Why Leeds United's new look is an important victory in football's identity politics — Yorkshire Post 14/8/24

By Stuart Rayner

On Saturday, when Leeds United play their first competitive match in what brand experts have described as "a kit for the fans", many will feel they have seen it before – and that is the point.

Nostalgia sells in football, and Leeds have shrewdly jumped on the bandwagon this season, regaining a bit of their identity along the way.

It matters.

At a time when being pulled under the controversial global Red Bull umbrella of sports clubs threatens the essence of the 105-year-old institution, remembering your roots has never been more important.

Partly through cost, partly rekindling memories of days gone by, retro football shirts are becoming increasingly on popular on the terraces but at Elland Road last weekend, the normal sea of white was flecked with plenty of huge blobs of new bright yellow jerseys.

The club's 2024-25 away shirt has been an instant hit with supporters, selling a club record-breaking 15,000-plus on the day it went on sale in July.

Football clubs are all about identity but in the constant push for different strips, sometimes they can lose theirs a little. The popularity of Leeds' new ensemble with its iconic 1970s badge shows the value of rediscovering it.

After last season's gaudy "fruit salad" design and recent experiments with tie-dies, greens, greys and the like, the Championship club will be back to looking like Leeds United on their travels next season in a yellow strip modelled on the one worn during Don Revie's final, title-winning season of 1973-74.

The controversial red in the sponsors' logo on the home shirt has been dropped and the piece de la resistance is a version of the cult "smiley" badge of the time.

Leeds, who play Middlesbrough in the League Cup first round on Wednesday, will wear it for the first time in the Championship at West Bromwich Albion, whose name still brings grimaces to those of a certain age remembering Jeff Astle's controversial Elland Road goal in 1971.

The strip won by Bremner, Hunter, Giles et al on their way to winning the 1974 title with some of the most beautiful football played by Revie's often derided and under-rated teams will prompt much happier recollections.

Brand specialists MadeByShape call the new strip: "Bold, simple, impactful and unlike anything that other clubs are doing right now.

"The letter-based logo feels disruptive and fresh. It has a significant nod to Leeds' era of dominance, that many fans associate with good times and this badge feels like a kit for the fans."

With sock tags bearing players’ numbers and names on the back of their tracksuits, Leeds were trendsetters in the 1970s even when the fiercesome football they played was not always the most fashionable outside of their delighted fanbase.

The badge, with a tilted L hugging a U, was a big part of it.

“Football badges tell rich stories of heritage, change, and continuity," according to MadeByShape. "These emblems are not just designs, they encapsulate the soul of the club, the passion of its supporters, and the strategic vision of its brand.”

The so-called "smiley" crest first appeared in 1973-74 when Revie’s Leeds were a real force in domestic and European football.

Designed to symbolise unity and positivity, it was a stark contrast to more traditional crests. The minimalist design became an emblem of Leeds’ innovative approach to football branding.

The badge has undergone various transformations, each reflecting the club’s current era and aspirations. From the introduction of the iconic 'LUFC' script to the controversial reimagining in 2018 – swiftly withdrawn after a fan backlash – it has always stirred emotions among the club's loyal fanbase.

"In the landscape of football badges today, Leeds United's approach stands out," say MadeByShape. "The new kit’s badge isn't just a callback to the glory days, it's a statement of identity. This crest resonates deeply with fans and captures the essence of what it means to support Leeds — fierce loyalty and a unique club culture that cherishes its history."

Leeds, who wore variations of blue and yellow until Revie changed their colours to a Real Madrid-style all white in 1960, have only won the title once since 1974. On the April 1992 day they did, they played in all yellow at Sheffield United, themselves wearing a version of their strip from that day this season.

It speaks volumes that the important roles proposed for football's proposed Government-backed regulator include protecting a club's colours and badge.

History, heritage and identity matter in football.

That Red Bull-sponsored Leeds United will march out together at the Hawthorns just before 12.30pm to suit Sky Sports will be the latest in a long line of kicks to traditional fans. To do so in all yellow with smiles on their chests as well as their faces will be a small but important victory.