- Leeds fans are furious that ‘leaked’ new home kit features the colour red
- Red Bull branding features on the kit after they took a minority stake in the club
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: Is Gareth Southgate’s LACK of ego a strength or a weakness for England?
Leeds United fans are furious and threatening to leave the club over an alleged leak of their new home shirt, which features red on it.
The Championship club have a historic grudge against Manchester United and fans are annoyed at sharing the same colour with their Pennine rivals.
Red Bull bought a minority stake in Leeds four days after their play-off final heartbreak last season. The ‘new home kit’ literally features Red Bulls in the middle as part of the energy drink magnates’ branding.
Leeds have made an active effort over the years to avoid any association with the colour red, with even previous shirt sponsors 32Red having their name written in blue.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s Elland Road branch opened in 2002 as the only restaurant in the chain not to feature the colour red in its logo.
Leeds United fans are furious about a ‘leak’ of their new home kit because it has red on it
The fury-inducing release comes just hours after it was revealed that Brentford have completed a £35million deal to sign 18-year-old homegrown Leeds star Archie Gray.
‘It looks f***ing awful, doesn’t it? I bet it will cost around £100 too. The first home shirt to be reduced in price for Christmas,” one fan wrote on X.
“I live right next to a building site on Elland Road. I could stand on the ground with bricks if this actually happened,” said another, hopefully not seriously.
“Besides the red, I also hate the design template with the curved stripes running into the shorts,” wrote one.
Another commented: ‘It goes without saying…if this is the kit I’m not buying it.’
One of them even threatened to cheer on Yorkshire club Doncaster, despite the fact that their kit and crest were red: ‘Donny Rovers might get a new punter next season.’
Another follower pointed out that other clubs in the Red Bull stable have kits that lack the color red.
Leeds announced a multi-year deal with Leeds in May, with Red Bull insisting they would not change the club’s name or logo.
Leeds has historically had such an aversion to the color red that even the Elland Road McDonald’s deviates from the typical fast food chain branding, sans red
Fans are also angry that the club have agreed to sell star Archie Gray to Brentford
The Bees were quick to move for the teenager, with Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea all making inquiries
The drinks brand currently owns RB Leipzig in Germany, Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and MLS clubs New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil. This is their first foray into English football.
This kit controversy marks another bad PR moment for the Whites, with many Elland Road faithful angry at the impending loss of Gray.
The 18-year-old is expected to undergo a medical at Brentford after the London club fought off competition from Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea.
Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa are also interested in the versatile midfielder, who played 52 games last season.
Leeds are reluctant to lose such a fan favourite as Gray, particularly given his family’s ties to the club, but recognise he could provide vital revenue.
The Brentford deal for Gray could be closer to £40m with add-ons, but other clubs could still come in now that a fee has been agreed.
Red Bull agreed a minority stake in Leeds just days after they lost the play-off final in May
The drinks company has a large portfolio in the sports world, including a large number of affiliated and own football clubs. (Pictured: Bundesliga club RB Leipzig)
Mail Sport exclusively revealed in May that Leeds will have to pay up to £100m in player sales after failing to gain promotion to the Premier League.
They lost the play-off final 1-0 to Southampton thanks to an Adam Armstrong goal and never watched the races again.