History of Manchester United F.C. (1878–1945) History of Manchester United F.C. (1878–1945) Manchester United Football Club was formed in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath. The team initially played games against other departments and rail companies at their home ground at North Road, but by 1888 the club had become a founding member of The Combination, a regional football league. However, following the league's dissolution before the end of its first season, Newton Heath joined the newly formed Football Alliance, which ran for three seasons before being merged with
Leeds United F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry him and his decision to join a rival club. The two sides have rarely met since Leeds' relegation from the Premier League. Recent polling by the Football Fans Census shows that while Leeds fans still consider Manchester United to be their main rivals, Manchester United fans consider Liverpool to be their main rivals, followed by Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. On 3 January 2010, the teams met for the first time in nearly six years in an FA Cup Third Round tie at Old Trafford. Despite being 43 places lower in the league than their rivals, Leeds United won the