvement and Leeds were even up amongst the title challengers in the early part of the season, with South African striker Gordon Hodgson scoring 25 goals in 36 League games. However, the side faded, and eventually finished 9th.

1938–39 was the last full season before World War II, and Leeds finished 13th.

1946–49

In the 1946–47 season after the War, Leeds United won just 18 points – the equal lowest First Division total until Stoke City's performance in 1984–85. They also recorded what remains to this day the worst away record in top-flight history, having gained just a single point from 21 away matches. Once relegation to the Second Division was confirmed, manager Billy Hampson was replaced by former player Willis Edwards.

Edwards proved to be a poor manager, and the 1947–48 season was a struggle against relegation to the Third Division. After just a year in charge, Edwards was moved back to the post of assistant manager, and the Leeds board appointed Major Frank Buckley.

1948–53 Frank Buckley: challenging for promotion

Buckley had previously managed Wolverhampton Wanderers to a runners-up position in the league, and to the FA Cup Final. However, his first season in charge of Leeds was another relegation battle, with Leeds eventually finishing 15th in the 1948–49 season that saw John Charles make his league debut.

The following 1949–50 season saw Buckley clear much of the dead wood from the side, replacing them with younger, fitter players. Buckley's new side finished a creditable 5th in the Second Division, and enjoyed a run to the 6th round of the FA Cup. The season also saw Leeds sign a 15-year-old Jack Charlton.

The 1950–51 season was another period of transition for the club; Buckley continued to rebuild, with only seven original players remaining from the squad he had inherited in 1948, and Leeds eventually finished 5th.

The 1951–52 season saw Leeds finish 6th in the table. By this time, Buckley had grown steadily more frustrated with the inability of some players in the squad to fulfil their potential, whilst the lack of funds from the board made radical action impossible. Buckley's scouting and youth programmes were bringing talent through, but it was taking too long.

Buckley was 68 at the start of the 1952–53, and aware that the board was impatient for promotion. He switched Charles from his usual defensive position to a centre forward role, and was rewarded with 27 goals in 29 appearances. The season also saw Jack Charlton making his debut at centre back, replacing Charles. It was not enough; the previously tight defense missed Charles, and Leeds finished the season in 10th place. After five years as manager, Buckley resigned at the end of the season to take over at Walsall Town.

1953–57 Raich Carter: promotion realised

The Leeds board replaced Buckley with former England legend Raich Carter. Initially, the new manager caused unrest among the players; Carter was convinced of his abilities, but scathing and dismissive in his put downs of the players, whom he deemed lesser talents. Team spirit suffered as he lavished all his attention on John Charles, who rewarded his manager's devotion with 42 goals in 39 games. Despite the goals, Leeds were still erratic, and finished the 1953–54 season in 10th position.

The 1954–55 season saw the club settle down into a winning routine under Carter, eventually finishing 4th and missing out on promotion by just one point. However, Charles was unsettled by attention from First Division clubs, and submitted a written Transfer Request, which was rejected by the board.

Carter switched Charles back to defence for the 1955–56 season, and Leeds finished as Second Division runners-up – returning to the First Division for the first time since 1947. Team regulars included Charlton, Eric Kerfoot, Jimmy Dunn and Grenville Hair.

Leed's return to the First Division in the 1956–57 season saw them finish a creditable 8th, with John Charles playing a pivotal role. However, in September 1956, fire gutted the West Stand at Elland Road; the fire was so ferocious that large sections of the pitch were scorched by the heat. The blaze consumed the entire structure, offices, kit, club records, physiotherapy equipment, dressing rooms, directors' rooms and the press box. Damage was estimated at £100,000, and the club's insurance cover had been woefully inadequate. In order to raise funds to replace the stand, the club's directors reluctantly listened to offers for Charles. Carter did his best to persuade his star player to stay, but Charles was hungry for success at the highest level, and Carter was unable to convince him that Leeds could satisfy his ambitions. Charles was sold to Juventus for a then world record of £65,000.

The loss of such a key player was reflected in the performances on the pitch, and the following 1957–58 season saw Leeds finish in 17th place. At the end of the season, the club directors decided not to renew Carter's contract after just one season in the top flight.

1958–61: decline and relegation

Bill Lambton took over as acting manager at Leeds for the 1958–59 season. Lambton had been hired by Carter the previous season, and had no experience of running a football club. He had not been a great success as coach and commanded little respect among the playing staff. A player rebellion saw the board sack Lambton in January 1959, and former manager Willis Edwards resumed the manager's chair on a temporary basis, aided by trainer Bob Roxburgh, and Leeds managed to avoid relegation, eventually finishing 15th. Lambton's main legacy was the signing of former England international Don Revie, who was then ending his playing career.

Lambton's eventual successor was Jack Taylor, who had managed Queens Park Rangers without conspicuous success and the club were relegated to the Second Division at the end of the 1959–60 season.

Taylor fared no better in the lower division, and resigned in March 1961, to be replaced by Revie.

1961–74 Don Revie: "The Glory Days" Honours Won: First Division Championship (1968–69, 1973–74), FA Cup (1971–72), Football League Cup (1967–68), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1967–68, 1970–71), Charity Shield (1969–70), Second Division Championship (1963–64)

Runners Up: First Division (1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72), FA Cup (1964–65, 1969–70, 1972–73), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1966–67), European Cup Winners Cup (1972–73)

Semi-Finalists: FA Cup (1966–67, 1967–68), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1965–66), European Cup (1969–70)

Under Revie, Leeds enjoyed their most successful period, yet his stewardship started in adverse conditions; the club was in financial difficulty, and in the 1961–62 season only a win in the final game of the season saved the club from relegation to the Third Division.