David O'Leary has vowed to adopt a "siege mentality" in the belief that the world is ganging up on Leeds United.
O'Leary is unhappy United have been saddled with the "dirty Leeds" tag given to the successful Don Revie side of the early 1970s.
Earlier this week it was revealed referee Neale Barry claimed that he officiated in one of what he described as "the most evil games" he has taken charge of when Leeds played Aston Villa last month.
Barry's comments were aired at a seminar of the elite 24-man professional refereeing body, and O'Leary is now worried such comments will rebound on his team.
During that game Barry also stated that Alan Smith, the Leeds striker who was later sent off for an elbow on Villa defender Alpay, was "hissing and snarling" throughout the game, but O'Leary has criticised the "dirty" label as "disgraceful".
He added: "I am concerned referees may now view our games with preconceived ideas.
"There is no way we are a dirty side. I think we are an exciting, attractive, competitive side and I certainly do not want for us to be saddled with that tag.
"It happened once before with this club and I don't want my team to be remembered like that.
"There's not a great deal I can do as a manager to prevent people giving us that name, if somebody could come up with a suggestion then I would be grateful.
"I suppose all we can do is roll up our sleeves and adopt a siege mentality, one where we shouldn't feel sorry for ourselves.
"We have to be like Manchester United because that kind of thinking is what Sir Alex Ferguson has done over the years, an 'us against the world' type of attitude and that's what I want.
"If people are going to gang up on us then we've got to stick together even more.
"I was extremely disappointed with Neale Barry's views and comments, and that could have a possible knock on effect in their (the referees) own camp."
O'Leary is confident the spirit within his team, which has seen Leeds come through the trial involving Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate, will hold sway again.
"We will not feel sorry for ourselves. We will have a belief of, 'Right, everybody is against us so let's prove everybody wrong'." he said.