That’s all for our coverage of a glorious day for Southampton. I’ll leave you with Ben Fisher’s report from Wembley – goodnight.
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The Southampton players walk up to collect the playoff trophy. Their captain Jack Stephens gives it a gentle kiss and then lifts it high above his head. What a marvellous season Southampton have had, particularly after their dodgy start. They have plenty of planning to do – four of their starting XI are loan signings – but that can wait a few days. Tonight, they have celebratory work to do.
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Leeds got 90 points and still didn’t go up, which I think equals the record for the Football League. They should be in contention again next season, though they will lose some of their brilliant young players. They looked devastated at the final whistle.
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As does the Southampton captaon Jack Stephens
I’m lost for words. Sorry, I’m a little bit emotional right now. I’m so proud to be captain of this club. We didn’t play our best today but we showed a different side. People have doubted whether we can dig in but I thought we were magnificently defensively, the whole team. This is the best feeling I’ve ever had in football.
The matchwinner Adam Armstrong speaks
I don’t know what to say. Look at this (points at the fans}. It’s what we’ve been working on all year. What a way to go up!
[On his goal] I saw the space in behind, and I knew if I hit it hard and low across goal it would go in, so it was a nice one.
It means everything. The gaffer and his staff came in last summer and put a marker down on what they wanted. This is why we’re footballers. What a way to win.
Southampton will join Leicester, Ipswich and the rest in next season’s Premier League. Adam Armstrong’s unerring finish settled a tense game of few chances and extended Leeds’ miserable playoff record. This was their sixth involvement in the playoffs and they’ve still never been promoted. Ethan Ampadu is one of a number of Leeds players in tears.
But the day belongs to Southampton, to Adam Armstrong, and to their manager Russell Martin. He’s a bit of dreamer, and today it has all come true. Next season he will be up against Pep Guardiola, Arne slot and Mikel Arteta.
"Southampton announce their Wembley arrival!" 🚨
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Clinical from Adam Armstrong! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/OZNRw7Nzft
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SOUTHAMPTON ARE PROMOTED TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE!
Full time: Leeds 0-1 Southampton Adam Armstrong takes his top for real this time!
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90+12 min Ampadu tries to take a quick free-kick and is blocked by Aribo, so he boots Aribo up in the air. Adam Armstrong hears the whistle, thinks the game over and whips his top off in celebration! Aribo is booked.
90+10 min James’ cross is kicked away by Bednarek. He and Harwood-Bellis have been immense.
90+9 min They’re even closer now. Leeds are struggling to put them under any pressure.
90+7 min Adams buys a foul from Rodon, which wastes another 30 seconds. Southampton are so close.
90+4 min: Good save by McCarthy! Rutter spins a pass out to Anthony on the left. He plays the ball back to James, whose crisp first-time shot from 20 yards is pushed away by the diving McCarthy. That’s a pretty good save because the ball was fading away from him.
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90+3 min Joseph slips a defender neatly on the right side of the box but his cutback is behind everybody.
90+2 min After a break of around five minutes, play resumes with James and Walker-Peters okay to continue.
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90+1 min Make that nine minutes of added time, and it’ll probably be even more because play has yet to resume.
90 min Both players are still being treated. There’s no suggestion that they are unconscious, thorugh they might be concussed.
You’d imagine there will be seven or eight minutes of added time.
88 min There’s a break in play because of a clash of heads between Walker-Peters and James.
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86 min Rutter shoots wastefully wide from 20 yards. Leeds are running out of time.
85 min Downes is booked for a foul on someone.
84 min: James hits the bar! Leeds come so close to the equaliser. James, on the left-hand side now, played a neat one-two with Piroe on the edge of the area and leathered the bouncing ball over McCarthy. It hit the underside of the bar and bounced to safety.
SO CLOSE! 🤏
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Dan James' effort CRASHES against the crossbar! 💥 pic.twitter.com/xTXmo4qu9B
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83 min: Southampton substitute Ryan Manning replaces the substitute Samuel Edozie.
83 min: Leeds substitution Mateo Joseph replaces Juniro Firpo.
81 min Southampton are nine minutes away from the Premier League. They’ve come a helluva long way since those four straight defeats in September.
79 min Adams is booked for a cynical foul on Ampadu, who had nicked the ball off him just outside the Southampton area.
77 min Gruev’s corner is headed on at the near post and grabbed by McCarthy. Edozie is down with cramp, allegedly, so McCarthy throws the ball out of play.
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77 min James’ pace enables him to win a corner off Stephens. That’s one of the few times a Leeds player has got behind the Southampton defence.
75 min Leeds can’t generate any momentum. None of their players were born when Peter Shirtliff introduced Leeds to the concept of playoff misery, but they look like a team who are all too aware of Leeds’ playoff record.
73 min: Double substitution for Leeds Connor Roberts and Jaidon Anthony replace Glen Kamara and … Crysencio Summerville. That’s a big call from Daniel Farke, even if Summerville has been poor by his standards.
72 min Harwood-Bellis pings a very long pass to release Aribo on the left side of the area, but his lobbed cross is too close to Meslier.
Southampton look comfortable. I don’t think McCarthy has had a save to make since the seventh minute.
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70 min: Southampton substitution Che Adams replaces Ryan Fraser, which means a slight reshuffle. Armstrong will play from the right and Edozie has moved across to the left.
69 min Leeds are still having a lot of the ball. Southampton have defended really well though, particularly in central areas. Leeds haven’t been able to pass through them, and by flip they’ve tried.
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68 min: Chance for Southampton! Aribo intercepts a pass on the halfway line and pokes it through to Edozie, one v one with the last man Ampadu. Edozie moves into the area, shifts the ball onto his right foot and slaps it wide of the far post. Decent chance, that.
66 min: Leeds substitution Dan James replaces Willy Gnonto, who was kept quiet by the Southampton defence.
64 min There’s no Patrick Bamford on the bench but Leeds have some attacking options on the bench, including Dan James, Mateo Joseph and Joffy Gelhardt. Now might be the time because the promising start to the second half has evaporated.
63 min A decent few minutes for Southampton, most of which has been spent in the Leeds half. For the first time Leeds are showing signs of frustration.
62 min “Ah yes, Peru,” weeps Simon McMahon. “How could you not lose to a kit like that?”
60 min Rutter is fouled near the corner flag by Downes, although Downes didn’t agree with the decision. No matter: McCarthy claims the free-kick with authority.
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58 min Summerville wafts a poor free-kick over the bar.
57 min Downes fouls Gnonto 25 yards from goal, to the left of centre. Summerville and Gruev are over the ball…
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55 min It’ll be a long 40 minutes for Southampton if Leeds keep this up – they’ve been much the better team since half-time.
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54 min Stephens is warned for timewasting at a throw-in.
51 min Harwood-Bellis fouls Rutter just outside the area on the left and is booked. Leeds are having their best spell since the first 10 minutes.
49 min: Chances for Leeds! Rodon suddenly turns into Morten Olsen, surging all the way from the halfway line into the Southampton area. Gnonto nicks the ball but then plays it across to Rodon, whose shot is brilliantly blocked by Harwood-Bellis. The loose ball is collected by Summerville, who curls just wide from the edge of the area.
48 min Edozie dribbles past Firpo (I think) in the area and cuts the ball back to Stephens, whose shot is well blocked by Ampadu. That was a vital block.
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47 min “The Southampton kit of the late 70s, made by Admiral, is a classic,” writes Kári Tulinius. “I can’t think of many other shirts which had a thick central stripe flanked by two thinner ones, but as a design it looks striking without being busy. Admittedly, the late 70s were a golden age of red stripes on white football kits, what with Peru.”
And Palace (sort of).
46 min Southampton begin the second half, kicking from right to left as watch.
The players are back on the field.
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“This is so not fun starting at 10am...” writes Rachel Clifton. “Hoping Saints can nick another one early in the second and kill the game off...”
You do realise this is the Championship playoff final? I think only four of the last 20 have been won by more than one goal.
Half time: Leeds 0-1 Southampton
Southampton lead thanks to a ruthless finish from Adam Armstrong. They started very nervously but were the better side once they settled and almost scored a second when Illan Meslier denied Armstrong just before half-time. Leeds have been strangely disjointed in attack.
COLD AS ICE. 🧊pic.twitter.com/jizVn2UIpd
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 26, 2024
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45+5 min Downes marches imperiously through midfield and finds Armstrong, who pulls between Rodon and Gray before hitting a shot that deflects behind off the covering Rodon.
45+3 min Leeds need half-time. Southampton are having an excellent spell, with Smallbone and Armstrong causing lots of problems for the Leeds defence.
45 min: Good save by Meslier! Smallbone clips a free-kick into the area for Adam Armstrong, criminally unmarked once again. He hits a similar shot to the goal, maybe from a tighter angle, and Meslier dives low to his right to save. He can only push the ball out in front of goal but there are no Southampton players following up.
Fraser is then booked for kicking the ball away. There will be five minutes of added time.
43 min Rutter runs elegantly at the Leeds defence and slips the ball through to Firpo in the area. Harwood-Bellies makes a vital tackle and is then wiped out by Summerville, who is booked.
Summerville got the ball but he led with his studs, so once the referee gave a foul it was always likely to be a yellow card.
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42 min Downes and Gruev fly into a ferocious, old-fashioned 50/50, then get straight to their feet without appealing or wincing. Which is nice.
42 min “Had to switch to the ESPN+ Spanish feed because if it being out of sync,” writes Graham Randall. “Very much like watching Channel 9 on the Fast Show. Random English names inserted into commentary.”
Leeds could do with Chris Waddle the noo.
41 min Summerville’s corner is punched away by McCarthy. The ball is headed back into the area and almost falls for Kamara, though the referee had given a free-kick against Piroe.
39 min Bednarek takes a shortcut through the back of Rutter and is booked.
38 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Leeds’ all white combo is a classic, but Southampton really have had some cracking kits throughout the decades. It’s just a pity they’re not wearing their home kit today. Reminds me of something else worn by a half decent side too…”
This is the kit, although preferably with Ranx Xerox as the sponsor.
37 min Southampton have kept Leeds at arm’s length since Armstrong’s goal. In fact it’s been a pretty uneventful half. I was going to say ‘surprisingly uneventful’, but all bets are off in a game of this importance.
35 min: Southampton substitution Poor David Brooks, who has been through so much in tthe last few years, is very close to tears as he leaves the field. Samuel Edozie replaces him.
33 min Brooks is back on the field but not for long – he can’t run properly and is holding his left arm by his side.
32 min “Armstrong, a legend at making space for himself, has taken a giant leap for the Saints, who must be over the moon, given how they started,” says Justin Kavanagh. “Now can Leeds bring them back down to Earth?”
You’re talking out of… well never mind.
31 min Brooks is struggling and might not be able to continue.
30 min “The ESPN+ feed I am watching has the audio slightly ahead of the video action, so, for example, I heard the crowd roar before I saw the Saints score,” writes Andrew Bartlett. “No bueno, especially as I want Leeds to win.”
Out-of-sync commentary is one of the most annoying things in the entire world. I’m disappointed it hasn’t been mentioned in any election manifestos.
29 min Brooks needs treatment to his shoulder after falling awkwardly. That allows the two managers to give an impromptu teamtalk.
27 min Walker-Peters wins a corner for Southampton, who’ve had a pep in their step since Armstrong’s excellent goal.
Leeds break from the corner, four on two, but Gray’s pass goes astray. That was a chance.
"Southampton announce their Wembley arrival!" 🚨
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Clinical from Adam Armstrong! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/OZNRw7Nzft
26 min “As a Liverpool fan, I was very impressed at Southampton’s style of play at Anfield in the EFL Cup this season,” says Neil Waters. “Easily better than half the Premier League. Russell Martin seems to be the next great manager who was an average footballer.”
They’re all the rage these days.
Smallbone found a bit of space between the lines and poked a simple pass behind the Leeds defence. Armstrong made an excellent run behind Gruev, just right of centre, and drove the ball emphatically across Meslier.
The defending wasn’t great – Leeds’ defensive line was horribly wonky – but Armstrong finished beautifully.
GOAL! Leeds 0-1 Southampton (A Armstrong 24)
Southampton have had an even better opening now!
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21 min This is a pretty cagey game. Leeds have been the better team but Southampton had the best opening when Armstrong got away in the 11th minute.
19 min Summerville zips infield from the left, plays a one-two with Gruev and tries to put Gnonto through on goal with an angled pass. It’s cut out on the edge of the area by Bednarek, and a good thing too for Southampton.
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17 min Gnonto is in a bit of pain after being kneed in the rump by Stephens. I don’t think it was deliberate, but Gnonto felt it.
In other news, the sun has come out at Wembley barely 20 minutes after a biblical shower.
16 min It’s an even game now. Southampton have come to the party and woken up and settled into their work.
15 min “Saints are canny all the same, staying calm, drawing Leeds’ early fire, seeing what they can do when Leeds tire,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Leeds need to channel their inner Bielsa and hope that Saints don’t channel their inner Channon/Le Tissier.”
Channon you say?
13 min Smallbone’s curling free-kick from 25 yards is pushed behind by the diving Meslier, a camera-friendly but essentiallly comfortable save.
Meslier comes for the resulting corner, doesn’t get there and is relieved to the see ball flash across the face of goal.
11 min Southampton enjoy their first extended spell of possession – and almost take the lead. Fraser plays an excellent first-time pass to release Armstrong on the left side of the area. His cutback towards Smallbone is crucially cut out at the near post by Rodon; the ball rebounds to Armstrong, whose snapshot is blocked.
8 min Rutter dances into the area and is well challenged by Bednarek. Southampton can’t get out.
7 min Gnonto shoots straight at McCarthy from 20 yards after a sharp Leeds move. I thought he was fouled just before shooting but the referee disagreed.
Leeds have started well; Southampton haven’t started at all.
7 min Summerville is fouled 25 yards from goal on the left wing. He takes it himself, curling the free-kick beyond the far post. Rodon heads back across goal and a Southampton defender clears.
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4 min Leeds have had most of the ball in the first few minutes. Gray moves forward from right-back, cuts inside and drives a low left-foot shot from 25 yards. McCarthy watches it go harmlessly wide.
1 min Peep peep! Leeds’ Joel Piroe has the first kick of the playoff final. Leeds are kicking from right to left as we watch.
The greatest darts player in the world is also at Wembley
𝐋eeds 𝐔nited 𝐊ings of 𝐄urope 🤍
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Bet you didn't know that Luke Humphries was named after Leeds United! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/iD0NblQXDB
A reminder of the teams, who as I type are getting drenched during the pre-match formalities
Leeds (4-2-3-1) Meslier, Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Piroe.
Substitutes: Cooper, Anthony, Shackleton, James, Byram, Darlow, Gelhardt, Roberts, Fernandez.
Southampton (4-3-3) McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Smallbone, Downes, Aribo; Brooks, A Armstrong, Fraser.
Substitutes: Manning, Adams, Stewart, Lumley, Bree, Rothwell, Sulemana, Edozie, Charles.
Referee John Brooks.
And here’s Southampton manager Russell Martin
The players are ready, they’re calm. I’ve really enjoyed the feeling this week and this morning, and now it’s here. It’s over to them to trust each other, trust the work and put it in practice on a big occasion.
We trust the process that has got us to this point. It’s just about being aware of the occasion, because it is different. The challenge for us is always to be the team we want to be, and that challenge increases when it’s an occasion like this.
"We trust the process that has got us to this point" 🙌
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Russell Martin speaks ahead of the Championship play-off final 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/rQ9hg66DVI
The pre-match thoughts of Leeds manager Daniel Farke
It’s a big game on a big stage, the sort we all wanted to be involved in since we started playing football. It’s important to calm the nerves and to be yourself on the pitch – to play with fire and heart but be cool in the head. To find this balance is always crucial.
"This is why we all once started playing football, we wanted to be involved in important games" 🙌
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 26, 2024
Daniel Farke is excited before the play-off final 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/WTubc3kOYq
It’s pouring down at Wembley, with a chance of thunderstorms during the game. Buy a few shares in shots from outside the box.
Just one more thing
“Watching Leeds in the playoffs reminds me of Colombo: we know it’ll end in defeat, but the joy is in finding out how we’ll throw it away this time,” says Alex Adams. “Leeds never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity at Wembley. But I live in hope that we’ll break that hex today.”
💛 "𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗨𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱"
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 26, 2024
From The Duke to The Chief, we're feeling love from the #LUFC community today! pic.twitter.com/CIUn3BIFfK
Failure isn’t always the best way to learn
As Nietzsche was saying
Team news
Both teams are unchanged from the second leg of the semi-final, which makes this a very easy entry to write. Patrick Bamford hasn’t made the Leeds bench.
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI... pic.twitter.com/hrFiAC8oju
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 26, 2024
UTS 💛 pic.twitter.com/mmLG2wOW2H
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 26, 2024
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“Spoiler alert: Nasty Leeds fan here,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Everything crossed it goes our way, but hats off to Saints if it’s they who make it, they are a class act and have already beaten us twice this season. May the better team win, and the other one join them very soon.”
The less obvious link
This was a big result in Southampton’s ultimately successful fight against relegation. The second goal is one of the best you’ll ever see.
The other bleedin’ obvious link
(If you want to know more about this absurd story, Josh Widdicombe and Dara O’Briain did a very funny podcast on the subject.)
The bleedin’ obvious link
Louise Taylor’s preview
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of the Championship playoff final from Wembley. This is always a Brobdingnagian fixture, but this year it feels even bigger. That’s partly because of how good these teams have been this season, with a combined total of 177 points, and also because of how big they are. Leeds and Southampton belong in the top tier of English football, but only one of them will be there next season.
Kick off 3pm.
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