Leeds scum have never really bothered me before...

[SUFC Handsworth]

Leeds are probably the biggest club in Yorkshire, and so they should be with being from a one club city of 3/4m people, they're then pulling from the rest of West Yorkshire apart from the other football city/towns there (Huddersfield/Bradford) and then further a field in South, East and North Yorkshire bar the extremities of the county (Sheffield, Hull and Middlesbrough). They've probably got a pull at 4m people yet only get currently 34k (ground capacity 40k) and let's be reyt have had much less over the years.

As a football city Leeds are well down the pecking order in my book; Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield straights ahead. If the boot had been on the other foot and Sheffield had been a one club city throughout then it would have got much bigger gates than Leeds, and crowd wise would have been not far behind the big hitters in the north west.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

When I worked/lived there, I had this debate many times with Leeds fans. Their excuse was that Rugby is just as big in the region so they’re not a one-club City, as the other is Leeds Rhinos. Make of that what you will. I laughed out loud every time.

Yeah but a lot of football fans from Leeds also go and watch Leeds Rhinos. The same can’t be said of United and Wendy.....Especially in the last 40 odd years.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

But Leeds do attract far more out of towners than both Sheffield clubs, mainly due to their successful exploits in the 70s, their “marmite” reputation from that era and their “extra curricular activities“ off the pitch that became a magnet for every headbanger from all corners of the country.

 

[Rodley]

If you lived and worked here you'll know that the Rhinos are the biggest team in Leeds.

The other lot fly and bus their support in from all over the globe.

It's a throwback to the 70's glory hunters who's offspring are now following the family tradition.

agreed, tends to be outlying towns which have the hardcore Leeds support. To be fair the metropolitan area of Leeds is much bigger than Sheffield and having one clubs draws them from everywhere. Living in Leeds itself, I encounter far more Rhinos fans who live here than Leeds fans.

 

[Maidenhead]

Yeah but a lot of football fans from Leeds also go and watch Leeds Rhinos. The same can’t be said of United and Wendy.....Especially in the last 40 odd years.

A lot less than you think apart from Super League Grand Finals that tend to bring United supporters crawling out of the woodwork.

There are undoubtedly many people that "follow" both teams and claim to support them when times are good for one or the other but in my experience there are very few that actually go and WATCH both teams.

 

[Badger Blade]

A lot less than you think apart from Super League Grand Finals that tend to bring United supporters crawling out of the woodwork.

There are undoubtedly many people that "follow" both teams and claim to support them when times are good for one or the other but in my experience there are very few that actually go and WATCH both teams.

I would concur with that, I dare say there would be more Leeds United fans turning up to Old Trafford for a Super League final than Rhinos fans going to a hypothetical Leeds cup/play off final (because its so long since there's been one!).

They tend to swing one way or the other despite the fact that Football and Rugby League are both working class sports that would in theory attract similar audiences yet in my 11 years up here, I haven't encountered anybody who is AT Headingley on a Friday night and at Elland Road on the Saturday though there are odd ones who have passing interests in both. I work with a lad who plays semi-pro rugby league, follows Leeds United home and away but has no allegiance to any rugby team other than the one that pays his wages.

 

[Maidenhead]

I would concur with that, I dare say there would be more Leeds United fans turning up to Old Trafford for a Super League final than Rhinos fans going to a hypothetical Leeds cup/play off final (because its so long since there's been one!).

They tend to swing one way or the other despite the fact that Football and Rugby League are both working class sports that would in theory attract similar audiences yet in my 11 years up here, I haven't encountered anybody who is AT Headingley on a Friday night and at Elland Road on the Saturday though there are odd ones who have passing interests in both. I work with a lad who plays semi-pro rugby league, follows Leeds United home and away but has no allegiance to any rugby team other than the one that pays his wages.

I lived in Leeds for the first 28 yrs of my life and I've had a further 21 years, including the last 16 here since then.

From the late 60's until the early 80's I followed Leeds RL home and away and never knew anyone that ever went to Elland Road.

In my early days both teams played in the winter and both played all their games on a Saturday so there was little scope for watching both teams.

In the early 70's some RL teams started playing on Sundays or Fridays to avoid clashes with football but for a good few years Leeds stuck to their guns and continued playing home games on a Saturday before eventually succumbing to the Sunday/Friday schedule. This was good for me as it allowed me to get to BDTBL on a more regular basis.

To this day I still do not know anyone that has a season ticket for both clubs and in many areas there is still strong animosity between the supporters, although not the way it was in the 70's.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

agreed, tends to be outlying towns which have the hardcore Leeds support. To be fair the metropolitan area of Leeds is much bigger than Sheffield and having one clubs draws them from everywhere. Living in Leeds itself, I encounter far more Rhinos fans who live here than Leeds fans.

Yeah if you’re including Bradford.

 

[Rodley]

Yeah if you’re including Bradford.

Think it’s about 2.5m in the Council area, then obviously Bradford and the surrounds which is probably another million?

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Think it’s about 2.5m in the Council area, then obviously Bradford and the surrounds which is probably another million?

If Bradford was anywhere else in the country....It would have its own city region.