1919-29
Honours Won: Second Division Championship (1923/24)
Leeds first manager was former Leeds City player Dick Ray, but chairman Hilton Crowther wasted no time in enlisting the Huddersfield boss Arthur Fairclough as his replacement; Ray was appointed as Fairclough's assistant.
Leeds's first fixture after their election to the league was against Port Vale, the club who had taken up Leeds City's fixtures following their expulsion. Leeds lost the game 2-0, but seven days later recorded their first victory in the corresponding fixture at Elland Road, which ended Leeds United 3 Port Vale 1. However, Leeds made little impact in 1920-21, their first season, eventually finishing 14th. Following seasons saw them consolidate their position in the league, finishing 8th in 1921-22 and 7th in 1922-23, before winning the Second Division Championship in 1923-24 with 54 points. The championship winning team was a strong one, with Jim Baker, Bert Duffield and Ernie Hart featuring prominently.
Leeds struggled during their First Division debut season in 1924-25 and finished in 18th place. The following 1925-26 season was even more of a struggle, and the club only just avoided relegation. The 1926-27 season finally saw Leeds relegated to Second Division, and Fairclough resigned as manager. His replacement was his former assistant Dick Ray, who had left Elland Road in 1923 to manage Doncaster Rovers.
In 1927-28, Ray's first season, Leeds were promoted back to the First Division, finishing as runners-up to Manchester City. The team did well on its return to the First Division, eventually finishing 13th in 1928-29.
The following season, 1929-30, Leeds finished 5th - the club's best position before the arrival of Don Revie. The half-back line of George Reed, Willis Edwards and Ernie Hart provided a strong defensive backbone to an attacking side spearheaded by Tom Jennings. The side was further enhanced by Wilf Copping, who joined in the close season.
Read more about this topic: History Of Leeds United A.F.C.