100 Years of Leeds United, by Daniel Chapman, published by Icon Books, Price: £20
IF YOU wanted to write a book about a century of football at a club, then Leeds United would be a good selection.
The Yorkshire outfit have had more highs and lows than most and been involved in plenty of controversy, too.
Whether it’s the success of the Don Revie era, the ‘dirty Leeds’ tag, the short-lived reign of Brian Clough, sliding down the divisions or the impact of Marcelo Bielsa, the club have rarely been out of the headlines.
Leeds United are a massive club with a massive fanbase. They are one of those clubs people seem to either love or hate. There are no half measures. In 100 Years of Leeds United, author Daniel Chapman has his work cut out.
How do you condense a century of activity into 400-odd pages? He’s certainly given it a good crack and Leeds fans will enjoy the trip down memory lane.
With a simple lay-out and design, with a sprinkling of pictures thrown in, the book, published in association with the club, goes into depth and will take some getting through.
He said: “Leeds United’s centenary season, hopefully ending in promotion back to the Premier League, is the perfect time to look again at the history of the club.
“As a lifelong fan I thought I knew that history well, but through writing the book I’ve discovered a new wealth of stories and characters, all the way back to The Peacocks’ beginnings as Leeds City, that haven’t been told for decades.
“Many were lost when Elland Road’s main stand burned down in 1956, but putting those stories back together with the modern era has changed my understanding of Leeds United and make me look at the club in new ways.”
Rating out of 10: 7
