Born in Leeds, David Batty had been a ball boy at Elland Road and then a product of the Leeds United youth team before he made his debut for Leeds United in November 1986 as an 18-year-old during a 4–2 win over Swindon Town. A key member of the Leeds team that won promotion from the Second Division in 1989–90, and a key member of a midfield which included Gary Speed, Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan, when Leeds won the First Division Championship in 1991–92, a season in which Batty appeared in 40 of the 42 league matches, he was sold to Blackburn Rovers in October 1993. Batty re-joined Leeds, from Newcastle United in December 1998, under the management of David O'Leary when Batty's experience was a key factor in Leeds’ qualification for the UEFA Champions League, and cup runs to the semi-finals of both the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. His last game for Leeds and the final game of his career was against former club Newcastle United on 7 January 2004.