• Leeds United players and manager Marcelo Bielsa celebrate winning the Championship and promotion to the Premier League. Reuters
    Leeds United players and manager Marcelo Bielsa celebrate winning the Championship and promotion to the Premier League. Reuters
  • Leeds United players, on a bus in front of fans outside Elland Road. PA
    Leeds United players, on a bus in front of fans outside Elland Road. PA
  • Leeds United fans outside Elland Road celebrate winning the Championship and their promotion to the Premier League. EPA
    Leeds United fans outside Elland Road celebrate winning the Championship and their promotion to the Premier League. EPA
  • Tyler Roberts of Leeds United celebrates kissing his medal. Getty
    Tyler Roberts of Leeds United celebrates kissing his medal. Getty
  • Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, centre, with his players as they lift the Championship trophy after their match at Elland Road. AP
    Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, centre, with his players as they lift the Championship trophy after their match at Elland Road. AP
  • Liam Cooper llifts the trophy in celebration with teammates. Getty
    Liam Cooper llifts the trophy in celebration with teammates. Getty
  • Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips and Pascal Struijk. PA
    Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips and Pascal Struijk. PA
  • Leeds United fans outside Elland Road. PA
    Leeds United fans outside Elland Road. PA
  • Leeds United's Luke Ayling with the Championship trophy. PA
    Leeds United's Luke Ayling with the Championship trophy. PA
  • Leed's United's Liam Cooper with the trophy. PA
    Leed's United's Liam Cooper with the trophy. PA
  • Manager Marcelo Bielsa with his players. PA
    Manager Marcelo Bielsa with his players. PA
  • Liam Cooper llifts the trophy. Getty
    Liam Cooper llifts the trophy. Getty
  • Liam Cooper celebrates. Reuters
    Liam Cooper celebrates. Reuters
  • Leeds United players celebrate winning the Championship and promotion to the Premier League. Reuters
    Leeds United players celebrate winning the Championship and promotion to the Premier League. Reuters
  • Leeds United celebrate winning the Championship. Reuters
    Leeds United celebrate winning the Championship. Reuters
  • Leeds United's Liam Cooper celebrates winning the Championship. Reuters
    Leeds United's Liam Cooper celebrates winning the Championship. Reuters
  • Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
    Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
  • Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
    Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
  • Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
    Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
  • Leeds United supporters celebrate outside Elland Road. Getty
    Leeds United supporters celebrate outside Elland Road. Getty
  • Leeds United players celebrate with fans outside Elland Road. EPA
    Leeds United players celebrate with fans outside Elland Road. EPA
  • Leeds United players celebrate with fans outside Elland Road. EPA
    Leeds United players celebrate with fans outside Elland Road. EPA
  • Leeds United fans outside Elland Road celebrate winning the Championship. EPA
    Leeds United fans outside Elland Road celebrate winning the Championship. EPA
  • Leeds United's Jack Harrison, Kalvin Phillips and Helder Costa. Reuters
    Leeds United's Jack Harrison, Kalvin Phillips and Helder Costa. Reuters
  • Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty
    Leeds United supporters celebrate. Getty

Thousands gather at Elland Road to celebrate Leeds United's return to Premier League - in pictures


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Leeds defended their decision to parade their players in an open-top bus at Elland Road after their Championship title trophy presentation.

Leeds had already sealed promotion back to the Premier League as champions and a 4-0 home win against Charlton in their final match sparked more celebrations outside the stadium.

"Following consultation with the SAG (Safety Advisory Group) and (Leeds City) Council, Leeds United arranged for a bus to be parked outside the East Stand reception as a contingency to assist dispersal should a crowd congregate at Elland Road, despite a month-long campaign from the club and supporter groups to encourage supporters to stay at home," said a club spokesman.

"The safety group believed that a brief appearance from the players with the Championship trophy would help to signal an end to proceedings, encouraging fans to head home safely.

"In challenging circumstances fan safety has always been our priority."

Both Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani and managing director Angus Kinnear had appealed before the game for Leeds fans to help in the fight against coronavirus by staying at home.

But thousands of supporters gathered outside Elland Road and the players boarded the bus to join in the celebrations after their pitchside trophy presentation concluded.

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa was also on the bus, but he declined to speak to the fans and did not turn up for his post-match press conference.

Goals from Ben White and Stuart Dallas gave Leeds a 2-0 half-time lead before substitutes Tyler Roberts and Jamie Shackleton added two more Charlton were consigned to relegation.