Speaking of the sworn enemies of Premier League giants Manchester United, I believe many fans will blurt out three: Arsenal, the city's sworn enemy Manchester City and the double red club's nemesis Liverpool. In addition to Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, United have another old enemy, this team is Leeds United.
Manchester United's Manchester United is part of the North West England region of England, while Leeds United is the capital of West Yorkshire in the Yorkshire-Humber region. The feud between the two sides stems from the historical Wars of the Roses between the Houses of Lancashire and the House of York. During the Industrial Revolution, manchester's cotton defeated Leeds's wool, leaving the two sides with old grudges and new ones. Football became a continuation of the feud between the two sides.
All of this is closely related to the Wars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.
The ancestors of the Lancastrian and Yorke families were both offshoots of the Plantagenet dynasty of the English royal family. Their common ancestor dates back to Edward III (reigned 1327–1377). The Lancastrian family is a direct descendant of John of Gaunt, the third son of Edward III, and is marked by the Red Rose. The House of York is a direct descendant of Edward III's fourth son, Edmund, marked by the White Rose.
Yorkshire – White Rose
In 1455, two families fought for the throne of England, and the bloodiest battle for the throne in English history broke out. Because the symbols of the two families are the red and white roses, this war is also called the War of the Roses. The Wars of the Roses lasted 30 years. In these 30 years, a total of 49 families in the history of England have perished.
In 1485, the two families finally completed their marriage. The 30-year-long War of the Roses came to an end. The combination of the red and white roses of Britain's national emblem stems from the marriage of two families after the war 30 years ago. Although the war between the two families was over, the feud between Lancashire and Yorkshire was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
In the mid-19th century, modern football was born on the soil of England and was popular. The feud between the two regions shifted from the historical war to the football field. In 1878, the city of Manchester, which was then part of Lancashire, gave birth to a great team, and this team was Manchester United. Manchester United's shirt is red, like a red rose. Since then, Manchester United has become the representative of the red rose.
In 1904, in Leeds, the largest city in Yorkshire, England, another team, Leeds City (the predecessor of Leeds United), was born. After the birth of this team, it was marked by the White Rose.
Because football is the most popular sport in England, it naturally also pins on the emotions and grievances of people in every region of England. Since the establishment of the two teams, the red and white colors have been engraved in the cultural genes of the team, and the green field has become the second battlefield of the feud between the two regions. Therefore, the match between Manchester United and Leeds United is also known as the Rose Derby.
Rose Derby
In addition to the Wars of the Roses, the feud between the two teams is also related to the competition of the city. Leeds, where leeds is located, has been the center of wool textiles in England during the medieval period. With the promotion of cotton cultivation, cotton textiles with more affordable prices have gradually replaced wool textiles. Manchester's fortune was precisely through the development of the cotton textile industry. Old and new resentments are intertwined, dooming the Rose Derby to be full of gunpowder.
The real competition between the two teams was after World War II. It reached its peak in the 1960s-1970s. That was the most glorious period for Leeds United. Two league titles, five league runners-up, two Europa League predecessors, The European Cup Winners' Cup and Champions League runners-up were all witnesses to Leeds United's glory at that time. In contrast, Manchester United did not have a good time during that time. In 1968, Manchester United won the Champions League. This is an achievement that Leeds United has so far been unable to achieve.
After 1 April 1974, new divisions were made in the United Kingdom. Manchester United's Manchester United has been separated from Lancashire and divided into Greater Manchestershire. Yorkshire was split into smaller counties, and Leeds, where Leeds United was located, was divided into West Yorkshire. But the feud between the two sides has been formed, and the Rose Derby has been fixed.
After the 1980s, the fates of the two teams changed dramatically. In 1982, Leeds United suffered a relegation from the top and the derby between the Red and White Roses disappeared for 10 years. In 2004, Leeds United were again relegated from the top flight Premier League. This distinction is 16 years. It wasn't until July 2020 that Leeds United was promoted to the Premier League as Championship champions. The Rose Derby, which has been dusty for 16 years, has finally seen the light of day.