Leeds United’s players were on form on and off the pitch on Easter Monday, settling old scores as they sealed promotion to the Premier League and aimed a few choice expletives at Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder in the process.
Leeds toasted their return to the top flight with an evening of fireworks, drinks, and chants outside Elland Road that ran into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Among the celebratory chaos, one clip doing the rounds on social media shows two Leeds stars leading fans in a rendition of “du du du, Wilder is a w***er.”
It capped a perfect day for Daniel Farke’s side, who demolished Stoke City 6-0 earlier that afternoon. Joel Piroe stole the show with a first-half hat-trick, taking just six minutes to open the scoring after adjusting brilliantly to a low cross from Spurs loanee Manor Solomon. He added two more before the 20th minute to put the result beyond doubt before half-time.
There were also goal involvements for Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo as Leeds went in 5-0 up at the break, with Willy Gnonto completing the rout in the second half. Defeat for Sheffield United in the late kick-off at Burnley officially confirmed Leeds’ promotion – a poetic twist that wasn’t lost on the fans, or the players.
It also marked the closing of a few long-standing wounds. One flashpoint that still lingers is the backlash to pundit Karen Carney’s infamous comments following Leeds’ 2019 promotion under Marcelo Bielsa, when she suggested their success was down to the benefits of a COVID-enforced break.
“I actually think they got promoted because of COVID,” Carney said at the time. “I don’t know if they’d have got up if they didn’t have that break.”
Leeds’ social media account fired back with “Promoted because of COVID. Won the league by 10 points”, while then-owner Andrea Radrizzani labelled the comments “completely unnecessary and disrespectful”.
MORE LEEDS NEWS ON F365…
👉How Leeds and Burnley can survive: sack Parker, risk transfer points deduction and sign Eriksen
👉 Leeds spank Stoke to clinch promotion as Burnley ‘bore their way to the Premier League’
👉Why Burnley and Leeds might consider sacking Parker and Farke after promotion
More recently, Wilder has emerged as a pantomime villain at Elland Road, thanks to his historic digs at Leeds fans and a string of tense run-ins over the years. The Sheffield United manager – a boyhood Blade – has long enjoyed a vocal rivalry with Leeds supporters, but this time the last laugh belonged to the Whites.
Former Blade Bogle has been one of the key cogs in Daniel Farke‘s promotion-winning side, weighing in with 10 goal involvements, including an assist in the win over Stoke. Having helped the Whites put one foot in the Premier League while condemning his old side to the play-offs, he was more than happy to get the crowd going as he joined Dan James in encouraging the offensive Wilder chant multiple times.
At one point, Bogle is seen shushing the thousands gathered at the gates of the Elland Road East Stand before starting the chant himself. He also indirectly took one last shot at his former employers as he spoke to BBC Sport West Yorkshire.
“It’s amazing, and to do it [promotion] with this club, it makes it ten times better.
“You can see the support, you can hear the noise.
“So it’s an amazing experience and something I’ve never had before.”
Bogle celebrated promotion with Sheffield United just two years ago and could yet come face-to-face with them in the Premier League next season.
