Leeds v Man Utd - a rivalry that really matters

"Image source, Getty Images In his best-selling 'Managing My Life' autobiography, Sir Alex Ferguson reflected on his feelings about a trip to Elland Road. "The crowd invariably give us the impression that a lynching would be too good for us," he said. After a typically fraught League Cup victory there in 2011, Ferguson offered this observation too. "I have always said Liverpool-Manchester United games are fierce in many aspects," he added. "But it never reaches the levels of Leeds United. Never.""

""I have a decorating firm and for 40 years we have had the motto that we will not use red paint," said lifelong Leeds fan Gary Edwards. "We will paint over red free of charge. It's still going to this day. It's on all the business cards and letterheads." The actual origins of the rivalry are difficult to pinpoint. Many feel it dates to the War of the Roses in the 15th century, although that is probably too simplistic given"

Trips to Elland Road provoke extreme hostility, with visiting teams often experiencing an atmosphere suggesting severe animosity. Leeds home matches can exceed the intensity of Liverpool–Manchester United fixtures. Leeds produced notable December results, beating Chelsea 3-1 and drawing 3-3 with Liverpool after a dramatic comeback. Lifelong fans maintain anti-United traditions, such as refusing to use red paint and painting over red free of charge. The rivalry's origins are complex, with possible roots in the Wars of the Roses, the industrial revolution, contrasting historical reputations of the clubs, and the movement of key players between the teams.

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