Dave Tomlinson

Dave Tomlinson is a Leeds United supporter and author whose books document the club across different periods of its history. Based in Leeds, he runs the Mighty Whites website at mightyleeds.co.uk. His writing combines broad histories with studies of managers, individual players, financial crises, and particular decades. The resulting bibliography follows the club from its origins through the achievements of Don Revie’s teams and the upheavals of modern ownership.

His books include Leeds United: A History, Billy Bremner: Fifty Defining Fixtures, and Leeds United in the 21st Century. Later titles return to the 1960s and 1970s, while Rise and Fall: Andrea Radrizzani’s Leeds United examines the ownership period that brought Marcelo Bielsa, promotion, and another relegation. Tomlinson’s recurring subject is the connection between events on the field and decisions made elsewhere in the club.

Soccer Books

Leeds United: A History: Tomlinson traces Leeds United from its formation after the collapse of Leeds City through the club’s subsequent successes and reversals. Supporters, players, owners, administrators, and local writers contribute perspectives on the institution and its surrounding community. The account places major achievements, including the Revie era, within changes affecting both the club and English soccer more broadly. Published in 2015.

Billy Bremner: Fifty Defining Fixtures: Fifty selected matches provide the structure for this account of Billy Bremner’s career. Tomlinson follows the midfielder’s development, leadership of Leeds United, and appearances for Scotland, explaining how individual performances contributed to his reputation. The games illuminate both his competitive approach and his skill in possession during the period when Leeds became a leading domestic and European side. Published in 2017.

Leeds United in the 21st Century: This history follows Leeds from the Champions League semifinals in 2001 into financial collapse, relegation, and years outside the top division. Ownership changes, the sale of Elland Road, and recovery from League One accompany accounts of significant matches. Tomlinson connects the team’s changing fortunes with the management and financial decisions that shaped the club’s first two decades of the century. Published in 2021.

Dirty Leeds: Don Revie and the Art of War: Tomlinson examines the transformation of Leeds United under Don Revie and chairman Harry Reynolds during the 1960s. The account places their work within industrial northern England and follows the construction of a successful but controversial team. It considers how a club emerging from obscurity developed its methods and identity, as supporters’ admiration existed alongside opponents’ hostility. Published in 2023.

Leeds United in the 1970s: Beginning with the 1969 league championship, Tomlinson follows a decade of success, near misses, and controversy. The book covers the 1972 FA Cup victory, the defeat by Sunderland a year later, another league title, and the 1975 European Cup final. Revie’s departure and the managers who followed him show how difficult it proved to sustain the earlier team’s achievements. Published in 2025.

Leeds United in the 1960s: This decade history charts Leeds United’s emergence from a struggling Second Division club into a major force under Don Revie. The account follows the foundations of that transformation, the development of the team, and its pursuit of domestic and European honors. Match narratives place the club’s progress within the competitive pressures and changing reputation of Leeds during the 1960s. Published in 2026.

Rise and Fall: Andrea Radrizzani’s Leeds United: Tomlinson follows Andrea Radrizzani’s ownership from its beginning in 2017 through Leeds United’s promotion and subsequent decline. Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival and the 2020 return to the Premier League are followed by injuries, managerial changes, recruitment problems, and relegation. Interviews and accounts of internal decisions examine how sporting ambition, ownership choices, and a thinning squad affected the club. Published in 2026.