The onset of the Great War in Europe in 1914 had put paid to official football activities, but the FA organised unofficial League Championship competition throughout the period to provide some much needed distraction from the horror of battle. They set up the competition with two sections, one for Lancashire and the other known as the Midland section, although it included teams from Yorkshire. In 1917-18, the winners of the two sections would meet each other over two legs, home and away, for the right to the unofficial title of League Champions.

The two sides who battled their way to the finish in the first half of May 1918 were Leeds City (Midland Section) and Stoke FC (Lancashire).

Leeds had finished top in the Midland Section in 1917 and retained their title in 1918, scoring 75 goals in 28 games. They had developed a strong side with pre-war City players like Tommy Lamph and Arthur Price reinforced by wartime guests including Billy Hampson, Clem Stephenson and Harry Sherwin.

They had also formally taken on new players including Blackpool right back Harry Millership (later to play for Wales), former Newcastle winger Billy Hibbert and ex-Rochdale man Ernie Goodwin. Those last two were on the wings for the games with Stoke, and most of the others were in the side, but Stephenson, who had only previously missed four games, was not. He did, however, return for 1918-19 before departing back to Huddersfield to captain them to a hat trick of League titles in the mid-1920's.

The first leg of the play off was at Elland Road, which drew an attendance of 15,000, its biggest crowd of the season, to witness a hard fought encounter.

It looked good for Leeds as they made the perfect start. Goodwin picked up a loose clearance by the Stoke defence and put over a perfect centre from the right. Hibbert came in from the other flank to head in the opening goal.

Stoke responded urgently and enjoyed a good period of pressure. Leeds full back Millership had to head a shot off the line to keep his side in front, but Leeds established a two goal advantage almost immediately thereafter when centre forward Jack Peart cut through the Stoke defence at pace and scored with a fine drive. Peart was Leeds' top scorer for the season, and this was his 21st goal. Number 10 Price was his closest challenger on 18.

Play had been frantic so far, as 'Old Ebor' reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post: "The pace of the first half had been exceptionally fast, and the players had neither spared themselves nor each other, though the play had not been by any means rough. It was now largely a case of stamina, though the Leeds City lead was formidable to say the least."

Stoke continued to press after half time and Leeds goalkeeper Tom Hampson was forced to make two outstanding saves from the dangerous left winger Arthur Bridgett. The Potteries side grew in confidence as the game wore on and the final ten minutes saw relentless pressure on the Leeds goal. City withstood all that Stoke could throw at them, however, and took a vital two goal advantage into the second leg at Stoke a week later.

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