‘They’re up there… They can be a Chelsea’: Gordon Strachan believes Leeds have what it takes to reclaim a spot at the top of English football, and declares ‘fans around the world’ will be tuning in to see Marcelo Bielsa’s men
- Gordon Strachan has backed his former team Leeds to achieve big things
- After winning the Championship Leeds will finally return to the Premier League
- Strachan feels the top flight will benefit from the return of one of its ‘big clubs’
- The Scots says people will tune in, and Leeds could follow Chelsea’s model
Leeds United’s return to the Premier League will have football fans all over the world tuning in to watch their matches against the elite sides, the club’s former captain Gordon Strachan believes.
After winning the Championship title Leeds have ended their long exile from the top tier of English football, and will re-ignite old rivalries next season against the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.
Strachan, who played for the Yorkshire club from 1989 to 1995, feels English football has gained one of its ‘big clubs’ back in Leeds, who can now go on to regaining their glories of old.
Gordon Strachan was speaking about his former club on the Gary Newbon Sports Show
Strachan won the old first division during his time with Leeds and has hailed their iconic return
Speaking on the Gary Newbon Sports Show with Jewson, Strachan said: ‘When Leeds come into this Premier League I think football fans around the world will go, “Leeds are back”.
‘Leeds Chelsea, Leeds Manchester United, Leeds Liverpool, these are going to be games that will get watched around the world. When Leeds come up there’s a ring to it.’
Strachan went on to outline how Leeds can truly lay claim to being one of England’s biggest clubs, who deserve their place at the top table of the country’s football operations. Leeds, Strachan feels, can now set about investing and growing in stature in a similar manner to that of Chelsea.
Leeds lifted the Championship trophy following the 4-0 victory over Charlton on Wednesday
Thousands of fans descended on Elland Road despite pleas from the club to stay away
‘Some clubs say “we are a big club”, yeah you might have been 80 years ago and you won a couple [of trophies] way back but that doesn’t make you a big club,’ he added.
‘What makes you a big club is your support, your history, what you can possibly do again in the future, now Leeds are in that bracket. They’re up there, they can be a Chelsea.
‘But what they’ve got to do is add to the Premier League and make it grow even bigger.’
Leeds caused a stir this week after their full squad and manager Marcelo Bielsa took to an open top bus outside their Elland Road stadium on Wednesday, following a 4-0 victory over Charlton.
The game, like all others around the country since March, was played behind closed doors without supporters due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Marcelo Bielsa and his players celebrated promotion to Premier League on an open-top bus
Leeds had urged fans to stay away from the stadium and avoid congregating outside while the trophy was lifted, but thousands turned out to celebrate in the long sought achievement.
They saw the entire playing squad and Bielsa aboard the bus, with some speaking on a PA system in front of the East Stand.
Pictures of the bus, which was parked behind the centenary pavilion, surfaced online in the hours before kick-off.
A Leeds United spokesman told leeds-live.co.uk: ‘Following consultation with the SAG and [Leeds City] Council, Leeds United arranged for a bus to be parked outside the East Stand reception as a contingency to assist dispersal should a crowd congregate at Elland Road despite a month-long campaign from the club and supporter groups to encourage supporters to stay at home.
‘The safety group believed was that a brief appearance from the players with the Championship trophy, would help to signal an end to proceedings, encouraging fans to head home safely.
The Gary Newbon Sports Show with Jewson in association with MailOnline Sport, will be streamed live every Thursday #GNSS
You can watch the full interview here on Thursday.
