Following the onset of war in August 1914, official football activities continued unabated through to the end of the 1914-15 season despite many protests that it was inappropriate and an unnecessary distraction. Leeds City trailed in a very disappointing 15th in the Second Division.

As the war took a real grip in 1915, more players began to enlist and gates dwindled. In July, it was decided to cancel the regular League and Cup programmes, and replace them with regional leagues. The players would not be paid, and nor would there be any medals or trophies. Matches were to be scheduled only for Saturdays and holidays, so there would be no midweek games to interfere with work in the munitions factories.

There were two regional groupings, one for Lancashire and one for the Midlands (which encompassed Yorkshire).

Many clubs decided to close their gates for the duration of the Great War. Leeds City were one of the clubs who chose to continue, playing in the Midland section, and benefitted from the arrival of a number of guest players during the wartime years. Among those who turned out for them during that period were Billy Hampson, Clem Stephenson and Charlie Buchan. Hampson was later to manage Leeds United and after the war he returned to Newcastle United where he was eventually to win an FA Cup winners medal at 41. Stephenson was an outstanding inside right for Huddersfield and captained the Leeds Road club to a hat trick of League titles in the mid 1920's. Buchan inspired the creation of a formidable side when he joined Arsenal in the 1930's

Many of the existing Leeds City squad carried on playing, including George Law, George Affleck, Tommy Lamph, skipper John Hampson, John Edmondson, Arthur Price, Fred Croot, Charlie Copeland, Simpson Bainbridge, Mick Foley and Willis Walker, but outstanding manager Herbert Chapman temporarily departed to manage a munitions factory to support the war effort.

There were many off field fallings out and rumblings at Elland Road throughout the period, but Leeds City enjoyed significant success on the pitch.

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1915-16 saw Affleck, Foley and guest player Franny Walden ever present. The Principal Tournament was contested by 14 clubs and City finished 10th, but in March and April they finished top in a Subsidiary Tournament involving six Yorkshire sides. Inside right Price was top scorer with 15 goals, including 5 in a 7-1 victory over Barnsley on October 16.

For 1916-17, the Principal Tournament was extended to cover 16 clubs and City had a marvellous record, losing just twice and ending in top spot. They had some heavy wins - 6-1 at Grimsby, 5-0 against Notts County and Rotherham and 5-2 at Lincoln. Three players managed to get into double figures, John Stephenson scored 12 and Price 17, but the top scorer was Jack Peart who netted 25 goals in just 29 matches. In the Subsidiary Tournament which followed, involving the two Bradford clubs and Huddersfield, they struggled, however, and only managed two victories.

1917-18 was even better. Leeds hit 75 goals in 28 matches in the Principal Tournament and again finished top. They struggled with their Yorkshire neighbours in the Subsidiary Tournament, but their win in the Principal Tournament put them through to a two legged final against the winners of the Lancashire section, Stoke, in May 1918. Leeds won 2-0 in the first leg at Elland Road and then held out at Stoke to record a 1-0 defeat in the return to win on aggregate and secure their first honour. This tiny club, which had only been in place 14 years were League Champions, the best club in the country. Even the completely unofficial nature of the title and the fact that the Lancashire section contained the stronger clubs could not downhearten them. There was much rejoicing in Yorkshire that summer - the War was nearing its end and Leeds City were apparently now a force to be reckoned with.

The 1918-19 season was an anticlimax after that with City 4th in the Principal Tournament and third in the Subsidiary Tournament, but Clem Stephenson probably played his best football, scoring 9 goals in 19 games. Jack Peart was top scorer, though, with 16 goals.

Wartime football had seen encouraging signs for City. The guest players would be off back to their old clubs, but Herbert Chapman was now back at the helm and Elland Road eagerly looked forward to the resumption of official football activities. They were soon to be literally torn apart, however, by matters off the field.

Other Football Highlights from 1915-19

• Nottingham Forest won the other Midland Section of the League Championship in 1916 and 1919 and beat Everton 1-0 in the play off for the unofficial League title in 1919
• The Lancashire Section was more competitive and the winners in order were Manchester City, Liverpool, Stoke City and Everton
• Celtic won three of the four League titles in Scotland with Rangers winning once in 1918
• Eight players, four each from Manchester United and Liverpool, were found guilty of trying to fix the result of a match between the two clubs in 1915

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