Billy McLeod - Leeds City

Billy McLeod (Leeds City)

William McLeod (4 June 1887 – 1959) was one of the most prolific and important centre forwards in the history of Leeds City, and remains the club’s all-time leading appearance maker and goalscorer.

Born in Hebburn, County Durham, McLeod began his senior football career with Hebburn Argyle in 1904 before a brief spell north of the border with Peebles Rovers. His Football League career began in June 1906 when Second Division Lincoln City signed him for £25. He made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his League debut at Burton United in a 4–3 victory in September 1906.

McLeod quickly caught the attention of Leeds City, scoring against them in a 1–1 draw at Elland Road on 10 September 1906 and again at Sincil Bank later that month. After just 13 appearances and 8 goals for Lincoln, Leeds moved decisively, signing him in November 1906 for £350.

From that point on, McLeod became the focal point of the Leeds City attack for more than a decade. A powerful, courageous centre forward, he possessed a fierce shot with either foot and was especially renowned for his bravery and effectiveness in the air. He played more games and scored more goals than any other player in the club’s history, finishing as Leeds City’s top scorer in nine successive seasons.

His scoring record was remarkable for its consistency. In the nine seasons before the First World War he never scored fewer than 14 goals in a campaign, hitting 28 goals in both the 1912–13 and 1913–14 seasons. Among his most celebrated performances were five goals in a 6–2 victory at Hull City on 16 January 1915 — a Leeds City individual scoring record later only equalled by Gordon Hodgson for Leeds United — and four goals in an 8–0 home win over Nottingham Forest in November 1913. He also recorded four hat-tricks, the last coming in a 4–2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 1919, the club’s final match.

McLeod came agonisingly close to representative honours. He was named as a non-playing reserve for England against Wales in Cardiff in March 1914 and was similarly selected when the Football League faced the Scottish League later that year.

During the First World War he guested for Bradford Park Avenue, scoring six goals in 24 appearances in the 1915–16 season and finishing as their leading scorer the following campaign with 20 goals from 26 matches, while also continuing to appear intermittently for Leeds City in wartime football.

When Leeds City were wound up in October 1919, McLeod had amassed 178 goals in 301 appearances. At the infamous auction of players at the Hotel Metropole, he attracted the highest bid of all, joining First Division Notts County for £1,250. Although he scored 12 goals in 43 appearances, he was unable to prevent relegation and, aged 34, moved on to Doncaster Rovers in 1921, where he brought his playing career to a close.

Towering over Leeds City’s history, Billy McLeod stands not only as their greatest goal-scorer, but as the defining forward of the club’s pre-war era — a player whose records and reputation survived long after the club itself had passed into history.

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