Leeds United: Rio Ferdinand speaks out on his relationship with the club

Leeds United take on Manchester United this afternoon in a Premier League grudge match, with the two sides having strong feelings of disdain for one another.

One player that will know the hostility more than most is Rio Ferdinand. The former England international made the switch from Elland Road to Old Trafford in 2002. It’s safe to say he felt the full force of the hatred from Leeds fans after.

He has taken to his Instagram to preview the game, talking about the police protection he needed due to the nature of the hatred towards him for the transfer. He does go on to confirm that the relationship healed overtime and is a good one in the main.

He finishes the post by saying: “Unfortunately, we lost 1-0 that day, but it was an atmosphere that stayed with me for a long time after! The players today need to be ready for Elland Road because the fans have waited a long time for this & they will be wanting the Utd players to feel the full force of their feelings towards them!

“PS – I have a decent relationship now with most @leedsunited fans when I see them and enjoy a bit of banter with them here and there. I think deep down they now understand why I left and went to Man Utd – financially Leeds HAD to sell me & I chose Man Utd to WIN trophies. Job done!”

It’s no surprise that Ferdinand had police protection, today’s fixture is breaking Premier League records when it comes to policing. 900 officers have been deployed for the clash, more than any other fixture in the history of the Premier League.

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It’s a big game for both sides today, not only due to history of the fixture, but also in context of the table. Manchester United will want to capitalise on their top four rivals. West Ham slipped up and Arsenal and Spurs won so a response is needed.

Leeds on the other hand have to avoid slipping further into the relegation scrap. Wins for Burnley and Watford with Newcastle bagging a point is slowly but surely bringing the gap between the drop zone and Leeds down.

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