When it comes to fan rivalries, Leeds United's and Manchester United is one of the fiercest in English football. Founded in the old Yorkshire vs Lancashire rivalry and intensified over the years in which the two teams contested the top of English football together, players moving from one side to the other has always brought up strong feelings from both fanbases.
This season, Leeds bought Daniel James from their old rivals. It must be admitted that fans of the Red Devils don't tend to look upon their players who make the move across the Pennines to Elland Road as traitors in the same way that Leeds fans do, due to the fact that the Whites fell away from being Manchester United's rivals as they were relegated from the Premier League. In fact, last season was the first league fixture between the two in 16 years. As such, the sentiment towards James making the move was largely Manchester United fans wishing him well.
That was not the case from Leeds fans when Alan Smith and Rio Ferdinand made the move from Leeds to Old Trafford in the early 2000s. Ferdinand left for a record transfer fee at the time, when Leeds had just missed out on making the Champions League final in the 2000/2001 season. Meanwhile Smith went there following Leeds' relegation from the Premier League in 2003/04.
