When the fixtures come out the first fixtures I used to look out for were Arsenal at home and Tottenham away, closely followed by West Ham and Leeds. I'm surprised there hasn't been as much hype around this fixture and the rivalry in general. It's a shame that most top flight "rivalries" these days are media "Sky" constructed, particularly given the history between the two club.

So where does Leeds still rank for most people? Still up there with West Ham for me but not quite Spurs or Arsenal

For hatred, right up their with Looserpool, and spuds

Football wise non existent as they are sh*te Ha Ha..

Back in the day right up there with Manure and Sp*rs. Since we destroyed them as a force when we infiltrated Ken and Wisey into their ranks they have ceasd to be any sort of force. Dirty Leeds, says it all! KTBFFH

I can't speak for younger supporters, but for those of us who were around way back when, the animosity between ourselves and Leeds is more intense than that towards any non-London club.

 

This is something I wrote in the Vintage Chelsea section, just a couple of days ago.

 

The on and off field rivalry between ourselves and Leeds has been well documented. It's one of those unique rivalries that goes back decades, and transcends time and geography. The players hated each other even before the 1970 Cup Final, which itself served to exacerbate the already simmering hostility between the fans. There was a famous incident when a coach load of Chelsea met a coach load of Leeds at a motorway service station. Such encounters were not uncommon in those days. If memory serves me well, the Leeds fans that day came off much the worst.

I've omitted my account of a visit to Leeds, which has more relevance to the Vintage Section than to this thread.

The rivalry with Leeds is much more historical than competitive nowadays (as in they don't typically provide any sort of competition).

Edited December 16, 201213 yr by DaRick

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8340718/Frank-Lampard-readies-Chelsea-team-mates-for-heated-Leeds-rivalry

 

Looks like Lamps is getting the boys ready

Good old Frank...

Because of the league positions over the years Chelsea/Leeds rivalry, for me, has ebbed...Some of us know how big it once was...IMO, my order of rivalry is........DIRTY STINKING SPURS

                                                         STINK OF DRINK MANURE

                                                         PIKEY TOUGHS

                                                         SCUMMYPOOL..............The rest are now irrelevent to me..BUT when WE and LEEDS meet, one can be assured , on that day, rivalry is as rife as it was 40+ years ago....(and) IMO, on their day are tougher than any named above

I witnessed the rivalry  it first hand,was a bit messy from what I can remember. I was a very young must have been 84/85, All I can remember is my dad  getting us to safety ASAP whilst it all went off.

IMO Leeds will always rank as 2nd just behind that lot from N17..

Got to agree with kingkerry, Spuds first, then Leeds, then West Ham.

Before my time, but well aware of the rivalry.  Just glad to be facing them again in a cup game.  just sad it's the FSW at the helm

I live near Leeds these days (off tomorrow wish me luck) and its as alive as ever up here. They are so up for it and I'm yet to speak to a Leeds fan who doesn't think they'll beat us.

I live near Leeds these days (off tomorrow wish me luck) and its as alive as ever up here. They are so up for it and I'm yet to speak to a Leeds fan who doesn't think they'll beat us.

 

Relocate and you could have the luxury of just saying 'I am yet to speak to a Leeds fan'

 

It is nearly always the case that when a team drops down a division or divisions then the rivalry from the better side tends to fade a bit whilst it remains fierce in the other direction on occasions such as a cup draw.  I recall being at a pre-season 'friendly' away at QPR in the days (Bogarde still didn't get off the bench) when QPR were not in the top flight (fingers crossed those days may be back soon) and for their fans it was like a cup final - there was even a pitch invasion which was fairly comical as it was a roasting summer day and everyone was knackwered by the time they had run 20 yards.

 

I still have Leeds right up at the top of my hate list alongside Spurs, QPR and West Ham.

I DESPISE them

I'm still a relatively young fan (20) and have never seen us play them live, but as soon as the draw came out I did a little dance round the living room before getting on the phone and sorting out plans with the boys.

 

 Absolutely buzzing for tomorrow.

 

Just a shame the club train is looking like its gonna be a nightmare

Remember going to the bridge and getting into the shed. On days we were playing Leeds , Spurs it was a very special feeling. Nervous excitement you could feel it in the shed days like that , feelings like that remain with me.

The Daily Mail doing their usual trick of stirring things up while holding their hands up in horror:

 

Leeds against Chelsea stands for the lingering hatred that is the North-South divide in the flesh

 

And here's the man that crossed that great divide, Cuddly Ken appealing to fans to keep off the pitch after the 5-0 victory over Leeds that took us back to Division one back in 1984:

 

 

Love this bit in the article..

 

 

"It can be vicious: witness the 1970 FA Cup final replay, when referee Eric Jennings let so much go that Hugh McIlvanney wrote: ‘At times, it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free-kick only on production of a death certificate.’

 

There was one booking. David Elleray ‘re-refereed’ the game years later and said there should have been six reds and 20 yellows".

 

Get in there the CHELSEA.

 

Who?

.......and well done to all BLUES who attended last night.......You were very good by all accounts...This is a hostile place that both Millwall n Wet spam do not like going to

Edited December 20, 201213 yr by Mike Carefree

I recall being at a pre-season 'friendly' away at QPR in the days (Bogarde still didn't get off the bench) when QPR were not in the top flight (fingers crossed those days may be back soon) and for their fans it was like a cup final - there was even a pitch invasion which was fairly comical as it was a roasting summer day and everyone was knackwered by the time they had run 20 yards.

 

I was at that game, loz. If you remember, the QPR fans ran towards the Chelsea fans (at the end of the game) but the police got between them and our end. The next day, in the NOTW, the match report said that we had run on the pitch and tried to attack our QPR counterparts, i.e. the exact opposite of the truth.