Leeds United are Wembley bound once again as they officially booked their place in the EFL Championship playoff final on Thursday night.
The Whites might have looked a little timid in the reverse fixture but Daniel Farke's side swept aside Norwich City with a scintillating display in the second leg of the semi-final.
Brushing the Canaries aside early doors, it was a party atmosphere inside Elland Road pretty much from minute one, with Leeds showing the attacking prowess we know they're capable of.
It was probably one of their best and certainly most professional performances of the season - here's how they got the 4-0 thrashing started.
After Ilia Gruev opened the floodgates inside just six minutes, it quickly became an exercise in seeing how many they could muster.
A lovely whipped ball from Will Gnonto set up Joël Piroe for a much-needed header to notch the second, with man of the match Georginio Rutter firing the third in off the bar - two players who answered their critics on the night.
Before you knew it, the ref's whistle had been blown, Leeds found themselves 3-0 up at half-time and any nerves were suddenly dissolved.
They didn't stop there, though, continuing to put pressure on Norwich - who only had one real chance through on goal - and getting their reward thanks to player of the season, Crysencio Summerville, who snapped up his 21st goal of the season.
It might have been an up-and-down regular season and there is still a big hill to climb in the playoff final on Sunday, 26 May, but it's performances like that prove why Leeds fans really feel they belong in the Premier League.
It remains to be seen who they'll be playing out of Southampton and West Brom, but they've done everything they can on their end.
After all, they've been to Wembley before (old ghosts aside) and they've got the business done before - it's just a case of making sure it's this version of Leeds that turns up on the day.
Are the Whites going back up?
Featured Images — Leeds United
Sport
A huge new venue designed for 1,000 fans to watch the World Cup is coming to Leeds city centre
Trinity Kitchen will turn into one of the city’s biggest hotspots to watch the World Cup this summer.
The space is getting ready to be transformed into an evening fan zone with three super-size screens, a brand-new bar, DJs, brass bands and space for up to 1,000 supporters.
The space will be completely free to attend and will open just in time for the start of the tournament on Thursday 11 June.
And before you worry about getting a seat, fans will have the option of booking tables for England’s games.
It doesn't stop there, as it has also been announced that award-winning Leeds independent brewery Northern Monk will open in Trinity Kitchen for the first time.
Image: Supplied
The ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’ will feature two, seven-metre bars, 20 beer taps, whilst 11 street food vendors will be serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
Rooftop padel courts planned for multi-storey car park in Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Padel courts could be built on top of a car park in Leeds if plans are agreed.
Padel has been taking the world by storm recently, and it seems like there's no stopping it just yet.
Developers behind the Merrion Centre in Leeds have submitted plans to build eight rooftop padel courts at the shopping centre.
If successful, the development would result in the loss of 128 spaces at the car park which currently has space for 960 vehicles.
The plans outline that the courts would be built on the eighth floor of the building and that the scheme would support the fast growing popularity of the sport in the city.
The development would include seven indoor courts that would be housed in a detached aluminium-framed structure at the car park site that was built in the 1960s.
The report said: "Padel is widely recognised as a fast-growing racket sport, combining elements of tennis and squash in a format that is social, inclusive and relatively easy to learn.
"Its increasing popularity across the UK has led to a notable rise in demand for accessible courts, particularly in large urban areas."
It continued: “The application site forms part of the existing Merrion Centre car park, currently operated by CitiPark. The building comprises eight levels in total, with this proposal limited to the uppermost level.”
Leeds City Council is currently considering a full planning application which is out for consultation until Wednesday 3 June.
Danny Jones -
16th May 2024 
