The last time Leeds United played on Christmas Day with club legend on show | OneFootball

Leeds United once took to the field on Christmas Day, a tradition long since abandoned. Their last appearance came in 1956, with club great John Charles on show.

This year only one Premier League match is set for 26th. Leeds Live notes that Leeds do not play until Sunday, leaving a rare six-day gap.

Up until 1959, teams routinely played on 25 December and crowds were large. In 1920, around 25,000 watched Leeds draw 0-0 with Fulham at Elland Road.

48 hours later, 30,000 saw Fulham win 1-0 in London. Non-local ties were not unusual, including trips to West Ham in 1948 and 1950, while Cardiff City visited in 1928.

Between 1920 and 1956 Leeds played Christmas Day 20 times, pausing from 1938 to 1945 due to the Second World War. Their best was a 6-0 over Aston Villa in 1924, before a 2-1 reverse days later.

The worst came in 1953, Nottingham Forest winning 5-2 at home. The final Christmas Day match was in 1956, a 1-1 draw at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road with Charles involved.

Blackpool struck in the 27th minute, Harold Brook equalised with five left to ease manager Raich Carter. On Boxing Day Leeds won the return 5-0, Charles scored twice and John Brooks completed a hat-trick before 22,689 at Elland Road.

Source: Leeds Live