Leeds United

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United are mourning the death of Gerry Francis, the first black player to feature for the club.

The South African winger made 52 appearances for Leeds, scoring nine goals between 1957 and 1961.

Francis worked in a shoe factory before moving to England and played in Don Revie's first game in charge of Leeds against Portsmouth on 18 March 1961.

He also played 16 games for York City and eventually moved to Canada.

Francis died at the weekend at the age of 91.

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

For the first time in decades Leeds United have owners with deep pockets and a competent board and management team who can match pragmatism with ambition.

And they will need all that nous to navigate this summer's transfer market.

No one can say who will make the step up to the Premier League within the squad. But there is a core group of players who I imagine would and that includes Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka and Dan James.

I would imagine the club are working on a deal to bring Manor Solomon back, as well as considering the merits of a new contract for Junior Firpo. The two linked up on Leeds' left side to great success last season.

Chairman Paraag Marathe confirmed sales will have to be made to ensure the club's position against financial fair play rules. This means any sales would have to represent a profit on the balance sheet.

So it would not surprise me should Illan Meslier be sold. The Frenchman fell out of favour towards the end of the season and could attract a price tag that would surpass what Leeds paid for him.

One player fans might expect Leeds to sell is Brenden Aaronson. But I do not see him attracting an offer that would secure a profit, and despite his deficiencies in possession, he has excelled without the ball in disrupting opposition teams' passing play.

Leeds will be defending far more in the Premier League than in the Championship and will need to adjust their strategy to survive, and that includes recruitment and retention.

United are back where the club and city deserve to be but they must put everything they have into this summer's transfer window if they want to stay up.

Leeds United's promotion party is over but Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix remain in the afterglow.

How do the team reflect on the celebrations and victory parade?

Who should be offered new contracts for a return to the Premier League?

What will be made of the plans to redevelop Elland Road?

These are just three things being discussed on the latest edition of 'Don't Go To Bed Just Yet'.

You can listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds.

"What a magnificent day that was... it's been a great few weeks for Leeds"

Episode 153 of BBC Radio Leeds' Leeds United podcast 'Don't Go To Bed Just Yet' is available to download now via the BBC Sounds app, and it's a very special one.

After all the promotion celebrations in the city had calmed down, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix took a deep breath and reflected on a huge weekend for club, the city and for the future of Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, who the chairman confirmed will still be in charge next season.

You can click here to listen via BBC Sounds.

Make sure you hit subscribe on the BBC Sounds app or wherever you get your podcasts and that way you won't miss an episode.

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Pascal Struijk's 2019/20 Championship winners' medal hung around his neck at the open-top bus parade in Leeds yesterday – a reminder of the celebration that never was.

This squad were partying for two. And it felt like that.

An estimated 150,000 people were in Leeds, and the city was as full of fans and stories as it was thick with fog from flares and fireworks.

Club captain Ethan Ampadu's sweary performance on the microphone was instantly iconic and will be remembered for decades.

The Welshman did as much to etch himself into the hearts of Leeds fans in one afternoon as he has done on the pitch in the last two seasons.

But in United's history, no group of players has deserved a party more than this squad.

A record-breaking century of points; securing promotion by reaching near-perfection in games against Stoke and Bristol City; and winning the league with almost the last kick of the season in injury time on the final day.

For modern footballers: whose sleep and diet are tracked, whose every word is scrutinised, who are well-compensated, but make many sacrifices – it was wonderful to see them celebrate.

And the city and fans deserved a party as well.

The last time the glittering silver lady toured Leeds on a bus was 1992 – and there will be many who weren't there or were too young to remember it.

And unlike during the pandemic five years ago when United won the Championship and the unannounced open-top bus was static outside Elland Road, this time the parade had been announced, and the wheels were moving.

Leeds fans finally had their day in the sun.

And though the blue powder from flares has settled, and the smell from the smoke will wash out, the memories made in a couple of hours on a bank holiday Monday will last a lifetime.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external.

"I've seen a lot of stuff from Leeds United, but to see the city like this, awaiting its latest band of heroes and its manager Daniel Farke to come, is something special.

"Nobody parties like Leeds United, and this is a special, special day, one already I know I'll be taking with me forever."

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist' Simon Rix are at Leeds city centre as the Whites embark on their victory parade after winning the Championship on Saturday.

Join them for the celebration, won't you?

Listen to the full episode and more on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

Leeds United striker Joel Piroe has a personal achievement to go along with the side's promotion and title win on Saturday - the Championship's golden boot.

The Dutchman found the net 19 times to be named the second division's highest scorer, beating out Burnley's Josh Brownhill with 18.

"It's something I'm really happy with, personally," Piroe told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I said before if you become champion and you get the golden boot, you can't really complain as a striker, can you?"

Goalkeeper Karl Darlow has also had a personally gratifying experience.

Having played second fiddle to number one stopper Illan Meslier since joining from Newcastle in July 2023, a series of errors from the Frenchman gave Darlow first call on the team sheet for the final seven games of the season.

He kept four clean sheets across those games to help his side clinch the title - though when it comes to pride, it's the collective that matters.

"I've stayed professional throughout the whole thing and waited and bided my time to get an opportunity, to get a chance to get into the side," Darlow said.

"I'm just proud of what we've done as a group and how we've got over the line. We've won the last six on the bounce, and it's an incredible way, under massive pressure from a young squad, to galvanise to get over the line."

Listen to the full interviews and more on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

"For me the best thing is we uplifted a whole community, you know, of this whole city, of this whole area you could just feel it."

The day after the dramatic sealing of the Championship title, the Leeds United chairman, Paraag Marathe, was revealing how he could not have been more proud of seeing the club become champions.

"I wanted to win a trophy. Just like Daniel did, just like the players and just like all the staff did, that's what I wanted, and we got that goal."

With the mission accomplished, Marathe explained that he felt it was the most opportune time to speak to the local media and clarify the burning question over Farke's future before he was even asked it.

"I'm really excited about collaborating with Daniel, with Robbie Evans, who we promoted to managing director, and Adam Underwood, who we promoted to sporting director.

"We're going to build the best squad that we can with every penny we are allowed to spend to go and compete in the Premier League... I have ended the speculation; that is correct, he is my man."

Later in the interview he expressed his sorrow over the possible effects of recent media reports that Farke's position was in doubt.

"I felt bad that Daniel and the coaches were twisting in the wind a little bit. I tried to do what I could privately. For me, I'm going to speak when I have something to say and when the time is right.

"It's unfortunate that somebody else tried to speculate something a week or two ago because today was always the moment when I was going to speak with you all."

Marathe has been good to his word of two years ago when he appointed Farke on a four-year deal. "Let me be clear, this is not a short-term thing... This isn't just 'Hey, get us through the Championship'.

"I don't think he had a fair deck of cards when he got back up to the Premier League - his two shots at it. That's one thing we're going to rectify and give him the deck of cards he needs to be successful once we get back up because I think he can be a very, very successful coach across Europe."

So for a third summer the San Francisco 49ers Enterprises will twist again with Daniel Farke by giving him enough rope to make a ladder rather than a noose.

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds