View on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.Arthur Fairclough: Leeds United’s first promotion-winning manager
Arthur Fairclough played a central role in establishing Leeds United as a Football League club. He succeeded Dick Ray in February 1920, just months after United’s formation following the demise of Leeds City. Fairclough had previously managed Barnsley, guiding them to victory in the 1912 FA Cup Final against West Bromwich Albion after a replay.
Building Leeds United in the 1920s
Fairclough oversaw Leeds United’s entry into the Football League in 1920–21, when the club joined the Second Division. The early seasons were about building a competitive side and establishing United’s place in the professional game.
His defining achievement came in 1923–24, when Leeds won the Second Division championship and earned promotion to the First Division for the first time. It was a landmark moment for a club founded only a few years earlier.
Departure and legacy
Leeds remained in the top flight for three seasons, but relegation in 1926–27 brought Fairclough’s tenure to an end. Dick Ray returned as manager in July 1927 and secured another promotion the following season.
Fairclough’s place in Leeds history rests on much more than a single result: he helped turn a newly formed club into a Football League side and then into a First Division team. His 1923–24 title remains one of the key milestones in United’s earliest years.