Leeds United are back in the Premier League but their last match there does not make for pretty reading.
The mood around Leeds United couldn’t be brighter this week after Premier League promotion was finally secured on Easter Monday following Joel Piroe’s four-goal haul in the 6-0 win over Stoke City.
Though questions over Daniel Farke’s future, which have now been allayed after backing from the 49ers, threatened to dampen the celebrations, news of next week’s promotion parade and plans to expand Elland Road only got them going again.
Leeds still have a title to beat Burnley to in the two remaining fixtures but excitement is already building for the season ahead.
The 2025-26 Premier League campaign gets underway on August 16, making it nearly two full years since Leeds’ last game in the competition when they were smashed 4-1 by Tottenham on their way back down.
The Whites had a chance of survival if they won – though results did go against them – but went behind to Harry Kane’s opener within two minutes and the atmosphere soon turned toxic at Elland Road.
In a statement after the club’s fate was sealed, Leeds said: “Relegation is painful, and we apologise to our fanbase that the performances this season have not seen the club consolidate our status as we had all hoped.”
Here’s how Leeds’ team looked that day and where those players are now.
Joel Robles
Spanish goalkeeper Joel Robles was the man between the sticks in just his sixth and final match for the club. He headed out to Saudi Arabia that summer but returned to Europe with Portuguese side Estoril Praia in 2024.
Luke Ayling
Fan favourite Luke Ayling remained at the club but soon lost his place under Daniel Farke and headed out on loan to Middlesbrough in January. When his contract expired with Leeds last summer, he returned to the Riverside on a permanent deal and captains the side.
Max Wober
Max Wober headed straight out of the door following relegation as he joined German side Borussia Monchengladbach on loan.
He returned to Yorkshire the following season, but injuries have restricted him to a handful of appearances. Wober is expected to depart in the coming transfer window.
Liam Cooper
Leeds legend Liam Cooper captained the side on that horrible day and remained loyal the following season. However, he saw his playing time reduced and sat on the bench as Leeds lost the play-off final to Southampton.
He was released in 2024 and eventually took the bold move of joining Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia.
Rasmus Kristensen
Leeds fans never really took to Rasmus Kristensen and the feeling must have been mutual as he quickly departed after the club went down.
He first joined Roma on loan for the 2023-24 season before moving to Eintracht Frankfurt for the current campaign, with the Bundesliga side paying £7m to keep him permanently.
Pascal Struijk
It’s bizarre to look back on now, but Pascal Struijk was regularly used as a left-back when he first broke into the side.
Now he is an integral part of Leeds’ fantastic collection of centre-backs and has played a massive role in getting the club back up to the top flight this season. He is also the vice captain.
Adam Forshaw
Adam Forshaw’s five-year stay at Elland Road came to an end when he was released that summer. He has played for three clubs since.
The midfielder initially joined Norwich City on a free but was released a few months later in January, when he then signed for Plymouth Argyle. He lasted a year on the south coast before moving back up north to join Blackburn Rovers this past January.
Robin Koch
Centre-back Robin Koch played in midfield that day – showing just how ambitious Leeds were in the match – and was quick to jump ship.
He too joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan and made his stay a permanent one on a free transfer in 2024.
Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie was brought in on loan in January from Juventus in a bid to stop the rot at Elland Road but it obviously didn’t go to plan. The American has since gone on to become a key player in Turin.
Rodrigo Moreno
Electric forward Rodrigo was well-liked by supporters and did what he could to keep them up by scoring 15 goals in the campaign. However, he headed out to Qatar upon relegation, with Leeds recuperating a pittance of the £26m paid for him.
Jack Harrison
Jack Harrison is still a Leeds player even though he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Everton. He scored Leeds’ goal against Spurs and remains contracted to the club until 2028 but will surely be sold this summer.
The Bench
The substitute bench included Willy Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson, Illan Meslier and Junior Firpo, who are all still at the club, as well as Sam Greenwood, who has spent the season on loan at Preston.
Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville went on to be crucial the following season before being sold for big money in 2024. Heremiah Chilokoa-Mullen took the final spot and he now plays for Dunfermline.
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce hardly ingratiated himself to Leeds supporters when he was drafted in to replace Javi Gracia with four games remaining to try and keep the club afloat.
He may have only taken charge of a few matches but the football was so dire that it’s left a scar. He earned just a single point with a draw against Newcastle United after losing to Manchester City, West Ham and Spurs.
He lined up in a 5-4-1 on the final day with a defender in midfield and McKennie on the right wing, an ultra-defensive set-up that backfired immediately. He hasn’t had a managerial position since.
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