DANNY MILLS refused to take his kids to Manchester United v Leeds games because the atmosphere could be so “vile”.
The former England international’s children grew up in Yorkshire as Leeds fans.
Danny Mills in action against Paul Scholes during a match in 2002Credit: Getty Images – Getty
But after his experiences playing for the Elland Road club against their enemies from across the Pennines, he drew the line at exposing them to the toxic rivalry.
Mills, who still lives in the area, said: “The atmosphere was unbelievable.
“The rivalry between the two sets of fans, between the two clubs, and I have to say it, the hatred . . . it was vile in some circumstances.
“The songs that were sung — the songs that still get sung, sadly — are really horrific at times.
“It’s spiteful. It goes beyond banter. There’s a real nasty undercurrent — from both sets of fans.
“To the point where, even after I left Leeds and went to the cup games against Man United as a fan, I wouldn’t take my kids, who were ten, 11, 12.
“I thought, ‘I’m not going to put my kids in that situation’.
“I’d taken them to all sorts of places but Leeds v Man United never sat particularly well with me.”
The rivalry was already fierce by the time Mills joined Leeds from Charlton in 1999.
But after two Leeds fans were stabbed to death in Istanbul before the team’s Uefa Cup semi-final clash with Galatasaray in 2000, another horrible ingredient was added to the poisonous relationship.
Some Leeds fans did, and still do, mock Manchester United about the 1958 Munich tragedy.
Former right-back Mills, who made over 100 appearances for the Whites in a five-year spell with the Yorkshire club, said: “Let’s be honest, Leeds fans have sung all sorts of songs — the Dambusters theme tune, people with their arms out pretending to be aeroplanes . . . You can’t pretend it doesn’t happen. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.
“Equally, I’ve seen Man United fans with Galatasaray shirts on and Galatasaray flags. I went to a League Cup game at Elland Road when Leeds were no longer in the Premier League in 2011.
“There was all sorts of trouble outside the ground. Police got hurt, a police horse got hurt.
“It’s a real needle match and I don’t think it’s ever going to change.”
Mills recalls how Leeds fans even used to abuse Brian Kidd, who was appointed first-team coach in 2001, because he had been a Manchester United player.
Danny Mills made the move to Leeds from Charlton in 1999Credit: Getty Images – Getty
On the pitch, the rivalry has for a long time been pretty one-sided in favour of the red side of the divide.
But that has only made the rare Leeds wins all the more precious.
Jermaine Beckford scored a famous winner in an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford in 2010.
And Mills was part of the last Leeds team to achieve a league victory in the fixture, on the famous day back in September 2002 when England defender Rio Ferdinand returned to Elland Road for the first time since his £30million move to Manchester United.
Mills, 43, said: “None of us begrudged Rio going at that stage.
“We knew he was an outstanding player and Leeds pretty much doubled his fee in a very short space of time.
“There hadn’t been that many players that had gone from Leeds to Man U.
“There was the Eric Cantona situation where he wins the title with Leeds then goes across and wins it with Manchester United for the first time.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer up against Jonathan Woodgate in 2002Credit: AFP – Getty
“Rio went and got all sorts of abuse.”
Leeds beat a United side that included their current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 1-0, thanks to a headed goal by Harry Kewell.
Mills said: “The atmosphere when you have done your lap of honour after the game and the fans are euphoric . . .
“Terry Venables had just taken over. We had only lost Rio at that stage, it was before we imploded.
“We beat them and were doing well at that stage. But from then onwards, we started on a dreadful slide down the Premier League.”
Leeds did not win again for three months and were relegated the following season amid a financial crisis that sent the club sliding down the divisions.
Tomorrow’s game at Old Trafford will be the first league clash for 16 years and, even without a crowd, it is likely to be an intense affair.
Mills, now a pundit on talkSPORT, said: “I have a lot of friends who are Leeds season-ticket holders.
David Beckham challenging for the ball during a showdown with Leeds UnitedCredit: EPA
“I know Leeds fans that won’t have a red car, won’t have anything red in their house.
“If you said to a lot of Leeds fans, ‘You can finish tenth and we get beat twice by Man United or you finish 17th and you beat Man United,’ they’d take the second option all day long. That’s how intense it is.
“They will all be watching on the telly.
“This is the game that they have been looking forward to.
“This is the game that they want to do well in.
“This is the one game of the season that they want to win more than any other.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
