So when we asked Yorkshire Evening Post readers on Facebook to name the player who first made them fall in love with Leeds - and who they believe is the club’s greatest player of all time - the response was staggering.
Literally hundreds of you weighed in, filling the comments with memories, debates and a fair few emotional tributes. What followed was a roll call of true Elland Road royalty. From the lion-hearted leaders of the Don Revie era to the fearless champions of the early ’90s, the same names came roaring back time and again.
Some were the first heroes you watched from the terraces or on grainy television screens. Others were names passed down like folklore - players your parents or grandparents swore were the best to ever pull on the white shirt. But every nomination said the same thing: Leeds United’s history isn’t just rich, it’s unforgettable.
Let’s meet the legends you chose.
7. John Charles
One of the game’s greatest all-rounders, John Charles combined the power of a centre-forward with the composure of a defender. In his Leeds spells (1949–57 and a brief return in 1962) he scored 157 goals in 327 appearances, spearheading the club’s push to promotion. Nicknamed the 'Gentle Giant', Charles married supreme heading ability and elegant technique - performances that made him a hero at Elland Road and propelled him to European stardom with a move to Juventus. | Getty Images
8. Tony Currie
A stylish midfielder who lit up Elland Road from 1976–79, Tony Currie made over 100 appearances for Leeds and instantly became a fans’ favourite. Blessed with silky footwork, audacious dribbling and a fearsome long-range shot, he could unlock defences with a single turn or curl a spectacular strike from distance - the kind of player who produced moments of pure, match-changing magic that supporters still talk about today. | Getty Images
9. David Batty
A tough, relentless midfield warrior, Batty burst onto the Leeds scene in 1987 and grew into the combative engine of the club’s 1991–92 title team. Across more than 200 appearances in that first spell he won possession, broke up attacks and sprayed the simple, effective passes that let the creative players flourish - gritty, unshowy and utterly dependable. | Getty Images
10. Jack Charlton
Leeds United's rock at the back, Jack Charlton was an imposing centre-half whose no-nonsense defending, aerial power and uncanny reading of the game made him a nightmare for strikers. Across 21 seasons at Elland Road (1952–73) he racked up 762 appearances, scored 70 goals and helped anchor Don Revie’s greatest sides to league, FA Cup, League Cup and two Fairs Cup triumphs. | Getty Images
11. Alan Clarke
The clinical 'Sniffer' joined Leeds in 1969 and became one of the club’s most feared finishers, scoring 151 goals in 366 games over nine seasons. A predator in the box with razor-sharp instincts, Clarke was central to Don Revie’s greatest sides - none more so than in the 1972 FA Cup final, where his trademark poise delivered the winning goal and sealed his place in Elland Road folklore. | Getty Images
12. Norman Hunter
A legendary defender known as “Bites Yer Legs,” Norman Hunter was the embodiment of tough, uncompromising defending, feared by strikers across England and Europe. Making 540 appearances for Leeds between 1962–76, he was a key figure in Don Revie’s trophy-laden sides. | Getty Images