With Leeds United’s Premier League season set to kick off next week, all eyes are on their highly anticipated opener v Everton.
However, for Leeds fans, the match carries an extra layer of tension with the news that Jack Grealish, a player with a history of controversial run-ins with the club, has joined the Toffees on loan.
From his involvement in a career-ending tackle to his provocative social media posts, Grealish has an often fiery relationship with Leeds and their supporters.
If he graces the pitch at Elland Road, it is certain to reignite old rivalries and add a compelling new chapter to a history of bad blood.
Jack Grealish playing for Manchester City vs Leeds United.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
The unforgettable Marcelo Bielsa fair play incident
The Aston Villa and Leeds United match in April 2019 delivered one of football’s most extraordinary moments.
With automatic promotion on the line for Leeds, Mateusz Klich scored a controversial goal while Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish lay injured on the pitch. Villa’s players had stopped, expecting Leeds to kick the ball out, and a mass brawl ensued.
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, a man known for his rigid principles, instructed his team to allow Aston Villa an uncontested equaliser.
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The Leeds players reluctantly complied, although defender Pontus Jansson initially tried to block the shot.
The game finished 1-1, a result that ended Leeds’ automatic promotion hopes. On the other hand Bielsa was somewhat praised for his remarkable display of fair play, but we’re not sure fans felt the same.
That tackle on Leeds’ beloved Stuart Dallas
The career of Leeds United stalwart Stuart Dallas was tragically cut short following a tackle with Manchester City’s Jack Grealish in a Premier League match in April 2022.
During the 4-0 defeat at Elland Road, Dallas and Grealish collided, resulting in the Northern Ireland international suffering a fractured femur and significant knee damage.
The injury was severe, and despite multiple surgeries and a long rehabilitation process, Dallas was ultimately unable to recover sufficiently to return to professional football.
His retirement in April 2024 brought an end to a remarkable career that saw him become a fan favourite at Elland Road.
The ‘what a time to be alive’ tweet
Following Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory over Leeds United in February 2021, an injured Jack Grealish took to social media to celebrate.
The England international, who was sidelined with a leg injury and missed the match, posted a simple but effective message on his Twitter account.
Just ten minutes after the full-time whistle, Grealish posted three laughing emojis and the phrase, “ahh what a time to be alive.”
This was seen as a taunt to the Leeds fanbase and a celebration of his own team’s success in his absence. The post quickly went viral, generating a significant reaction from both sets of supporters.
It showcased the fiery rivalry between the two clubs and Grealish’s willingness to engage in the banter, even when not on the pitch.