On a barmy summer night 1,741 days earlier, the Leeds United squad celebrated their promotion to the Premier League. It was supposed to be a party 16 years in the making, marking the end of the club’s longest-ever top-flight exile, but the global pandemic had other ideas.
That night, a handful of staff members, players’ families and media were present in Elland Road as the players’ cheers and the pops of champagne corks echoed around an empty stadium.
Last night, Leeds fans were finally given their chance to celebrate, and boy, did they take it.
Leeds United fans get their chance to party - finally
Leeds’ return to the Premier League was short-lived last time out, as the foundations of a very promising first season were not built on, and a successful relegation battle was the precursor to a woeful campaign that ended with a managerial Hail Mary as Leeds went from Marcelo Bielsa to Big Sam in little over a year.
Supporters then had to suck up the gut punch of a play-off final defeat last season before what has been a deserved promotion back to the big time this season.
Easter Monday had been a slow-burning day of celebration, as a stunning 6-0, 3pm win over Stoke City laid the table for promotion to be confirmed when Sheffield United lost at Burnley at tea-time. Wild scenes duly followed, but the next date for the diary came seven days later with the visit of play-off chasers Bristol City to Elland Road.
As an aperitif to the main event, Leeds released the first images of the planned Elland Road expansion earlier on Monday, while Patrick Bamford stashed £5,000 behind the bar at the Old Peacock pub opposite the ground and every home fan was greeted by a yellow scarf when they got to their seat.
And while Leeds fans don’t need any encouragement to crank up the atmosphere, what followed over the next few hours was a cacophony of colour and noise that is rarely seen in English football, as scarfs were swung, songs were sung and goals were scored in what was one of the most joyous nights this grand old stadium has seen for a generation.
"With all respect to my former clubs, this was the best atmosphere I have experienced,” said Leeds boss Daniel Farke after he saw his side ease to a 4-0 win, namechecking Borussia Dortmund’s iconic Yellow Wall in the process.
On the pitch, Farke’s team simply smothered their promotion-chasing opponents, enjoying three-quarters of the possession, firing 23 shots on the Robins’ goal and completing almost 800 passes, ensuring that they head to Plymouth this weekend knowing a win in this final game will secure the Championship title.
The end of the season will mark the start of a busy summer for Leeds, who will first need to answer the questions over Farke’s future that have arisen in recent days and then recruit wisely if they are to better their recent three-season stay in the top flight.
But make no mistake, when a team is playing with this swagger and backed by such a crowd, no-one will be in for an easy ride at Elland Road next season.
