The older something goes, the more it is loved. For example, Roulette77 is one of the oldest and most popular casino games. For the same reason, Leeds United FC is among the football clubs with the most fans, not only in the UK but all over the world. Founded 102 years ago, this club has many interesting stories in its history, and we're sure you haven't heard of some of them before. Today is your lucky day: Below, we list the most interesting of these facts and stories.
Merchandise Sales Started with Leeds United
Today, every football team has merchandise stores, but in the 70s, there were none. No one thought of selling products with the team's logo on them until Don Revie. Revie was manager of Leeds United FC from 1961 to 1974 and noticed that fans most wanted the team's signed jerseys. The idea to turn this into a business first occurred to him, and he opened the first merchandise store for Leeds United FC. It was so successful that every football team, first in England and then in Europe, did the same. If sports clubs currently have merchandise stores, we owe this to Don Revie.
The Peacocks Were the Other Name of the Team
If we asked where Leeds United’s home is, we're sure you'd say Elland Road, but this is the “modern” name of the stadium: that wasn't the case in the past. The stadium was built right next to the The Old Peacock and the New Peacock Inn’s and hence was known as the "Peacock Ground" in its early days. For the same reason, their fans nicknamed the team the "Peacocks". You may hear older fans still use this name. Don Revie thought birds were unlucky and as such distanced the club from the nickname but the association was revived on the club crest between 1981 and 1984.
Leeds United Wasn't the First Team
If you look at the official records, you'll see that the team was founded in 1919. But there was an earlier club founded in 1904 as “Leeds City”. Their manager at that time was Herbert Chapman, a war hero. However, during the First World War, it was revealed that the club was involved in some illegal payments to players and expelled from the Football League in 1919. The fans decided to form a new team called Leeds United, and this time they started playing in the Midland League. In 1920, they were able to move back to Division One. During this time, there was even talk of moving Huddersfield Town to Leeds but were not sure that would have gone down well! Now there are all kinds of sports in Leeds including rugby league, euroleague basketball betting and ice hockey.
They Didn't Wear White for Forty Years
Leeds United haven’t always played in the brilliant all white kits they do today. When the club was founded in 1919 by former Huddersfield Town chairman Hilton Crowther the kit looked awfully familiar to our West Yorkshire rivals with light blue and white stripes. In 1934 Leeds switched to play in the colours of the Leeds city crest adopting blue and gold halved shirt with white shorts. Major Frank Buckley later adapted the shirt into all gold with blue arms. Don Revie became manager of Leeds United in 1961, under him the club was reinvented with the most obvious aesthetic change being the switching to an all white kit. A kit which we still wear to this day. Revie's famous decision showed the touch of a man with a dream, an ideal that his debt-ridden, down-at-heel club might one day emulate the feats of one of Europe's richest and most brilliantly successful teams, Real Madrid.
