10 Season-Defining Moments That Transformed Leeds From Nearly-Men to Promotion Winners

It took a long 16 years, but Leeds United have finally secured their place back in the top flight of English football.

Similarly to Liverpool, their dream finally became a reality in rather anti-climactic circumstances, with their nearest rivals suffering a 2-1 defeat. But who’s complaining? They may have had a helping hand over the line, but the work put in to put themselves in that position was all their own.

Marcelo Bielsa’s men have been far and away the best side in the Championship this season, though in a league as unforgiving and demanding as England’s second tier, that doesn’t always guarantee success.

There’s a mentality and a character required to emerge victorious at the end of a gruelling 46-game campaign, and the Whites have displayed those qualities in abundance.

Here’s a look at the season-defining moments which have all played their part in ending over a decade and a half of Leeds heartbreak.

1. Arrival of Ben White on Loan

While the majority of Leeds' season-defining moments have of course happened on the pitch, the signing of Ben White prior to the season's kick off will undoubtedly go down as a huge factor in their success.

The Brighton loanee arrived without an appearance in either of the top two flights under his belt, tasked with filling the enormous void left by fans'-favourite Pontus Jansson; he hasn't disappointed.

White has been hugely influential in shoring up a fragile backline that shipped 50 goals last campaign - compared to just 34 this (albeit with two games still to play).

Whether they can persuade Brighton to part with their talented youngster is another matter - with a number of Premier League big-hitters rumoured to be watching the 22-year-old with interest - though, regardless of whether he stays at the club, he will go down as one of their best performers in the 2019/20 campaign.

2. Opening Day 3-1 Win At Bristol City

Leeds' opening display told us everything we needed to know about this group of players.

Having suffered play-off heartbreak last season, did they have the mentality and the desire to dust themselves off and go again? Their 3-1 dismantling of Bristol City answered that question emphatically.

The Robins were many people's outside pick for a promotion tilt. The summer additions of experienced Premier League campaigner Ashley Williams and solid Championship performers Tomas Kalas and Nahki Wells, added to a squad which narrowly missed out on a play-off spot last time out.

Leeds picked them apart them, with Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison and Pablo Hernandez all off the mark on the opening day. The signs were ominous.

3. Late 1-0 Win Over Brentford

After starting the campaign strongly with seven points from a possible nine, Bielsa's men faced their first real challenge of the season at home to Brentford.

The Bees' fluid, attacking football had seen them win over legions of fans in recent years, though their shaky defence had often seen them come up short - the addition of former Leeds man Jansson was a huge step forward, and they would undoubtedly be one of the Whites' biggest rivals this season.

With the game looking destined to end all square, substitute Eddie Nketiah's late strike handed Leeds the win. It was more than three points, it was a message to the rest of the league; Leeds were a different proposition this season, they could grind out wins where necessary.

4. 1-0 at Home to Rivals West Brom

With the season just nine-games old, Leeds faced arguably one of their most important games of the campaign.

Despite a strong start, Bielsa's men had picked up just one win in four and had slipped down to sixth in the table, with Slaven Bilic's West Brom leading the way.

The Baggies had finished fourth the season prior and the arrival of Bilic in the summer had seen them hotly tipped to win the league.

Again Leeds weren't at their scintillating best, having to face a West Brom onslaught late on, but a 38th minute goal from Esgjan Alioski saw them record a crucial win and more importantly propelled them back to the top of the table.

5. Crazy 5-4 Win Away at Birmingham

Never mind one of Leeds' pivotal moments, the one will go down in the Championship archives.

With the season well into the hectic December schedule, Leeds were beginning to stutter and had taken just two points from a possible nine.

A trip to Birmingham provided the perfect opportunity to bounce back, but no-one could have envisaged what was to come.

The most frantic, end-to-end, breathtaking match you are ever likely to witness, with the visitors somehow emerging victorious having gone 4-3 down in the 83rd minute.

A 95th minute Wes Harding own goal saw the points heading back to Yorkshire, but more importantly - Leeds had stopped the rot.

6. 1-0 Win Over Bristol City Ending Another Drought

Bielsa is renowned for being a tough taskmaster, and his energetic, high-pressing style of play had seen Leeds fall away at the end of last season having looking evidently drained.

The turn of the year saw Leeds hit the buffers yet again, with one win in seven allowing the chasing pack to make up ground.

Leeds were in danger of falling apart (again) and they needed a piece of magic to dig themselves out of a hole - it came from the most unlikely source.

Luke Ayling's unbelievable strike at home to Bristol City saw the Whites notch just their second win of 2020, with Fulham's shock defeat at home to Barnsley affording them a three point cushion to the third-placed Cottagers.

7. First Win of the Restart Against Fulham

Many believed the three-month hiatus couldn't have come at a better time for Leeds, with any end-of-season burnout worries set aside.

Their first game back against Cardiff did little to suggest they'd returned with fresh legs. A dismal display saw them comfortably beaten 2-0 by Neil Harris' men, with fellow-promotion rivals Fulham up next.

Bielsa's men emphatically responded to any doubters at home to the Cottagers, producing one of their best displays of the season in a ruthless 3-0 victory, as they went eight points clear in the automatic promotion places.

8. Biggest Win of the Season Over Stoke

The Whites saved their biggest win of the season for when it mattered most.

With just five games to go and rivals West Brom beginning to falter, Bielsa's men produced a stunning display to pick apart Michael O'Neill's side on their way to an emphatic 5-0 win.

In truth they could have had more, but this game provided the perfect platform for Leeds to kick on and finally secure their place back in the Premier League.

9. Late Drama at the Liberty Stadium

Whenever a team enjoys a successful league campaign, there's always one game that fans look back on in years to come and say 'that was the one'.

This was 'the one' for Leeds.

As the game entered the 89th minute with the scores locked at 0-0, Hernandez (who else) popped up to score the most crucial goal of Leeds' season so far.

Cue ecstatic celebrations from the Leeds squad and management team. You could tell they knew this was the three points which had finally secured their place back in the big time.

10. 1-0 Scruffy Win Over Barnsley

'The hallmark of champions' blah blah blah.

Anyone who follows football with even a modicum of interest has heard it said over and over again, but - it's true.

A home game against bottom of the table Barnsley reflected Leeds' easiest game of the season on paper, though with Premier League dreams on the line, this was far from easy.

Bielsa's side showed clear signs of nerves and were far from their free-flowing best, though that mattered not.

A scruffy 1-0 courtesy of a Michael Sollbauer own goal was enough to drag Leeds one step closer to promotion, all they needed now was for their Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield to do the rest against West Brom.