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Leeds United Celebrate Premier League Promotion After Championship Triumph
Leeds United are heading back to the Premier League, their promotion clinched on Monday night following Burnley’s victory over Sheffield United in a crucial Championship encounter. A former Manchester United academy player joined in the exuberant celebrations as Leeds secured their return to the top tier of English football.
Promotion Secured Following Burnley’s Win
Daniel Farke’s team was on the cusp of Premier League elevation after a resounding 6-0 victory against Stoke City at Elland Road earlier in the day. Their fate then rested on the Burnley versus Sheffield United game at Turf Moor.
Leeds needed Sheffield United to drop points to guarantee automatic promotion from the Championship. Burnley’s triumph ensured Sheffield United could no longer reach the automatic promotion spots, confirming Leeds’ place in the Premier League.
Burnley’s win also cemented their own Premier League return at the first attempt. Manager Scott Parker has overseen a successful season after Vincent Kompany’s move to Bayern Munich at the end of the previous campaign.
Ecstatic Celebrations at Elland Road
The promotion announcement ignited jubilant scenes outside Elland Road. Thousands of fans congregated to celebrate, lighting flares, climbing structures, and chanting club anthems.
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Social media captured the players’ festivities, with Largie Ramazani, formerly of Manchester United, addressing teammates with a microphone during the joyous occasion.
Player Reactions and Festivities
Junior Firpo, a defender who experienced Premier League football with Leeds previously, expressed his delight: ‘It’s an unbelievable day. I’m truly happy and just want to savour this moment.’
Harry Gray, brother of Tottenham Hotspur player Archie Gray, jokingly echoed rival fans’ taunts: ‘Leeds are falling apart again, Leeds are falling apart.’
Ao Tanaka, another player, conveyed his elation simply stating: ‘I am so happy. So happy. I am speechless.’
Patrick Bamford humorously commented on the microphone’s functionality before addressing Manor Solomon and Ethan Ampadu.
Ramazani was also seen dancing, sporting sunglasses and waving a promotion flag, drawing comparisons from fans to former Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski.
Footage shared on Leeds’ social media channels depicted players celebrating, with what appeared to be alcohol being sprayed around.
As players emerged onto a balcony at Elland Road to greet supporters, they were met with chants directed at Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder. Jayden Bogle, a full-back, appeared to join in with the chants.
Manager Daniel Farke, who took charge after Leeds’ Premier League relegation last season, also addressed the crowd, visibly soaked in celebratory drinks. He danced along to chants of his name amid the backdrop of flares.
Leeds United’s Road Back to the Premier League
Leeds United, a historically prominent Premier League club, have spent two seasons outside the top division on this occasion. Last season’s promotion aspirations were dashed after a play-off final defeat to Southampton, casting doubts over Farke’s future.
However, this season, Leeds avoided such setbacks, securing promotion with two matches remaining. They can now commence preparations for their Premier League return.
Joel Piroe delivered a stunning first-half performance against Stoke, scoring four goals in an exhibition for the enthusiastic home crowd. The relentless rain in West Yorkshire failed to dampen the celebratory atmosphere.
Dominant Championship Season
Leeds’ team mirrored their fans’ enthusiasm, establishing a 5-0 lead by half-time, with Piroe achieving the fastest hat-trick in Leeds’ history. The match concluded 6-0, but the scoreline could have been even greater.
With an impressive 89 goals in 44 Championship matches, Leeds have been a thrilling team to watch. They now emulate Marcelo Bielsa’s 2019-20 squad as only the second Leeds team to achieve Premier League promotion in recent times.
Prior to the Stoke game, Farke urged everyone involved with the club to generate a vibrant atmosphere, emphasizing the ‘chance to create something truly special’ and achieve Premier League promotion in front of fans – their 2020 promotion occurred during the pandemic.
They succeeded, and the post-match scenes reflected a sense of realization among everyone that promotion was imminent. After it was confirmed, Farke said: ‘I’m overwhelmed, which is rare. The atmosphere from this morning was incredible.’
Manager’s Reflections on Promotion
‘Reaching 94 points at this stage of the season is remarkable. The players and fans deserve to celebrate, and we’ll ensure Easter Monday celebrations extend for a couple more days.’
‘It’s hard to fully grasp it on such an emotional day, but it’s been a long journey. Stabilizing after relegation, dealing with key player departures and the hangover from relegation was challenging.’
‘Right now, I just want to enjoy beer after beer, champagne after champagne and not think about football for a few days.’
‘We had limited spending capacity, and I was envious of other clubs’ financial advantages.’
Leeds have been the Championship’s standout team this season, although their campaign has had some minor setbacks.
Between late March and early April, they won only one of seven games, momentarily jeopardizing their promotion push. However, they recovered strongly, winning their last four matches to secure their Premier League return for the upcoming season.