May 4th 2024.
The final whistle blew, and the Leeds players couldn't hide their disappointment. They had just lost to Southampton, and with it, their chance at automatic promotion to the Premier League. The team was left feeling absolutely devastated by the outcome of the Championship final day.
The day had started with so much hope. Daniel Farke's side needed a win against Southampton and for Huddersfield Town to lose to Ipswich Town. But unfortunately, neither of those results went their way on Saturday. Ipswich emerged victorious, earning their spot in the Premier League for the first time in 18 years, while Leeds fell to Southampton, another play-off contender.
For Leeds, it was a bitter pill to swallow. Relegated from the top-flight just last season, they were determined to make a swift return to the Premier League. But now, their hopes rested on the play-offs. They had finished the regular season in third place with a record-breaking 90 points, the highest-ever tally for a team not to secure automatic promotion. Their next challenge would be facing Norwich City in the play-off semi-finals.
The other semi-final would see Southampton, who finished in fourth place, take on West Brom in fifth. If Leeds were to make it to the final at Wembley, they would face West Brom. Former Leeds manager Simon Grayson, who spoke to the BBC after their defeat to Southampton, shared the team's devastation. He reminded the fans that there were still positives to take from the season and urged the team to seize their second opportunity for promotion.
But the disappointment was palpable among Leeds fans, with many taking to social media to express their frustration. @NowThenMadriBum posted on X, "Imagining thinking this team has a chance in the playoffs. Farke isn't the man, bookmark this." @jemccudden acknowledged the team's efforts, saying, "Good season Leeds. Shame about the end, but a decent season. Need to up things for the playoffs." @MxPhee added, "Even if we won, we weren't going up. Let's make the play-offs count. It's an awful situation, and not everyone will agree, but we need to regroup and give it our all in these next games."
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