Billy Bremner and ‘The Chief’ – Top 10 Leeds United legends everyone should know
Leeds United have had some historic names at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke is the man tasked with achieving greatness at Leeds United this season, with the end goal of Premier League survival.
While that will be an achievement in itself, the Whites have had several players and managers in their history to achieve things much greater than that.
With that in mind, MOT Leeds News highlights 10 Leeds legends that every Whites supporter needs to know, including the man who earned them that nickname.
10 – Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan joined Leeds in 1989 and went on to spend six years at Elland Road, achieving plenty of success.
His biggest achievement was captaining his side to the 1992 First Division title, the season before it became the Premier League.
- 245 appearances
- 45 goals
- Six-year spell between 1989-1995
However, in the season prior, Strachan won the FWA Footballer of the Year award, showcasing his importance throughout his time at Leeds.
Strachan made 245 appearances for Leeds throughout his time at the club and rightfully earns a spot on the list.
9 – Lucas Radebe
Perhaps more commonly known as “The Chief” throughout his time at Leeds, Lucas Radebe spent 11 years with the Whites, making over 250 appearances.
Injuries halted his progress in the early stages of his spell at Elland Road, though he quickly became one of the greatest defenders to have ever played for Leeds.
His consistency eventually earned him the captain’s armband at Leeds, and just three years later, he led his side to a Champions League semi-final.
However, it wasn’t just his time as a player that saw him adored by fans, but also the years that would follow, with Radebe still involved with Leeds in small capacities today.
8 – John Giles
In 1963, John Giles would become one of the very few players to have played for both Leeds and Manchester United.
The midfielder spent 12 years as a Leeds player, and it was his playmaking ability that saw him become a legend at Elland Road.
He spent most of his career with Leeds, making over 350 appearances, several of which were in major competition finals.
Giles was an FA Cup winner with the Whites in 1972, but failed to make it back-to-back after a defeat to Sunderland at Wembley the following season.
7 – Peter Lorimer
Between two spells at the club, Peter Lorimer spent 19 years with Leeds United, and his record in front of goal spoke for itself.
The Scotsman joined in 1962 under Don Revie, and still to this day is Leeds’ highest-ever goalscorer with 238 goals.
He was an integral component of a competitive Leeds side throughout his time at Elland Road, and that is only amplified by the success he found with the Whites.
Most notably, Lorimer played a big role in two First Division titles for Leeds, as well as one FA Cup triumph in 1972.
6 – Allan Clarke
Allan Clarke, otherwise known as “sniffer” for his goalscoring prowess, spent nine years with Leeds between 1969 and 1978.
Once again, he played a key role in the FA Cup success in 1972, scoring the winning goal for Leeds to secure the trophy.
- 366 appearances
- 151 goals
- Nine-year spell between 1969-1978
Clarke was a big-game player and was yet another key player in the success that Revie found with Leeds as manager.
His Elland Road stay was ended with a move to Barnsley, but his legacy still lives on to this day.
5 – Eddie Gray
The Gray family have had a huge influence at Leeds over the years, and it was no different with Eddie.
Having joined Leeds in 1963, his time as a player kicked off in 1965, and his ability would be on show for several years.
In that era, Gray‘s mesmerising ability on the ball wasn’t too common, and defenders simply couldn’t handle his talent.
He was a creator, and yet still managed to average a goal in just over every 10 games throughout his 679 appearances at Elland Road.
4 – Norman Hunter
Norman Hunter was a true warrior of the back in the 1900s, making over 700 appearances for Leeds in a 15-year spell at Elland Road.
He was a feared defender, which is where the nickname “Bites Yer Legs” stemmed from.
No matter what was going on, Hunter wanted to be involved, and that ended badly when he was sent off in Leeds’ 1973 FA Cup defeat to Sunderland.
His performances for the Whites ultimately earned him a career at international level with England, where he would receive 28 senior caps.
3 – Jack Charlton
Loyalty is gone in football nowadays, and whenever the topic comes up, Jack Charlton‘s name often arrives with it.
That is because he spent his entire 21-year career with Leeds between 1952 and 1973, making almost 800 appearances for the club.
- 773 appearances
- 96 goals
- 21-year spell between 1952 – 1973
Charlton won the World Cup with England in 1966 and also found plenty of success throughout his time with Leeds.
He won the First Division title with the Whites in 1969 and was yet another member of the FA Cup-winning side in 1972.
2 – Billy Bremner
The success that Revie found throughout his time at Leeds would not have been possible without Billy Bremner, who was integral to the success that they found.
Bremner was a hard-tackling midfielder who made 771 appearances, but his goal record was also outstanding.
He notched on 115 occasions throughout a 17-year stay at Elland Road, and was the captain when Leeds won their first ever league title in 1969.
He followed that up with the triumph in the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, with two goals in the final.
1 – Don Revie
While all of the above players were legends in their own right, Revie was the man who made it all possible at Leeds United.
In his 13 years as manager at Elland Road, Revie completely transformed the Whites into a side that could compete for major trophies.
In fact, Revie is the reason Leeds wear white, showcasing just how much of an influence he had throughout his time at the club.
With two First Division titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, Revie is the most successful manager in Leeds’ history.
He was instrumental in the development of several of the above Leeds legends, as demonstrated by the statue that features outside of Elland Road.
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